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Detroit Lions News & Rumors

NFC Links: Eagles, Lynch, Suh, Panthers

February 7th, 2015 at 9:28am CST by Ben Levine

Former offensive tackle Tra Thomas was a member of the Eagles coaching staff this past season, but the 40-year-old wasn’t retained for 2015. Thomas spent time as a full-time assistant on both offense and defense, and he felt like he was actually making an impact on the players.

As a result, it was a surprise when he learned he wouldn’t be back with the organization next season.

“I was a little bit surprised just because when I switched over to the outside linebackers, they improved last year,” Thomas said on 97.5 The Fanatic in Philly (via Sheil Kapadia of PhillyMag.com). “The last season, they put up 16 sacks, and then you switch me over to the other side, I start working with ’em, and then this past season we put up 26.5 sacks. Connor Barwin went from five sacks to 14.5 sacks. So I was a little bit surprised just because you can look at the numbers and see that there was improvement in that group. But it’s just the way it goes.

“I went in and asked Coach [Kelly] what my situation was gonna be, and what I was told was that position I had was just kind of something they made up for me to get me some experience on this side of the game, and that it’s not gonna exist next year.”

More from the Eagles amid notes from the NFC…

Coaching Notes: Steelers, Falcons, Raiders

February 6th, 2015 at 5:42pm CST by Rob DiRe

Former Steelers linebackers coach Keith Butler is now the club’s defensive coordinator, so a pair of assistants have received promotions to fill the hole on the staff. The Steelers announced today that Jerry Olsavsky will coach the team’s inside linebackers, while Joey Porter will coach the outside linebackers, according to Steelers.com. Both coaches played linebacker for the Steelers before coming back to coach with the organization.

Here are some other coaching notes from around the NFL:

  • We heard earlier this week that Seahawks assistant Marquand Manuel was expected to follow Dan Quinn to Atlanta, and Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com confirms that news today, tweeting that Manuel signed his two-year deal to join the Falcons. He’ll serve as the club’s defensive backs coach and senior defensive consultant. McClure gives credit to his colleague Josina Anderson for the report.
  • After announcing earlier today that Ken Norton Jr. would be their new defensive coordinator, the Raiders are filling out the defensive staff under Norton. University of Miami defensive line coach Jethro Franklin will be headed to Oakland to accept the same job with the Raiders, reports Thayer Evans of SI.com (via Twitter).
  • Central Michigan University has hired Lions special teams coach John Bonamego to be their new head coach, reports Hondo Carter of SpartanNation.com (via Twitter). It will be Bonamego’s first head coaching opportunity.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Latest On Ndamukong Suh

February 6th, 2015 at 5:25pm CST by Luke Adams

As we noted this morning, Ndamukong Suh‘s contract with the Lions voids today, the fifth day after the 2015 Super Bowl. Of course, that’s just a formality — Suh doesn’t immediately become available, and will still be able to negotiate only with the Lions for the next several weeks. But it’s the first step in the star defensive tackle potentially reaching the open market four and a half weeks from now.

Plenty can happen between now and then to keep Suh off the market, but the rumor mill is already starting to get active, as March 10 inches closer. Here’s the latest on one of the league’s top free-agents-to-be:

  • The Lions have told the agent of at least one potential free agent defensive tackle that they do expect Suh to return, writes Dave Birkett of USA Today Sports. That may be far from a guarantee, but it is good news for those hoping Detroit can retain its top defensive player.

Earlier updates:

  • It’s simply not feasible for the Lions to franchise Suh, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com, who hears from sources that the 28-year-old is “highly, highly unlikely” to be tagged by the team. As I’ve noted in previous posts, a franchise tag for Suh would come in at nearly $27MM, which doesn’t even take into account the $9MM+ in dead money from his rookie contract that will count against Detroit’s cap.
  • According to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link), Suh – who grew up in the Pacific Northwest – would love to play for the Seahawks. However, that’s a “pipe dream” at this point, given Seattle’s cap situation and the club’s need to extend Russell Wilson soon.
  • If he hits free agency, Suh will likely favor West Coast teams that are expected to be in contention in 2015 and beyond, says Cole. Of course, the teams with the most cap room generally aren’t contenders, but may be the most serious threats for Suh. Cole identifies the Raiders as one team that could “overbid” for the former second overall pick, since Oakland will have to start spending soon to meet the minimum salary cap threshold.
  • Count Raiders defensive back Charles Woodson among those who would like to see Suh wearing silver and black in 2015. “I don’t think there’s a team in the NFL that wouldn’t want to see Ndamukong Suh on their team,” Woodson told Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com. “I know I would be no different. That guy is one of the best, overall, period in the NFL. Would I like him on our team? Believe it.”

