East Notes: Barbre, Pryor, Colon
We learned yesterday in a series of Twitter posts that Eagles‘ offensive lineman Allen Barbre would be given the first opportunity to replace suspended right tackle Lane Johnson but that Barbre would be pushing for more playing time even if Johnson had never been suspended. Today, Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com and Zach Berman of The Philadelphia Inquirer flesh out those thoughts in full articles, noting that Barbre’s strong performance as a reserve in 2013 and the three-year extension he signed last month suggest that he may remain a starter somewhere on the line–he has more experience on the left side than the right–even when Johnson returns.
Now for some more notes from the league’s east divisions:
- Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes that the only real positional battle in Eagles‘ camp this year is between Nate Allen and Earl Wolff at strong safety.
- John Keim of ESPN.com writes that former Redskins running back Tim Hightower was in attendance at Redskins practice on Saturday and would like to return to the league.
- We also learned yesterday that Jets‘ rookie Calvin Pryor suffered a head injury and possible concussion during practice. Although Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com writes that it was a good sign that Pryor returned to the field on Saturday to watch the remainder of practice, Brian Costello of The New York Post tweets that there was no sign of him when practice began this morning. Costello also tweeted that, since the team will not hold practice tomorrow, it makes senses to give Pryor two consecutive days of rest as a precaution.
- In better news for the Jets, Costello tweets that Willie Colon is in full pads and appears to be ready to play.
- Ben Volin of The Boston Globe writes that, despite all the hype that comes with every training camp, the only real goal for the Patriots this summer is to stay healthy.
- Mark Gaughan of The Buffalo News writes that the battle between Chris Hairston and Kraig Urbik for the Bills’ starting right guard spot will be an intriguing one to keep an eye on as training camp unfolds.
Sunday Roundup: Mauga, Peppers, AFC North
More and more beat writers are providing season previews, roster breakdowns, position battles, etc. as training opens (for one team, at least) in just a few hours. So let’s have a look at some links from around the league:
- Joseph Person of The Charlotte Observer looks at 10 question the Panthers will face this summer, including what will happen with Greg Hardy and how the team’s receiving corps will shake out.
- Roy Cummings of The Tampa Tribune looks at five key newcomers for the Buccaneers, including (of course) Josh McCown, Mike Evans, and Alterraun Verner.
- Linebacker Josh Mauga, who played for the Jets last season, will work out for the Chiefs on Monday, tweets Gil Brandt of NFL.com.
- Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean provides training camp previews for the Titans‘ quarterback, running back, offensive line, and tight end positions.
- Troy E. Renck of The Denver Post looks at the Broncos players who are “under the microscope” this season, including Von Miller and Orlando Franklin.
- Jason Wilde of ESPNWisconsin.com continues his positional previews of the Packers with a look at the club’s receiving unit.
- Pete Dougherty of PackersNews.com adds a preview of the Packers‘ linebacker corps, noting that Green Bay needs to manage Julius Peppers‘ snaps to get the most out of the aging star.
- Ed Bouchette of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette notes that newcomers like Ryan Shazier will have to contribute on both sides of the ball for the Steelers as the club continues to infuse youth into its roster.
- Bouchette, in a separate piece, provides five storylines for Steelers‘ fans to track, including the aforementioned infusion of youth and increased use of the no huddle offense.
- Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com offers his training camp preview for the Ravens, writing that the performance of right tackle Ricky Wagner and the secondary competition will be among the most critical summer developments to watch.
- Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal still believes Brian Hoyer will open the season as the Browns‘ starting quarterback.
- Speaking of Hoyer and the Browns, Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer expects Hoyer to be 100% healthy for the regular season opener against Pittsburgh, and she would be surprised if Josh Gordon were to have his indefinite ban reduced.
Texans Links: Johnson, Season Previews
Jerome Solomon of The Houston Chronicle believes the Texans are being “pretty petty” with star wideout Andre Johnson. Solomon calls GM Rick Smith‘s handling of the Johnson saga one of the top five mistakes of Smith’s tenure, and he goes on to say that owner Bob McNair needs to inject himself into the situation before it gets even more out of hand.
Solomon writes that the team’s denial of a $1MM bonus for Johnson was “cheesy” and that the club should make amends by guaranteeing Johnson’s contract for the 2015 season. In so doing, the Texans–who say they want Johnson to retire in their uniform–would be setting a precedent of “you deliver, we deliver,” a precedent they want the rest of their roster and free agents from other clubs to understand.
