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Detroit Lions News & Rumors

Lions Acquire Haloti Ngata

March 11th, 2015 at 1:49pm CST by Dallas Robinson

WEDNESDAY, 1:49pm: Ngata has passed his physical and is officially a Lion, says Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (Twitter link).

TUESDAY, 3:36pm: Detroit will receive Ngata and a seventh-round pick while sending a fourth- and fifth-round pick to Baltimore, per Schefter (Twitter link).

2:55pm: The Lions have acquired defensive tackle Haloti Ngata from the Ravens, Baltimore announced via Twitter. Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun was the first to report the news (Twitter link). Detroit is expected to send a fourth- or fifth- round pick to the Ravens, tweets Peter King of Sports Illustrated.

Baltimore has expressed optimism that it would be able to retain the 31-year-old Ngata via some sort of contract restructure involving either an extension or a pay reduction. He had been scheduled to carry a $16MM cap charge for 2015. Now that they’ve traded him, the Ravens will only be responsible for his prorated bonus money, which comes to $7.5MM.

In landing Ngata, the Lions have found their replacement for departed free agent Ndamukong Suh, who agreed to terms with the Dolphins over the weekend. Ngata is also reuniting with Teryl Austin, Detroit’s defensive coordinator, who previously coached in Baltimore. The Lions will assume Ngata’s base salary of $8.5MM for the upcoming season. The nine-year veteran has started 133 games in his career, accruing 25.5 sacks.

Former Lions defensive tackle Nick Fairley is now a free agent, and it will interesting to see if Detroit’s move for Ngata will impact their pursuit of him.

East Rumors: Revis, Mariota, Washington

March 11th, 2015 at 11:51am CST by Zachary Links

The Jets had a significantly higher offer on the table for cornerback Darrelle Revis than the Patriots did, Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald tweets. Howe isn’t exactly sure of what the gap was, but the Pats apparently didn’t approach the five-year, $70MM pact that includes $39MM in guaranteed cash. Howe (link) was also told that the Patriots did not give Revis permission to explore his value from the competition before the official opening of free agency on Tuesday like they did with Browner. Here’s more from the AFC and NFC East..

  • John Clayton of ESPN.com (on Twitter) is convinced that Washington will take quarterback Marcus Mariota if he falls to No. 5 overall.
  • Sal Paolantonio of ESPN said on 97.5 The Fanatic that relative of Nick Foles relative said the quarterback is ecstatic to no longer be a member of the Eagles, Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk writes. “I just talked to a member of Nick Foles’ family. He is absolutely pumped, overjoyed he’s out of Philly,” Paolantonio said. Foles is now a member of the Rams following Tuesday’s trade.
  • New Washington defensive lineman Stephen Paea says the Lions, Broncos, and Buccaneers were also in the mix for his services, as John Keim of ESPN.com writes.
  • When asked if the Bills ever considered cutting running back Fred Jackson, GM Doug Whaley flatly said “no,” Mike Rodak of ESPN.com tweets. Whaley also said that he does not have a framework of a deal with fullback Jerome Felton, Joe Buscaglia of WGR tweets.
  • Earlier today, we rounded up the latest on Cowboys free agent running back DeMarco Murray.

Lions Won’t Re-Sign Nick Fairley

March 11th, 2015 at 10:12am CST by Zachary Links

The Lions appear ready to move on from Nick Fairley after telling at least two agents that they are out of the running for the defensive tackle, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press writes. That message has been received by Fairley, who is no longer considering a return to Detroit, Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports tweets.

Fairley is visiting the Bengals today and had interest from about six teams before free agency opened up on Tuesday afternoon, Birkett writes. Fairley was in talks with Detroit for part of Tuesday, but the two sides could not come to an agreement on terms. Birkett notes that the Lions were able to rekindle things with linebacker Stephen Tulloch in 2011 when talks were shut down in a similar fashion, but as of right now it looks like the former first round pick will be headed elsewhere.

In four seasons with the Lions, Fairley racked up 13.5 sacks. After posting a top-20 season for defensive tackles, per PFF (subscription required), he should see a healthy payday no matter where he goes.

Lions To Re-Sign Isa Abdul-Quddus

March 10th, 2015 at 7:49pm CST by Dallas Robinson

7:49pm: Abdul-Quddus confirmed that he’s returning to Detroit, tweeting that he’s “very excited to be back” with the Lions.

6:53pm: After striking a deal to bring in defensive line reinforcements earlier in the day, the Lions plan to bring back a member of their secondary, as they’re finalizing a one-year deal with safety Isa Abdul-Quddus, per Paul Schrager of FOX Sports (via Twitter). Dave Birkett of Lions.com confirms the news, saying that while isn’t done yet, it’s close (Twitter link).

