Jimmy Landes

NFL Workout Updates: 11/8/17

Today’s workout updates, with all links going to veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer’s Twitter account unless otherwise noted:

Chicago Bears

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

New England Patriots

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Lions Acquire Greg Robinson, Sign Cyrus Kouandjio

The Lions have acquired offensive tackle Greg Robinson from the Rams for a sixth-round pick in 2018, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Additionally, Detroit has signed free agent offensive tackle Cyrus Kouandjio, according to ESPN’s Field Yates (Twitter links).

Greg Robinson (vertical)

Both Robinson and Kouandjio will compete to start at left tackle for the Lions, head coach Jim Caldwell announced. The position became a concern for the Lions when stalwart Taylor Decker suffered a torn labrum during organized team activities, thereby creating an obvious need opposite big-money right tackle Ricky Wagner.

Like Decker, a first-round pick last year, both Robinson and Kouandjio were high selections in recent drafts. However, neither has established himself as a quality NFLer. Robinson disappointed in St. Louis and Los Angeles after going second overall in the 2014 draft, which led the Rams to decline his fifth-year option for 2018 before dealing him. Robinson does come with plenty of experience, having started in 42 of 46 appearances (including all 14 in 2016), though Pro Football Focus ranked him among the league’s worst tackles in each of his first three seasons. He’s due a $3.3MM salary as he enters the final year of his contract.

Kouandjio was in the same draft class as Robinson, and the second-rounder from Alabama is coming off a three-year stint in Buffalo that saw him appear in just 25 of a possible 48 games. He only started in seven of those contests, including a career-high five last year, when PFF placed him a solid 34th among 78 qualified tackles. Despite his recent output, the Bills waived Kouandjio in May after an odd off-field incident in April. The 23-year-old was found partially undressed in a field in Elma, N.Y., not far from the scene of a car accident and taken to a nearby hospital, though he wasn’t arrested.

To create roster space for its two newest players, Detroit waived long snapper Jimmy Landes and tackle Arturo Uzdavinis, per Tim Twentyman of the team’s website (on Twitter).

Lions Cut Several Players

The Lions are inching closer to the 75-man limit in advance of the Tuesday deadline. On Monday, the Lions announced that the following players have been dropped:

The Lions have also placed rookie long snapper Jimmy Landes on injured reserve. That means Don Muhlbach will likely continue to serve as the Lions’ long snapper.

Earlier today, the Lions also released offensive lineman Geoff Schwartz, meaning that they have shed ten players from the roster today. With today’s transactions, the Lions roster currently stands at 78 players.

NFC Draft Pick Signings: Seahawks, Lions, 49ers

The Seahawks and second-round pick Jarran Reed have agreed to terms on a contract, his representatives tell Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The defensive tackle is scheduled to earn $4.889MM ($1.756MM signing bonus) over the life of his four-year rookie deal. Seattle is hoping that Reed will help to beef up the defensive line in the absence of Brandon Mebane.

Meanwhile, the Seahawks have also agreed to terms with guard Rees Odhiambo, as Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports tweets. The third-round pick will have a shot to win a starting job right out of the gate in Seattle.

Here are more of the latest draft pick signings from around the NFC:

  • Lions sixth-round pick Jimmy Landes, who is a strong candidate to take over the team’s long snapper job in 2016, is signing his rookie contract today, tweets Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Landes will receive a signing bonus just north of $100K.
  • Washington has begun securing its 2016 draft class by agreeing to a deal with seventh-round pick Steven Daniels, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. The former Boston College linebacker will be in line for a four-year contract worth about $2.581MM, including a signing bonus of $77K.
  • Former Florida running back Kelvin Taylor, one of three players drafted in the sixth round last Saturday by the 49ers, has signed his four-year deal with San Francisco, per Rand Getlin of the NFL Network (Twitter link). Taylor, the son of longtime Jaguars running back Fred Taylor, isn’t the only draftee locked up by San Francisco — the team also reached an agreement with sixth-round quarterback Jeff Driskel, per Aaron Wilson (Twitter link).
  • The Packers have completed their deal with fifth-round wide receiver Trevor Davis, a source tells Rob Demovksy of ESPN.com. Davis will be competing for a spot on a crowded receiving corps in Green Bay this summer.

Zach Links contributed to this post.