The dispute over the bonus and the hard-line stance the team took with it helped turn Johnson’s public disappointment with the team’s horrible 2013 campaign into something much more significant. Solomon believes that Johnson, who may well be the club’s first Hall-of-Famer and Ring-of-Honor inductee, is deserving of the type of “special treatment” that players of his caliber and importance frequently receive (particularly since Johnson has never been a malcontent, underachiever, or off-filed problem). As such, if Houston needs to guarantee his contract for the 2015 season to save face and to restore peace, then that’s what they need to do. And if McNair himself needs to get involved, then so be it.
Now for some more links out of Houston:
- Joel Corry of The National Football Post tweets that the Johnson situation will go from bad to worse on the sixth day of Johnson’s anticipated holdout, when the Texans can begin to recoup his signing bonus.
- Brian T. Smith of The Houston Chronicle offers a position-by-position look at the Texans’ roster, noting that last season’s disappointment, combined with a new head coach and a hodgepodge of Pro Bowl talent and unproven question marks, will make for the most intriguing training camp Houston has had in years.
- Tania Ganguli of ESPN.com projects the Texans’ 53-man roster heading into the 2014 season. She, like the team itself, is expecting Johnson to return.
- John McClain of The Houston Chronicle looks at best- and worst-case scenarios for the Texans’ 2014 season.
NFC East Notes: Robinson, Sanchez, Escobar
After running through some AFC East notes this morning, let’s run down the NFC East:
- Ebenzer Samuel of The New York Daily News examines fives issues facing the Giants as training camp nears, including which of the team’s promising-but-unproven receivers will replace Hakeem Nicks and if Jason Pierre-Paul is truly healthy.
- Dan Graziano of ESPN.com projects the Giants‘ roster for 2014.
- Jordan Raanan of NJ.com writes that the Giants‘ competition at tight end will be the team’s most exciting roster battle to watch, and he believes Adrien Robinson is the early favorite.
- Andrew Kulp of CSNPhilly.com wonders if the Eagles should make a play for Andre Johnson.
- Phil Sheridan of ESPN.com looks at how the Eagles‘ roster might shake out. He writes that Mark Sanchez is the presumptive favorite to win the backup quarterback job, and that if head coach Chip Kelly utilizes Darren Sproles more as a receiver than as a traditional running back, that could open the door for backs like Matthew Tucker and Henry Josey to make the squad.
- Rainer Sabin and Brandon George of The Dallas Morning News look at five major issues facing the Cowboys this summer, including, of course, who will replace Sean Lee and when Henry Melton and Anthony Spencer will return to practice.
- Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com contributes his projections on the Cowboys‘ 53-man roster, noting that although Gavin Escobar is entrenched behind Jason Witten as the team’s No. 2 tight end, his role figures to expand as he may be used more frequently as a No. 3 wideout.
- John Keim of ESPN.com projects the Redskins‘ 2014 roster. Keim notes that both the offensive line and defensive line will be especially fluid as training camp progresses.
AFC East Notes: Unga, McCourty, Jets
The Bills will be the first team to open training camp in 2014, with a 6pm practice this evening. And, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets, every team in the league will be in camp by this time next week. As the anticipation continues to build, let’s take a look at some Bills notes and swing around the rest of AFC East on this Sunday morning:
- Mike Rodak of ESPN.com wonders if the recently-signed Stevenson Sylvester can crack the Bills‘ roster. Rodak pegs Sylvester’s chances at 40%, writing that Sylvester’s best chance to make the club is as a contributor on special teams.
- Rodak also tweets that the Bills have removed guard J.J. Unga from the active/non-football injury list, but Marcell Dareus remains on that list.
- Rock star Jon Bon Jovi has been confirmed as a partner in a Toronto-based group interested in buying the Bills, writes Tom Precious of The Buffalo News.
- Mike Reiss of ESPN.com says a contract extension between the Patriots and Devin McCourty is not imminent at this time.
- Tom E. Curran of CSNNewEngland pegs Danny Amendola as the Patriots‘ top breakout candidate (as he is every year).
- Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com breaks down the Jets‘ current linebacker corps.
- Manish Mehta of The New York Daily News looks at five issues facing the Jets as training camp approaches, including whether the secondary can hold up and what newly-signed running back Chris Johnson has left in the tank.
- Adam H. Beasley of The Miami Herald writes that a renovation of Sun Life Stadium and a more aggressive sales force are helping the Dolphins regain their share of the local market.
Monday Roundup: Finley, Young, Big Ben
Free agent tight end Jermichael Finley, who has been medically cleared to play by his own doctor, said he will undergo another series of medical tests on Wednesday and will send the results of those tests to all 32 clubs in an effort to convince them that he is fully healthy, writes Tom Pelissero of USA Today. Finley has stated that he would like to return to the Packers, and that he certainly wants to continue playing rather than collect the $10MM insurance policy he would receive if he retired from the game.
