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Cole Wick

Lions DE Armonty Bryant Suspended

November 1st, 2016 at 2:42pm CST by Zachary Links

The Lions announced that defensive lineman Armonty Bryant has been hit with a three-game suspension. Bryant already served a four-game PED suspension to start the season, but this is a separate ban for a separate incident. 

Over the summer, Bryant pleaded guilty to an amended charge of attempted drug possession, a first-degree misdemeanor. He was originally charged with felony drug possession after he was caught with Adderall and Oxycodone. After serving 68 days of probation, he’ll now be sidelined from NFL action until next month.

The Browns surprised many when they cut Bryant on Oct. 3, the day he was slated to return from his first suspension. Cleveland brass didn’t feel that he was worth the headaches, but the Lions decided to roll the dice on him. Bryant, 26, enjoyed something of a breakout season in 2015, racking up career-highs in sacks (5.5), tackles (40), and forced fumbles (two). In four games for Detroit, Bryant racked up five total tackles and three sacks.

The Lions released a statement on Bryant moments ago:

“When we signed Armonty, we knew additional discipline from the NFL was a possibility due to an incident that occurred in 2015. Since joining our team, Armonty has met our expectations on and off the field.”

In related news, the Lions signed tight end Matthew Mulligan and placed fellow tight end Cole Wick on IR.

Lions Notes: Ebron, Martin, Stafford

August 8th, 2016 at 5:41pm CST by Zachary Links

Here’s a quick look at the Lions:

  • While Lions head coach Jim Caldwell refused to discuss the injury today, a source told ESPN’s Adam Caplan that Lions tight end Eric Ebron is dealing with a “pretty decent [right] ankle sprain.” Over the weekend, Ebron was carted off the field after suffering an apparent Achilles injury. The extent of the injury remains to be seen, but it appears that the talented tight end has avoided a season-ending Achilles tear. Ebron finished last season with 47 receptions for 537 yards and five touchdowns — all personal career highs.
  • Aside from running back Theo Riddick, Lions punter Sam Martin could be the next player up for an extension, according to Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com. Martin, he writes, boasts one of the best young legs in the league and can provide Detroit with position stability. Devin Taylor and Larry Warford would also be extension candidates, but the Lions want to see more consistency out of both players before extending them. The next big deal could to be done could be for quarterback Matthew Stafford sometime after the 2016 season.
  • This week, we checked in with Justin Rogers of The Detroit News to discuss the additions of Anquan Boldin and Marvin Jones and their prospects for the coming year.
  • Lions tight end Cole Wick says that the Raiders, Eagles, Panthers, Buccaneers, and few other teams also showed interest in him as a UDFA, Rogers tweets. Wick signed on with the Lions in May and received a $10K bonus. He may have to play a larger-than-expected role if Ebron has to miss time. For a complete look at the Lions’ tight end depth chart, head on over to Roster Resource.

Lions Sign Taylor Decker, Eight Draftees, 12 UDFAs

May 6th, 2016 at 1:05pm CST by Luke Adams

The Lions have officially locked up nearly all of their draft class, along with a dozen undrafted free agents, the team announced today in a pair of press releases. The most notable name in the group is Ohio State offensive tackle Taylor Decker, who was Detroit’s first-round pick, but the team has also signed eight other draftees to go along with its 12 new UDFAs.

Of Detroit’s 10 draft picks, only second-round defensive tackle A’Shawn Robinson remains unsigned for now. Here’s the complete list of draft picks secured by the Lions:

And here are the 12 undrafted free agents who signed contracts with the Lions: