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Detroit Lions News & Rumors

QB Teddy Bridgewater Rejoins Lions

December 26th, 2024 at 10:25pm CST by Sam Robinson

10:25pm: This is an active-roster deal, Rapoport adds. Rather than take the practice squad route like so many veterans have upon signing in-season, Bridgewater will be on the Lions’ 53 immediately.

Teams also showed recent interest in the successful high school coach/part-time QB for assistant positions, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler tweets. While coaching at the NFL level may be in the experienced passer’s future, Bridgewater preferred the chance to try to win a Super Bowl as a player first.

11:37am: Teddy Bridgewater enjoyed tremendous success in his first season as a high school head coach, leading his team to a state championship. He had announced intentions to explore an NFL return, however, and a familiar team will take him up on that effort.

The Lions are bringing Bridgewater back, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo report. Bridgewater spent last season in Detroit, announcing last December would retire and pursue coaching. As the Lions attempt to reach their first Super Bowl a year later, they have secured veteran QB depth via a reunion.

This will give the Lions more familiarity, as Bridgewater rejoins a quarterback room housing Jared Goff and Hendon Hooker. Bridgewater, 32, had played ahead of Hooker during the latter’s rookie season — one spent mostly on the reserve/NFI list thanks to a college ACL tear — but the second-year passer has worked as Goff’s backup this year. Goff and Hooker are the only two QBs on Detroit’s active roster. Unless Bridgewater is joining the NFC North leaders’ practice squad, the team will carry three QBs again.

Upon retiring, Bridgewater landed an interesting gig. He became the head coach of his alma mater, Miami Northwestern High, and he led the school to a state championship. This might not be a long-term move, as Bridgewater hinted at returning to the league before potentially stepping back into the role of head coach at his former high school. It appears Bridgewater and the Lions had kept in contact, and the sides have at least agreed on a short-term partnership for a second straight year.

The Lions had initially signed Bridgewater during their 2023 training camp. They then placed Nate Sudfeld on IR, clearing the way for the veteran passer to back up Goff. Detroit did not need Bridgewater last season, as Goff continued to display durability, and has not needed Hooker to make any starts this year. During his Lions stint, Goff has only missed time due to injury in 2021. His rebound has been one of the defining NFL stories this decade, and the sides agreed on a long-term extension this offseason. Bridgewater, however, would supply experience Hooker does not.

It would stand to reason Bridgewater has kept himself in good shape during his initial stint coaching at the high school level. The former first-round pick was unable to stay healthy during his 2022 Dolphins stint, but he held up in a backup role with the Lions. Bridgewater has made 65 starts over the course of his career, one that included a recovery from a severe knee injury. The 2014 draftee has since worked as a full-time starter for the Panthers and Broncos. Two concussions ended his run in Denver; that 2021 season marked the last time Bridgewater was a starter.

Dan Campbell said during training camp Sudfeld was outperforming Hooker, but the Lions did not keep three QBs on their active roster. They instead cut Sudfeld, adding Jake Fromm to their practice squad a day later. Fromm serves as Detroit’s No. 3 quarterback; his status will be worth monitoring now that Bridgewater is back.

The Lions drafted Hooker in last year’s third round, signing off on a rehab project that included a lengthy NFI stay. Three Detroit blowouts this season gave Hooker some playing time; he has thrown nine passes after sitting last season. If Goff were to go down now, Bridgewater’s season in Ben Johnson‘s offense may well move him back into the role of the immediate backup. Two more seasons remain on Hooker’s rookie deal. While the Tennessee alum may well go back to the role of top Goff backup entering the offseason, it is certainly worth wondering if he has lost that job for the season’s remainder.

Campbell confirmed he and Bridgewater have stayed in touch, adding (via Detroit Football Network’s Justin Rogers) this does not mean the team has lost faith in Hooker. Having both players active sounds like it is in the cards for the Lions, with Campbell indicating the team taking advantage of the emergency QB rule in the playoffs was a factor in the Bridgewater reunion.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/26/24

December 26th, 2024 at 8:32pm CST by Adam La Rose

Thursday’s minor moves around the NFL:

Arizona Cardinals

  • Reverted to season-ending IR (practice window expired): CB Elijah Jones

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Detroit Lions

New York Jets

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Harris’ second season with the Browns saw him play a key role with 13 starts and a 59% snap share on defense. The 33-year-old remained consistent against the run (37 tackles) while chipping in as a pass rusher (1.5 sacks), but his campaign is now over as he deals with an elbow injury. One year remains on Harris’ contract, although none of his scheduled $1.26MM base salary is guaranteed.

Alexander joined the Lions late last month as part of the team’s bid to add healthy options at the linebacker spot. He made a pair of appearances with Detroit prior to today’s move, one which may not mark the end of his time with the team. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports the Lions hope to be able to sign Alexander, 30, to their practice squad provided he clears waivers. Teams will be able to put in a claim until tomorrow afternoon, by which point he will become a free agent if no interested parties emerge.

Zuerlein has been on injured reserve since the end of October, spurring the Jets to turn to other kicking options. If the veteran is activated in the near future, he will be able to make a late-season return in 2024, his third campaign with the Jets. Failing that, New York will still have Anders Carlson and recent practice squad addition Greg Joseph in place at the position.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/26/24

December 26th, 2024 at 6:16pm CST by Adam La Rose

Thursday’s practice squad moves:

Arizona Cardinals

  • Signed: OL Matthew Jones

Atlanta Falcons

  • Signed: QB Emory Jones

Detroit Lions

  • Signed: LB DaRon Gilbert

Indianapolis Colts

  • Signed: LB Michael Tutsie

Minnesota Vikings

New York Giants

San Francisco 49ers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Lions Designate Kalif Raymond For Return

December 26th, 2024 at 12:22pm CST by Sam Robinson

Higher-profile players potentially returning from injury have become one of the defining storylines for a dominant Lions team, as the Lions will need to give careful consideration as to whom they choose to activate from IR. A role player is the next man up here, however.

The NFC North-leading team is opening Kalif Raymond‘s practice window Thursday. Raymond has been on IR with a foot injury since late November. After missing the necessary four games, Raymond is back in the mix. The wide receiver/return man will not count toward Detroit’s activations until officially moved back onto the 53-man roster.

Four activations remain for the Lions, who also have linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin in the IR-return window. However, an offseason rule change has freed up two more IR activations for teams during the postseason. The Lions may have those two spots earmarked for injured standouts, so they will need to be careful in the near term. But Raymond appears on track to be one of Detroit’s returning players soon.

The team has already used two activations on safety Ifeatu Melifonwu. David Montgomery is not in this equation, having not been placed on IR; the starting running back is viewed as a player who could return in the playoffs. Aidan Hutchinson and Alex Anzalone, however, are in play to be activated. The team will need to save enough activations to accommodate that trio. Linebacker Derrick Barnes also may be in the mix to come back, but he has not been designated for return.

Teams regularly take short-term approaches to their IR-return puzzles, activating players who are ready as opposed to waiting on others’ returns. The Lions are in a more interesting situation, however, with a few defensive starters on the radar to be activated. Hutchinson could return if the Lions reach the NFC championship game, while Davis (broken jaw) has not been deemed out for the season yet. The Lions not placing Davis on IR suggests they expect him to have a chance at returning. Anzalone suffered a broken forearm last month; he may factor into the team’s plans as well. Alim McNeill and Malcolm Rodriguez will not, but the Lions have choices to make.

As for Raymond, he hit IR while leading the NFL in punt-return yards (390). Raymond is in Year 4 with the Lions, having established himself as one of the NFL’s best return men while also contributing as a role player on Detroit’s offense. The Lions have used Tim Patrick as their primary No. 3 wideout, but Raymond would provide another option for the NFL’s No. 1-ranked offense. He put together 576- and 616-yard seasons in 2021 and ’22; through 11 games, Raymond caught 16 passes for 204 yards and two touchdowns.

Updated 2025 NFL Draft Order

December 24th, 2024 at 7:42pm CST by Adam La Rose

Two weeks remain in the regular season, and while a number of teams are jockeying for playoff spots several others are still in contention to land a coveted draft slot. It remains to be seen where the No. 1 selection will wind up.

The Giants and Raiders entered Sunday’s action with two wins apiece, and New York’s loss kept the team strongly in contention to kick off the draft in April. By virtue of winning against the Jaguars, though, the Raiders hurt their chances of finding themselves in that position. A top-two spot (or thereabouts) may be required to draft either of this year’s top passers, but a small move up the order positioning Vegas to add one could still be on the table.

Five teams currently sit a 3-12, and a head-to-head matchup between the Titans and Jaguars on Sunday will be key in deciding where each of them wind up. Another three squads own a 4-11 record, so plenty of potential exists in terms of changes being made to the order at the top of the board. Numerous expected suitors for a Day 1 quarterback (including teams like the Browns and Jets) may very well find themselves out of reach for Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders without a trade-up being necessary. The Panthers’ starting situation with Bryce Young is certainly not settled for 2025, but adding a passer on Day 1 would come as a surprise at this point.

For non-playoff teams, the draft order will be determined by the inverted 2024 standings — plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule — with playoff squads being slotted by their postseason outcome and regular-season record. Here is an updated look at the current draft order:

  1. New York Giants (2-13)
  2. New England Patriots (3-12)
  3. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-12)
  4. Tennessee Titans (3-12)
  5. Cleveland Browns (3-12)
  6. Las Vegas Raiders (3-12)
  7. Carolina Panthers (4-11)
  8. New York Jets (4-11)
  9. Chicago Bears (4-11)
  10. New Orleans Saints (5-10)
  11. San Francisco 49ers (6-9)
  12. Miami Dolphins (7-8)
  13. Indianapolis Colts (7-8)
  14. Cincinnati Bengals (7-8)
  15. Dallas Cowboys (7-8)
  16. Arizona Cardinals (7-8)
  17. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-7)
  18. Seattle Seahawks (8-7)
  19. Atlanta Falcons (8-7)
  20. Los Angeles Chargers (9-6)
  21. Houston Texans (9-6)
  22. Denver Broncos (9-6)
  23. Los Angeles Rams (9-6)
  24. Washington Commanders (10-5)
  25. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-5)
  26. Baltimore Ravens (10-5)
  27. Green Bay Packers (11-4)
  28. Philadelphia Eagles (12-3)
  29. Buffalo Bills (12-3)
  30. Minnesota Vikings (13-2)
  31. Detroit Lions (13-2)
  32. Kansas City Chiefs (14-1)

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/24/24

December 24th, 2024 at 6:13pm CST by Adam La Rose

Tuesday’s minor NFL moves, including elevations for tomorrow’s Christmas Day doubleheader:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Denver Broncos

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

New England Patriots

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles 

San Francisco 49ers

The Cardinals – who were eliminated from playoff contention Sunday – will close out the season without either of their starting tackles. Both Johnson and Williams are dealing with knee injuries, and they will be shut down for the remainder of the campaign. The former was a full-time starter as a rookie last year and made 14 appearances in 2024 upon switching to the blindside. Williams signed a one-year deal in free agency to handle RT duties, but two separate knee ailments will limit him to six games played this year. The 27-year-old’s free agent stock will take a hit as a result.

Wallace has made 13 appearances in 2024, his first season with the Broncos. The veteran has handled part-time defensive duties along the way, while also chipping in on special teams. As Denver returns to health at the CB spot, though, Wallace will hit the waiver wire. Should he clear, head coach Sean Payton said the Broncos would like to re-sign him via a practice squad deal (h/t Chris Tomasson of the Denver Gazette).

Fashanu exited the Jets’ Week 16 contest on crutches, and it was recently reported he would miss the rest of the season as a result. Today’s move thus comes as no surprise. Interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich said on Tuesday surgery to repair the first-round rookie’s plantar fascia would be needed, but the team has since clarified a procedure will not take place. Fashanu is expected to recover in full through rehab.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/24/24

December 24th, 2024 at 5:23pm CST by Adam La Rose

Tuesday’s taxi squad moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

  • Signed: K Andre Szmyt

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New York Jets

Tennessee Titans

Szmyt spent time on the Bears’ practice squad last year before playing with the USFL’s St. Louis Battlehawks recently. The 26-year-old terminated his pact with the spring league club to take a deal in Cleveland. A former All-American and Lou Graza winner as the country’s top kicker during his college career, Szmyt could see time late in the year given the Browns’ kicking struggles in 2024.