Minor Moves: Friday

February 6th, 2015 at 3:57pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are today’s minor moves around football, including multiple back-of-the-roster NFL transactions as well as a one-time starting quarterback heading north to the CFL….

  • Center Darren Keyton, who was cut by the Lions before the team’s Wild Card game, has re-signed with the club, according to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (via Twitter).

Earlier updates:

  • Quarterback John Skelton, who started 17 games for the Cardinals from 2010 to 2012, has signed a two-year pact with the CFL’s Montreal Alouettes, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Skelton’s stint in Arizona wasn’t particularly effective — he finished with 15 touchdowns to 25 interceptions, completing just 53.2% of his passes and posting a 63.0 QB rating. The 26-year-old spent time most recently with the Bengals in 2013.
  • Former University of Miami center Jared Wheeler signed with the Seahawks today, according to agent Brett Tessler (via Twitter). Wheeler, who was cut by the Bills prior to the 2014 regular season, is the latest signee for Seattle, after the team added 11 players on reserve/futures contracts earlier this week.
  • The Patriots also made several reserve/futures signings yesterday, and completed a few more today, according to a team release. Defensive lineman Antonio Johnson, linebacker Rufus Johnson, and running back Dion Lewis have new contracts with the Pats.

Contracts Void For Suh, Pierre-Paul, Spiller

February 6th, 2015 at 8:44am CST by Luke Adams

The contracts for several notable players will void today, formally paving the way for them to hit free agency next month, as Joel Corry of CBSSports.com details. Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul, and Bills running back C.J. Spiller are among the players who will see the 2015 seasons on their deals void, since the language in their respective contracts called for that to happen on the fifth day after this year’s Super Bowl.

In each case, the fact that the player’s contract is voiding today doesn’t mean he’ll immediately become a free agent. The Lions, for instance, will still be the only team that can negotiate a new agreement with Suh for the next few weeks. If the star defender still hasn’t worked anything out with the team by March 3, Detroit could use its franchise tag on him. If the Lions pass on using a tag, Suh would be able to talk to other teams as of March 7, and could sign elsewhere on March 10.

While these players won’t necessarily be returning to their current clubs, those teams will each carry a cap hit for 2015 due to the contracts. In some cases, that cap number is modest — for JPP and the Giants, it’s just $1.35MM. However, the Lions’ hit for Suh is approximately $9.74MM. In other words, if Detroit has to use the franchise tag – worth $26.895MM – on Suh, the team will be using over $36MM in cap room to a single player.

Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap explained in greater detail why a number of players from 2010’s draft class have a voided year at the end of their rookie contracts, and adds a few more names to the list of players whose deals void today: Jaguars defensive end Tyson Alualu, Eagles edge defender Brandon Graham, Chargers running back Ryan Mathews, and Titans edge defender Derrick Morgan will also be eligible for free agency next month after their 2015 years void.

North Notes: Ravens, Farmer, Suh

February 5th, 2015 at 2:45pm CST by Zachary Links

Haloti Ngata‘s future is the most pressing question facing the Ravens this offseason, according to Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com. Ngata, 31, is set to count $16MM against Baltimore’s cap in 2015. While he did rate as the ninth-best 3-4 defensive end among 47 qualifiers per Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Ngata was suspended for four games after violating the league’s PED policy. Hensley also expects the Ravens to target players who get cut in free agency. He lists some names to watch, including Bucs receiver Vincent Jackson, 49ers tight end Vernon Davis, and Jets running back Chris Johnson. Here’s a look at the AFC and NFC North..

  • Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk has the latest on the TextGate controversy, reporting that Browns GM Ray Farmer actually sent messages to a non-coaching employee on the sidelines who then relayed those messages to the coaching staff. Florio also surmises that Farmer could be something of a “fall guy” for the scandal, adding that owner Jimmy Haslam could have been the one directing Farmer.
  • The Lions are expressing confidence that they’ll retain Ndamukong Suh, but that doesn’t mean much to Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com since they’ve been saying the same thing for a year now. Until something is signed or announced, Rothstein cautions fans not to fully believe that Suh will be back. In theory, the Lions could also use the franchise tag to keep Suh, but that would cost them upwards of $26MM.
  • More from Rothstein, who looked at impending Lions free agent Dan Orlovsky. The 10-year veteran was signed to back up starter Matthew Stafford and, fortunately for Detroit, Stafford did not miss a snap all year. Rothstein says it wouldn’t be surprising to see Orlovsky back with Detroit when considering his experience and low cost.
  • Packers linebacker Sam Barrington broke a bit of news on Twitter today when he congratulated Ron Zook on becoming the team’s new special teams coordinator. Zook, of course, previously served as head coach at the University of Florida and the University of Illinois.