Abdul-Quddus isn’t a big-name player, but as Birkett notes, he’s a valuable backup and a key player on special teams, where he racked up five tackles. He did end up starting four games last season, and posted 22 total tackles on the year. The Lions originally claimed the 25-year-old off waivers from the Saints last February.

While he earned a base salary of $645K in 2014, Abdul-Quddus will probably see a slight bump through his new deal, and could perhaps approach $1MM.

North Notes: Revis, Ngata, Steelers, Packers

March 10th, 2015 at 4:44pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Steelers looked into signing Darrelle Revis, but it doesn’t look like it’s possible, per Adam Schefter of ESPN (Twitter link), who says that it’s down to the Jets and Patriots for the star corner. Revis was asking for more money than Pittsburgh could afford, tweets Aditi Kinkhabwala of the NFL Network.

Meanwhile, the Packers have emerged as a suitor for Revis, adds Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (via Twitter), who lists the Jets, Pats, Packers, and a mystery team as the finalists for Revis.

Here’s more from the North divisions:

  • The Lions are expected to approach the recently-acquired Haloti Ngata about an extension, reports Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter). Ngata is entering the final year of his contract.
  • The Packers had a “few discussions” with free agent defensive tackle Terrance Knighton, per Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel (Twitter link), but a deal isn’t likely. Green Bay has had discussions about retaining Letroy Guion and B.J. Raji, but the club could wait out the DT market.
  • Looking to retain one of the core special teams players, the Bears have interest in re-signing cornerback Sherrick McManis, tweets Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune, though nothing is yet in the works.

Lions To Re-Sign Josh Bynes

March 10th, 2015 at 4:26pm CST by Zachary Links

4:26pm: It’s a two-year deal, according to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com.

4:05pm: Josh Bynes has agreed to a new deal with the Lions, according to agent Chad Speck (on Twitter).

Bynes, a restricted free agent, was not tendered an offer by the Lions. Nonetheless, the Lions informed Bynes that they’d still like to re-sign him and they’ve presumably struck a deal at a rate closer to the minimum salary. Bynes, 25, appeared in 26 games for the Ravens from 2011 through 2014 and made nine starts along the way. He began the season on the Ravens’ taxi squad, but the Lions signed him to their active roster in late September.

In total, Bynes recorded 79 tackles and five pass deflections for Baltimore. Last season in Detroit, Bynes recorded 23 total tackles, one fumble recovery, one pass deflection, and one interception across 13 games.

NFC FA Rumors: Hardy, Peterson, Worilds

March 10th, 2015 at 1:32pm CST by Zachary Links

Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter) hears there’s at least some cursory interest in Greg Hardy from the 49ers. Still, it’s very early in the process and his signing might drag on for some time. No matter who signs him, Robinson says (link) that it’ll be a slow process and he expects to see some media leaks to see how it plays publicly. More from the NFC..

  • Vikings running back Adrian Peterson met with the Wilfs in New York on Monday and GM Rick Spielman, according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today. It was a continuation of the discussion Peterson had last week with Spielman and Vikings coach Mike Zimmer, who huddled with Peterson for about four hours at his home outside Houston to discuss his future with the team.
  • Jason Worilds has a clear idea of what he wants but both the Giants and Steelers think that price is too high, Aditi Kinkhabwala of NFL.com tweets. As one source told the NFL.com scribe, “We’re not paying $1MM per sack.” Worilds notched 7.5 sacks in 2014.
  • B.J. Raji‘s preference is to return to the Packers but he’s weighing offers and his return is no sure thing right now, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
  • The Lions are still trying to get something done with Nick Fairley but he’s got some interest elsewhere, Robinson tweets.
  • The Packers are not pursuing Andre Johnson at this time, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com tweets. It appears that Johnson was only being looked at in case Randall Cobb went elsewhere.
  • The Falcons are expected to be in play for Rams tight end Lance Kendricks, according to Jim Thomas of the Post Dispatch (on Twitter).

AFC Rumors: Cameron, Bulaga, Langford, Raiders

March 8th, 2015 at 11:16pm CST by Rob DiRe

Tight end Jordan Cameron has become one of the most sought after free agents in the league during this “legal tampering” period, drawing interest from the Browns, Raiders, Broncos, and Seahawks, according to Rand Getlin of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter). The Jaguars would also be in the mix if they are unable to sign Julius Thomas.

Here are some other rumors from around the AFC:

  • One name the Bills could target heavily in free agency is versatile offensive lineman Bryan Bulaga, writes Tim Graham of the Buffalo News (via Twitter). Graham writes there will be plenty of competition for his services.
  • The Broncos have scheduled a visit with defensive tackle Kendall Langford, writes Mike Klis of the Denver Post. The 29-year old veteran would provide a stout body for either a 4-3 or a 3-4 defense.
  • In addition to Denver, Langford is scheduled to visit the Colts, writes Nick Wagoner of ESPN (via Twitter). Langford already met with the Lions, Jets, and Saints.
  • The Raiders are interested in Cameron to fill their tight end woes, but are also targeting Jermaine Gresham, according to Bill Williamson of ESPN (via Twitter). The team is trying to work out a deal with the former Bengal by Tuesday, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN (via Twitter).
  • Williamson also wrote an overview of the Raiders’ free agent options after top targets Ndamukong Suh and Randall Cobb agreed to deals this Sunday.
  • With Cobb and Jeremy Maclin signing big money deals, and Torrey Smith leaning towards the 49ers, the Raiders will have to look at veterans released to fill their wide receiver woes, writes Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com (via Twitter). Percy Harvin, Andre Johnson, and Dwayne Bowe could all be options for the Raiders.
  • The Titans have expressed interest in pass rusher Brandon Graham, reports Paul Kuharsky of ESPN (via Twitter).
  • The Titans are also targeting a number of players, and Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean dives into ten topics the team will address this offseason. Among other things, Wyatt mentions the team needs to continue to pursue cornerbacks, writing that the team has expressed interest in Cary Williams, and could also chase Tramon Williams and Buster Skrine.

Dolphins Front-Runners For Suh?

March 8th, 2015 at 9:33am CST by Rory Parks

PFR’s Luke Adams wrote last night that one “high-placed source” is confident that standout defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh will land with the Dolphins, and Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports lends even more credence to the Suh-to-Miami rumors. Robinson tweets that “multiple league sources” definitively believe that Suh will be plugging the middle of the Dolphins’ defensive line for the foreseeable future.

Robinson adds that Suh’s deal is expected to set a new league record for the amount of guaranteed money given to a defensive player, which will not come as a surprise to anyone. The Texans gave J.J. Watt a six-year deal worth over $100MM last season, with nearly $52MM of that guaranteed, and Suh’s next contract was always expected to at least match that figure.

The Dolphins, of course, have been major players in the free agent market in recent seasons, but they have yet to enjoy much on-field success during that time. Although Branden Albert was playing at a high level before being placed on IR last season, Mike Wallace and Dannell Ellerbe have been disappointments for Miami in a number of ways, and the teams that spend the most money in free agency are rarely among the legitimate contenders when the season draws to a close.

As such, it may be difficult for Dolphins fans to get especially excited about this development, but Suh’s talent is undeniable. Although the financial commitment is an obvious risk, Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report correctly points out that Suh is one of those rare players who is probably worth that risk. As a dominant interior lineman who can stop a running game in its tracks and get after the passer, Suh alone could give Miami enough of a lift to contend for a playoff spot in 2015. And he does not seem to be the type of player who will rest on his laurels after getting a big payday.

So while the Dolphins have learned all too well what the term caveat emptor means over the past several offseasons, it would be tough to criticize their decision to sign Suh.

FA Rumors: Bulaga, McCourty, Suh, Raiders

March 7th, 2015 at 11:36pm CST by Luke Adams

While the Packers were able to retain one of their top two free agents tonight, reaching an agreement to bring back wide receiver Randall Cobb, the team may end up losing tackle Bryan Bulaga, writes Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Two league sources tell Silverstein that Bulaga is seeking a contract worth at least $7-8MM per year, and has a good chance of landing such a deal. Per one of Silverstein’s sources, Green Bay isn’t interested in paying $7MM+ annually for Bulaga, and would let him walk if the bidding got that high. The Buccaneers, the Jaguars, and Washington are believed to have interest in the free agent tackle.

Here’s more from around the league on what has been a busy Saturday:

  • According to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (via Twitter), safety Devin McCourty is seeking an annual salary of $9MM per year, like what Jairus Byrd got a year ago. When I listed McCourty as 2015’s second-best free agent earlier today, I noted that if Byrd could land $9MM per year, the Pats safety should be able to do just as well on the open market.
  • Cole also has an update on Ndamukong Suh, tweeting that one high-placed source is confident that Suh will end up with the Dolphins, while a second source says the Lions are the only other team involved in the bidding. Given how rare it is for a player of Suh’s caliber to reach the open market, I’d be pretty surprised if only two teams were pursuing him, but multiple reports over the last several days have identified Miami and Detroit as the frontrunners.
  • Cobb had been high on the Raiders‘ list of wide receiver targets, but now that he’s off the market, Bill Williamson of ESPN.com (Twitter link) says the team will likely shift its focus to Jeremy Maclin, Torrey Smith, and – if and when he becomes available – Percy Harvin.
  • The Texans have interest in quarterbacks Ryan Mallett and Brian Hoyer, and it may not be an either/or proposition for the team, according to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle, who tweets that the club would like to sign both players.
  • The Cowboys have elected not to tender a contract offer to cornerback Sterling Moore, meaning he’ll be an unrestricted free agent rather than an RFA, writes Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com.
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