Thomas appeared to be on his way to join the Colts after he was claimed off waivers by Indianapolis. The veteran corner failed his physical upon arrival with his new team, however, leading to another trip to the waiver wire. No teams put in a claim this time around, but shortly after reaching free agency Thomas has landed a deal. The former 49er has 42 games and 11 starts to his name, and he will provide Minnesota with cornerback depth through the closing stages of the campaign.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/23/24

December 23rd, 2024 at 8:30pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

Tennessee Titans

The Titans’ decision to move on from Brayden Narveson comes as a bit of a surprise following this weekend’s roster machinations. The organization didn’t only promote the kicker from the practice squad…they also signed him through the 2025 campaign. With Nick Folk apparently approaching full health, the Titans have decided to stick with the veteran and move on from his fill-in.

Narveson’s stint with the Titans featured only a single appearance, when he missed his lone field goal attempt and converted two extra points in yesterday’s loss. Narveson spent the beginning of the season in Green Bay, where he converted 12 of his 17 field goal attempts.

Lions OC Ben Johnson “Intrigued” By Bears’ HC Post

December 22nd, 2024 at 10:00pm CST by Rory Parks

Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson has rebuffed the opportunity to be a head coach in each of the last two hiring cycles, and he has done nothing to hurt his stock in 2024. He is again expected to be one of the hottest HC candidates in the upcoming cycle, though he will remain highly selective about his destination.

Given the Bears’ abundance of salary cap space, skill position talent, and the presence of talented rookie-contract QB Caleb Williams, it is easy to see why they believe their HC post is the most desirable among those that are expected to be available in 2025. Bill Belichick, before he made the surprising decision to join the college ranks, reportedly shared that view.

The attractiveness of the job in a vacuum is one thing, but a November report suggested that Johnson may steer clear of the Bears due to perceived organizational dysfunction. However, subsequent reports noted that Johnson may indeed consider the Chicago gig, and today, Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network said that the 38-year-old offensive guru is “intrigued” by the position and is willing to listen to the Bears’ pitch (video link). As we had previously heard that Johnson is not going to interview simply for the sake of interviewing, any summit he conducts with Bears brass would seemingly indicate that he is prepared to accept the job if offered.

While the Bears have been said to be prioritizing a “leader of men” type of head coach over a candidate with a specific background, Johnson’s reputation as an offensive mastermind is not only in keeping with the trend in today’s HC searches, but it would be especially beneficial to a team looking to unlock the potential of a blue chip prospect like Williams. 

And, despite turning down what was generally regarded as a similarly appealing post with the Commanders in the 2024 hiring period, Johnson reiterated that he wants to take a team’s top job at some point.

“I think there’s a burning desire in every man to find what he’s made out of and push the limits and see if he’s got what it takes,” Johnson said (via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press). “And so yeah, there’s a fire there. Now, when that time is? I don’t know, when that’ll be, but there’s certainly a fire there.”

When asked specifically about Williams, Johnson was complimentary but conceded that he had not really studied the rookie’s tape. 

“Listen, it’s been difficult to sit down and just study every throw but plenty of crossover tape over the course of the year and there’s no question this guy’s talented,” Johnson said. “I remember standing on the sideline last game and just you can hear the ball whistle by you. He’s got quite a fastball and has some creativity to him, can extend plays and is accurate down the field as well. Like I said, I haven’t really dove in and can tell you much more beyond that, but he’s been impressive from afar.”

Whether Johnson finally decides to move on from Detroit will be perhaps the top question when it comes to the 2025 HC carousel. If he does, it sounds as if the Bears will be firmly in the mix.

Interestingly, Johnson – a UNC alum – was not contacted by the school to discuss its head coaching vacancy, as Birkett notes in a separate piece. Of course, that job went to Belichick, who will continue his legendary career as the Tar Heels’ skipper.

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