Dallas Robinson contributed to this post.

NFC Notes: Randle, Guion, Lions, Peterson

February 4th, 2015 at 4:59pm CST by Luke Adams

As first reported by KAKE.com, Cowboys running back Joseph Randle was arrested in Wichita early this morning on a drug charge after officers responsded to a call and found marijuana in his hotel room. Randle’s agent, Erik Burkhardt, contended (via Twitter) that his client was simply cited with a ticket rather than being arrested, but Wichita police says it’s still considered an arrest even though Randle wasn’t taken into custody, tweets David Moore of the Dallas Morning News. As Joel Corry of CBSSports.com points out (via Twitter), Randle’s latest off-field incident may have the side effect of giving DeMarco Murray some leverage in contract negotiations with the Cowboys this winter.

Another arrest that could have an effect on free agency leads off this afternoon’s NFC notes — let’s dive in….

  • Packers defensive tackle Letroy Guion, a prospective free agent, was arrested for possession of marijuana in Starke, Florida late Tuesday night, reports Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. The timing of the incident was unfortunate for Guion, who had been engaged in talks with the Packers about a long-term deal, and had just been the subject of a glowing article from Jason Wilde of ESPNWisconsin.com. Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Twitter links) has more details on what police found on Guion, including a firearm, $190K+ in U.S. currency, and 357 grams of marijuana.
  • Ron Zook, who worked as the Packers‘ assistant special teams coach this past season, is the favorite to become the club’s new special teams coordinator, writes Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
  • The Lions may have a need at cornerback if they don’t re-sign Rashean Mathis, and veteran Charles Tillman of the division-rival Bears wouldn’t rule out the possibility of heading to Detroit, writes Kyle Meinke of MLive.com.
  • Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press previews Friday’s federal court hearing, which will pit suspended Vikings running back Adrian Peterson and the NFLPA against the NFL.

2015 NFL Franchise Tag Candidates: NFC North

February 4th, 2015 at 8:51am CST by Luke Adams

The deadline for assigning a franchise or transition tag on a 2015 free-agent-to-be is less than a month away, and we’re in the process of taking a look at players who are candidates to be tagged this year. Last week, we examined all four AFC divisions, covering the East, North, South, and West. This week, we’re shifting our focus to the NFC — we kicked things off on Tuesday with the East and we’ll tackle the North today. Here’s a breakdown of the franchise and transition tag candidates for the Bears, Lions, Packers, and Vikings:

Chicago Bears:

  • Candidates: Stephen Paea
  • Odds of being used: Unlikely
  • The Bears have a ton of pending free agents, but most of them are either non-core players, or longtime contributors who are no longer realistic candidates to be tagged, such as Charles Tillman and Lance Briggs. I don’t expect Chicago to use either of its tags, but if there’s one option out there, it’s probably Paea, whose impressive 2014 campaign may have been overlooked by many due to the defense’s poor overall performance. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) graded Paea as the league’s 11th-best defensive tackle, marking him down for 47 overall quarterback pressures, a lofty total for an interior lineman — among DTs, only Ndamukong Suh (57) and Kyle Williams (49) had more. It probably won’t take a franchise tag to retain Paea, but he should be a priority for the Bears if they have a spot for him in Vic Fangio‘s new defensive scheme.

Detroit Lions:

  • Candidates: Ndamukong Suh, Matt Prater
  • Odds of being used: Possible
  • You could make a case for Suh as the league’s top free-agent-to-be this offseason, which would normally mean the franchise tag makes a ton of sense. In Suh’s case though, his 2014 salary was so high that the cost of a franchise tag would be astronomical — nearly $27MM. As such, a long-term extension will be the Lions’ preference, but tagging Suh could be a last resort. If the star defender isn’t tagged, Prater may be considered, since he made 87% of his field goals for the club after a shaky debut. Still, considering they picked him up off the scrap heap just a few months ago, the Lions likely won’t have to tag the kicker to bring him back. Nick Fairley and Rashean Mathis are other regulars who may be briefly considered, but neither appears to be a viable option.

Green Bay Packers:

  • Candidates: Randall Cobb, Bryan Bulaga
  • Odds of being used: Possible
  • Cobb and Bulaga are players Green Bay would almost certainly like to have around for the 2015 season, and the wideout is the stronger candidate for a franchise tag than the offensive lineman. Although Bulaga has developed into a reliable right tackle for the Packers, the position just isn’t one that gets big money — as Over the Cap’s data shows, the highest-paid right tackle in the NFL (Gosder Cherilus) averages just $7MM per year, and a franchise salary would be significantly higher than that. Cobb, on the other hand, is coming off a season in which he recorded 91 receptions, 1,287 receiving yards, and 12 TDs. Those are No. 1 WR numbers, and Cobb is just 24 years old, so the Packers may be willing to pay him like one of the league’s best wideouts for a year while they try to work out a longer-term deal that’s worth a little less annually. Cornerback Tramon Williams is another solid contributor who might warrant fleeting consideration for a tag.

