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Detroit Lions News & Rumors

NFC Mailbags: Cowboys, Panthers, Lions, Rams

February 21st, 2015 at 12:27pm CST by Ben Levine

We took a look at ESPN.com’s AFC mailbags earlier this morning. Let’s now shift our focus to the NFC…

NFC Links: Johnson, Eagles, Packers, Gore

February 21st, 2015 at 10:51am CST by Ben Levine

Some notes from around the NFC…

  • Despite Calvin Johnson‘s 2016 cap-hit of more than $24MM, Lions general manager Martin Mayhew made it clear that the team would do whatever it takes to keep the talented wideout in Detroit. “Calvin’s a stud,” Mayhew said (via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press). “Calvin’s a great player. He’s a phenomenal player. He has a very bright future and a very bright past. I plan on him being around for a long time. He’s a heck of a player.”
  • Draft prospect Eric Kendricks would be thrilled to play with his brother, linebacker Mychal Kendricks, on the Eagles. “Man, that’d be crazy,” the UCLA linebacker told Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com. “I played with him in high school and I think I took it for granted at the time, as far as how cool it was. But that would be unreal to say the least.” The younger Kendricks brother is expected to be a late-first, early-second round pick.
  • Jason Pierre-Paul is the type of pass-rusher Falcons head coach Dan Quinn loves, and D. Orlando Ledbetter says the organization is keeping an eye on the Giants defensive end.
  • Former Packers special teams coordinator Shawn Slocum still had one season left on his contract, ESPN’s Rob Demovsky points out (via Twitter). As a result, the team will pay the ousted coach for 2015.
  • Following news that 49ers running back Frank Gore could be seeking $4MM annually, Eric Branch of the San Franciscion Chronicle questions whether the veteran is worth the asking price. Ultimately, the writer believes the team will let Gore walk if he can “fetch” that $4MM in free agency.

Extra Points: Colts, Rams, Lowery, Lions

February 20th, 2015 at 1:21pm CST by Luke Adams

While Colts GM Ryan Grigson didn’t reveal anything too significant during his conversation with reporters this week at the combine in Indianapolis, Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star came away with the sense that the team would make “consequential moves” in free agency next month. With possible at holes at safety, running back, and perhaps wide receiver, as well as a need for pass rushers, the Colts are armed with plenty of cap room and have the ability to make impact additions.

Here’s more from around the NFL:

  • According to Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net (Twitter link), word from the combine has the Rams preparing to target linebackers early in the draft. All three of St. Louis’ regular linebackers in 2014 received negative grades, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
  • There have been no contract discussions between the Falcons and safety Dwight Lowery yet, tweets Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. Lowery is eligible for unrestricted free agency next month.
  • Speaking to Tori Petry of DetroitLions.com (video link), Lions GM Martin Mayhew singled out quarterback Dan Orlovsky and long snapper Don Muhlbach as two under-the-radar potential free agents that the team is optimistic about re-signing.
  • Former Browns and Eagles executive Joe Banner cautions fans not to think that every team is having the same Marcus Mariota vs. Jameis Winston debate that the media is having. According to Banner (via Twitter), many clubs already have Mariota “clearly” at the top of their quarterback rankings.
  • Former first-round quarterback Brady Quinn, who was in camp with the Dolphins in 2014, is planning to give it one last shot in the NFL this year in the hopes of landing a regular season roster spot, tweets Ben Volin of the Boston Globe.

North Notes: Skrine, Lions, Hoyer, Guion

February 20th, 2015 at 11:13am CST by Luke Adams

Yesterday, Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net reported that he’s hearing the cornerback market could be very player-friendly this offseason, with multiple teams potentially looking to sign more than one free agent corner. Today, Pauline provides some predictions for specific players, tweeting that he’s hearing numbers in the $10MM-per-year range for Seahawks cornerback Byron Maxwell. I expressed skepticism last month when a report suggested that sources close to Maxwell had thrown out figures in the $12-13MM range, but even a $10MM annual salary would indicate a robust market.

Pauline adds (via Twitter) that he’s also heard a $6.5MM annual figure being “thrown around” for Browns cornerback Buster Skrine. Skrine received the worst Pro Football Focus grade of any of Cleveland’s top four CBs (subscription required), but also played the most defensive snaps of the group, and held his own as a starter when Justin Gilbert wasn’t quite ready to play across from Joe Haden.

As we wait to see whether Skrine actually does that well on his new deal, let’s check in on a few more updates from across the NFL’s North divisions….

  • In his preview of the Lions‘ offseason, Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap suggests that the team would be best off letting Ndamukong Suh walk, since Detroit has very little spending flexibility with its current “Big Three” structure, and it’s hard to picture the team having long-term success with that approach. Fitzgerald views Nick Fairley as a more prudent investment at defensive tackle.
  • Based on his comments to reporters at the combine on Thursday, it appears that Browns GM Ray Farmer is continuing to give free agent quarterback Brian Hoyer the cold shoulder, writes Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com. While it may be a negotiating ploy, it doesn’t look like the Browns will be re-signing the veteran signal-caller.
  • The legal issues for Packers free agent defensive lineman Letroy Guion are expected to resolved very soon, perhaps within the next few days, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. Getting closure on that situation prior to the free agent period would be a win for Guion and for teams with interest in him.
  • Bears GM Ryan Pace was fairly noncommittal when discussing potential contract extensions for players like Matt Forte and Alshon Jeffery, but admitted “it’s a slow process,” according to Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com.

Lions Notes: RFAs, Suh, Jones, Prater, Mathis

February 20th, 2015 at 8:05am CST by Luke Adams

The Lions have four free agents who are set to be either restricted or exclusive rights FAs this offseason, and general manager Martin Mayhew addressed the club’s plans for all four players today in a conversation with Detroit reporters. According to Mayhew, the Lions will tender RFA defensive end George Johnson a contract, but won’t tender offers to Kellen Moore and Josh Bynes, though the team would like to re-sign Moore at a lesser rate. As for the lone ERFA on the roster, Mayhew said that Jeremy Ross will return to the club for 2015 (Twitter links via Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com).

Here are a few more Lions-related tidbits:

  • A league source told Rand Getlin of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link) that the Lions are optimistic that they’ll be able to keep defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh in Detroit. Of course, that has been the club’s public stance for some time now, but it sounds like the team is privately confident as well.
  • Defensive end Jason Jones, who will count for nearly $4MM against the cap in 2015, will return to the Lions and his contract won’t be adjusted, according to Mayhew (Twitter link via Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com).
  • Mayhew is meeting with the agent for prospective free agent Matt Prater tonight in Indianapolis and hopes to figure something out, as he believes Prater can be a Pro Bowl kicker (Twitter link via Twentyman).
  • The general manager added that he hopes to bring back cornerback Rashean Mathis for the 2015 season, and praised Mathis’ “position versatility” (Twitter link via Twentyman).

Combine Pressers: Washington, Lions, Chargers, Ravens

February 18th, 2015 at 1:47pm CST by Luke Adams

Head coaches and general managers continue to speak to the media at press conferences in Indianapolis, and we’ve already rounded up the highlights from several of them so far today. Here are a few more noteworthy comments from some NFL decision-makers, with all links go to the Twitter accounts of various reporters in attendance:

Washington head coach Jay Gruden:

  • In perhaps the most newsworthy moment of any of today’s pressers so far, Gruden said that Robert Griffin III will open the 2015 campaign as Washington’s starting quarterback. There’s still plenty of time for things to change between today and September, but on a day when Jay Cutler couldn’t get a vote of confidence from the Bears, it’s notable that Washington seems committed to RGIII.
  • According to Gruden, the Washington front office is in contact with the reps for high-priced players like Pierre Garcon, Barry Cofield, and Stephen Bowen about possible contract restructures. Discussing Garcon specifically, the head coach stressed that the veteran wideout is still very much in the club’s plans.
  • Echoing the mantra of new GM Scot McCloughan, Gruden said Washington’s philosophy will be to target the best available players in the draft.

Lions GM Martin Mayhew:

  • While he admitted that a new deal with Ndamukong Suh isn’t done, Mayhew remains confident that the two sides will work something out. According to the GM, the defensive scheme, coaches, and players are all a good match for Suh, and the club will definitely “keep working on it.”
  • The Lions still haven’t decided whether or not they’ll resort to the franchise tag if the team and Suh don’t reach an agreement by March 2. Detroit also remains undecided about the fifth-year option for offensive tackle Riley Reiff, and hasn’t yet made any final determinations on any free agents except center Dominic Raiola, who won’t be re-signed.
  • Mayhew can envision a situation where both Suh and Nick Fairley return to Detroit, but he can also imagine a scenario in which neither player is back. The Lions aren’t sure yet how seriously they’ll pursue Fairley, but will meet with his agent, Brian Overstreet, this week.
  • The general manager also has a combine meeting lined up with the agent for free-agent-to-be Matt Prater.
  • According to Mayhew, the team is engaged in dialogue with some players about contract restructures to clear some cap room. Although the GM didn’t identify anyone specifically, one of those players could be Reggie Bush — Mayhew said the team hasn’t determined yet what the running back’s future with the team is.

Chargers GM Tom Telesco:

  • The Chargers plan to meet with the agent for free agent running back Ryan Mathews at the combine this week, according to Telesco. The GM added that the Chargers are “a different team” when Mathews is healthy and on the field.
  • The team is currently planning for D.J. Fluker to play right tackle in 2015, rather than continuing to try him at guard. San Diego figures to have some holes to fill on its offensive line this offseason, so having a set plan for Fluker should help identify the spots that need to be addressed.

Ravens head coach John Harbaugh:

  • According to Harbaugh, the team’s free agents want to return to Baltimore, and the team wants them back. “That bodes well for us,” Harbaugh said.
  • It’s not clear if the head coach’s comment applies to every Ravens free-agent-to-be, but when he was asked specifically about Torrey Smith, Haloti Ngata, and Lardarius Webb, Harbaugh said, “They want to be back [and] we want them back, so we should have a good chance.” Smith is eligible for free agency, while Ngata and Webb are candidates for contract restructures or pay cuts.
  • Harbaugh also expects wide receiver Steve Smith to be back with the Ravens in 2015. The former Panther has two years left on his contract, but will turn 36 in May, so retirement may be a viable option soon.

Extra Points: Mariota, Titans, Fairley

February 17th, 2015 at 10:06pm CST by Zachary Links

Marcus Mariota has informed teams that he will throw Sunday at the combine even though the other quarterbacks will go on Saturday, according to Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Jameis Winston is also throwing at the combine, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter), though it’s not immediately clear if he’ll also buck the trend and throw on Sunday. Here’s more from around the NFL..

  • Titans GM Ruston Webster recently said a lot of good things about quarterback Zach Mettenberger and Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com wonders if he should instead be sending smoke screens when it comes to the No. 2 pick in the draft. With potentially quarterback hungry teams like the Jets, Browns, Texans, and Eagles further down in the draft, they could potentially use that kind of talk to get a massive haul for Mariota
  • Defensive tackle Nick Fairley told SiriusXM NFL Radio (audio link) that he is still waiting on a phone call from the Lions. The hosts of “The SiriusXM Blitz” also asked Fairley if he thought that the Lions’ lack of a long-term offer would hurt his marketability. Fairley doesn’t see that being the case.
  • The Vikings haven’t approached linebacker Chad Greenway about restructuring his contract, Ben Goessling of ESPN.com writes. The linebacker said at the end of the season he was open to reworking his deal if it helped keep him in Minnesota for the final year of his contract, and Greenway reiterated on Tuesday that he’s still willing to do that. But for the moment, he said, “We’re still under contract. We’ll just see what they say.”
  • At long last, the Browns formally announced that Kevin O’Connell has been hired as the team’s quarterbacks coach. “Kevin has already shown a knack for individual teaching at a high level,” head coach Mike Pettine said. “Our experience being around him makes us confident he will easily transition into being an extremely valuable member of our staff.”

Extra Points: Fairley, Tamme, Broncos

February 16th, 2015 at 10:26pm CST by Zachary Links

A company that is gunning to build an NFL stadium in Los Angeles has given $118K in campaign contributions to officials in the city, according to The Associated Press. San Francisco-based Hollywood Park Land Co., the company developing the proposed 80,000-seat stadium, has claimed Rams owner Stan Kroenke as a partner in the company since last year. Here’s more from around the NFL..

  • A source tells Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter link) that Lions defensive tackle and potential free agent Nick Fairley “just wants to be in the most comfortable situation possible.” The status of Ndamukong Suh could go a long way toward determining whether or not that situation is in Detroit.
  • Broncos tight end Jacob Tamme told Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (on Twitter) that he expects to hit the free agent market. Still, he says he’d “love the chance to be back in Denver.” Tamme went on to say that his skill set would work well in Denver’s new offense (link).
  • Whether Peyton Manning returns or not, the Broncos can say goodbye to any chance of returning to their second Super Bowl in three seasons without a reconfigured offensive line, Troy Renck of The Denver Post writes. According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), the Baltimore Ravens, for whom Kubiak served as offensive coordinator last season, posted a 41.4 run-blocking score. The Broncos checked in at minus 4.1.
  • In a chat with Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (on Twitter), Buccaneers center Evan Dietrich-Smith compared the Buccaneers 2014 offense to trying to assemble something without directions because of the coaching issues. The Bucs hope that they have fixed their offensive issues with new coordinator Dirk Koetter.
  • The idea of Ndamukong Suh joining the Raiders has been a well-documented scenario for weeks, but there are plenty more fish in the sea, Bill Williamson of ESPN.com writes. More affordable options on the open market include Terrance Knighton, Henry Melton, Nick Fairley, and Jared Odrick. Knighton, he argues, would make the most sense of anyone in the group. Pot Roast played for new coach Jack Del Rio in Jacksonville and Denver and has expressed his desire for a reunion.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

NFC Links: Saints, Falcons, Eagles, Lions, Bears

February 15th, 2015 at 7:24pm CST by Rob DiRe

Whether you are watching the NBA All-Star Game, SNL 40, or something else, here is a roundup of some NFC links you might have missed today:

FA Notes: Fairley, Cowboys, Saints, Eagles

February 14th, 2015 at 12:42pm CST by Ben Levine

Following news that Nick Fairley was cleared of his DUI charge, the Lions defensive tackle made it clear that he wants to stay in Detroit longterm.

“I love Detroit, to be honest,” Fairley said (via Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press). “I feel the city, the people in it. I love the atmosphere of basically the hard work that they bring. I’m just all work, and that’s definitely the vibe I get from the city, and I like it.”

The former first-rounder struggled through a knee injury in 2014, finishing with career-lows in tackles (eight) and sacks (one).

Let’s take a look at some more notes regarding this year’s free agent class…

 

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