Minnesota Vikings:

  • Candidates: None
  • Odds of being used: Very unlikely
  • Defensive regulars Jasper Brinkley and Tom Johnson are among the club’s contributors eligible for free agency this offseason, but Minnesota doesn’t have a key free agent worth an eight-digit salary for 2015.

Minor Moves: Tuesday

February 3rd, 2015 at 5:47pm CST by Luke Adams

The NFL’s waiver period for 2015 officially opened this week after the Super Bowl, which means we should see an uptick in transactions over the next few weeks, even before free agency opens on March 10. Here are Tuesday’s minor moves from around the league:

  • The Colts announced today that they have agreed to terms with guard Ben Heenan. Heenan, 6’4″, 316 pounds, spent the last three seasons with the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the CFL. In 2014, he started all 21 games for the Roughriders, released Heenan from his CFL deal this week to allow him to pursue NFL opportunities. Heenan had offers from five NFL teams, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
  • The Bills have claimed wide receiver Justin Brown off waivers from the Steelers, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (via Twitter). The Steelers waived Brown back in December to make room for the addition of Ben Tate. Brown, a sixth-round choice in 2013, caught 12 passes for 94 yards during his time in Pittsburgh.
  • While Brown didn’t clear waivers, several other players who were cut since the end of the regular season made it through, tweets Wilson. Safety Jakar Hamilton (Cowboys), offensive lineman Darren Keyton (Lions), and tight end Steve Maneri (Patriots) all went unclaimed.
  • After signing a reserve/futures contract with the Lions at the end of the regular season, tight end Ifeanyi Momah was cut today by the team due to a failure to disclose a physical condition, tweets Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com. Momah spent time on the Lions’ and Browns’ practice squads in 2014.
  • The Saints formally terminated the contract of linebacker Cheta Ozougwu today, says Evan Woodbery of the Times-Picayune (Twitter links). Ozougwu spent the entire 2014 season on New Orleans’ reserve-PUP list.
  • Fullback Greg Jones, who announced his retirement last month, has officially been moved to the reserve/retired list by the Jaguars, per Wilson (via Twitter).

Zach Links contributed to this post.

NFC Notes: Lynch, Sherman, Lions, Houston

February 3rd, 2015 at 4:02pm CST by Luke Adams

On a radio appearance, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said that the team has been “in the midst” of contract talks with running back Marshawn Lynch for a while now, according to Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times (via Twitter). Earlier this week it was reported that Seattle made a “huge” offer to the Skittles-loving tailback that would likely keep him with the team for the remainder of his career. The 28-year-old running back is set to make $5MM next year, but that offer would reportedly give him $10MM in 2015 alone.

Let’s round up a few more items from across the NFC….

  • Carroll also admitted today that he “might have been misled” regarding Richard Sherman‘s injury situation, suggesting that the Seahawks cornerback may not need to undergo Tommy John surgery after all. “He’s not a pitcher, and he’s not a left-hander,” Carroll said, per ESPN.com. “Sherm might not have to have that kind of surgery. If he was a thrower he would.”
  • Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com takes a look at the free agent decisions facing the Lions on their defensive line, where Ndamukong Suh is far from the only player with an expiring contract. Twentyman figures that if the team can get a deal done with Suh, it figures to be worth around $100MM, with $50MM+ in guarantees.
  • Lamarr Houston‘s $5.9MM base salary for 2015 with the Bears will now be fully guaranteed, according to Joel Corry of CBSSports.com (on Twitter). Houston’s contract called for his salary to be locked in on the second day of the 2015 waiver period, which is today. The defensive end’s season ended prematurely when he tore his ACL while celebrating a sack in October. It wasn’t exactly a banner year for Houston, as that sack was his very first of the 2014 campaign.
  • Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff says he has no problem with the way the team’s front office is set up, with new head coach Dan Quinn having final say on Atlanta’s 53-man roster — in fact, according to Dimitroff, he encouraged that. “It’s not about who has final 53 or who has authority over one thing or another,” Dimitroff said (link via D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal Constitution). “It’s about working together. It’s about nice equal footing and a partnership.”
  • The St. Louis group attempting to build a new stadium for the Rams has hired John Lloyd, who has “extensive experience” in the field, as a consultant on the project, as Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch details.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

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