However, he has also demonstrated that he will be patient as he waits for the right deal. The Steelers‘ team neurosurgeon, Dr. Joseph Maroon, performed Finley’s vertebrae fusion in November and declared him fit to play a few months later. Pittsburgh subsequently made several contract offers, according to Finley, but none of those offers were financially appealing enough for him. Pelissero believes that Finley ultimately will re-sign with Green Bay (Twitter link).
Now for some links from around the league to wind up this Monday evening:
- In an increasingly sad and troubling narrative, former Lions receiver Titus Young was arrested in Los Angeles on July 9 for battery with serious bodily injury–a felony–and associated charges, writes David Leon Moore of The Detroit Free Press. The arrest took place one day before Young was to appear for a pre-trial conference in Newport Beach, California, where he faces 11 charges, four of which are felonies.
- Brandon George of The Dallas Morning News writes that, on the heels of his strong finish to the 2013 campaign, Cowboys linebacker Kyle Wilber should find himself in a starting role and could be on the verge of a breakout season.
- In a video clip, Jon Machota of The Dallas Morning News looks at a few under-the-radar players on the Cowboys roster to keep an eye on, including undrafted finds Ben Malena and L’Damian Washington.
- Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times writes that the Seahawks‘ backup quarterback competition is wide open, and Terrelle Pryor and Tarvaris Jackson will each get an extended opportunity to prove themselves in the preseason. However, both players could end up making the club, as Seattle carried three quarterbacks on its roster for a few weeks last season.
- Time is running out for the Steelers and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger to reach an agreement on a contract extension, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Roethlisberger has two years left on his current deal, but Florio believes he is underpaid by current standards. However, no progress has been reported on a possible extension–though that does not mean that progress has not been made–and the Steelers do not negotiate new contracts once the regular season begins.
- Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson has limited leverage in trying to force a trade, as Adam Schefter, Louis Riddick, and Mark Brunell of ESPN explain (video link).
- Iowa offensive tackle Brandon Scherff could be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 draft, tweets Gil Brandt of NFL.com. Scherff, a 280-pound quarterback in high school, has blossomed into a strong 6’4″, 320-pound force with Ndamukong Suh-type strength.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Free Agent Stock Watch: Santonio Holmes
Veteran wide receiver Santonio Holmes is perhaps the biggest name left on the free agent market at the moment. Holmes was released by the Jets in March, but it is unclear if any team has made contact with him since then. In May, we learned that Holmes has interest in returning to his first club, the Steelers, but it does not appear as though the interest is mutual at this point.
Holmes, who established himself as an electrifying playmaker and Super Bowl hero with Pittsburgh, saw very little success after signing a lucrative free agent deal with the Jets. During his four seasons in New York, Holmes totaled a meager 2,128 total yards. Of course, not all of that was entirely his fault. The Jets’ quarterback play has been shaky at best in recent years, and Holmes suffered through injury as well, appearing in just 15 games over the past two seasons.
Nonetheless, Holmes’ attitude has also negatively impacted his value as he searches for a new team and a fresh start. As one unnamed front office executive said last month, “We’d have to look more closely at what happened in New York with him in the locker room.” And Holmes’ trainer, Tom Shaw, recently said that Holmes would find a team this season–if he can find one that doesn’t think he would be a distraction.
There is no doubt that Holmes still offers some intriguing upside. Even though injuries and age–he turned 30 in March–have combined to take away some of his explosiveness, he could still be effectively utilized as a playmaking threat out of the slot, and getting a fresh start after his disastrous stint in the Meadowlands can only help. Improved maturity, which Shaw believes Holmes has demonstrated, would also go a long way.
He will probably have to wait until someone suffers a training camp injury to demonstrate that he has, in fact, matured, and that he still has some of the ability that once made him a favorite target of Ben Roethlisberger. Anticipating Holmes’ release in February, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk suggested the Cardinals, Rams, and Steelers as potential destinations for Holmes, but that was based more upon speculation than anything else. Assuming an injury does indeed claim a wideout in training camp, Holmes will begin to look a lot more appealing to the afflicted club. At that point, he will look like a low-cost, high-upside risk that might just pay off in a big way in 2014.
Jimmy Haslam’s Company Avoids Criminal Charges
Pilot Flying J, the Knoxville-based chain of truck stops chaired by Browns owner Jimmy Haslam, reached a deal with federal prosecutors to avoid criminal charges against the company, writes Josh Flory of KnoxNews.com. In exchange, Pilot must pay a $92MM penalty over the course of the next two years and must also cooperate with the ongoing criminal investigation into diesel fuel rebate fraud.
However, while the company itself might have avoided criminal sanctions, Haslam and other company employees might not be out of the woods just yet. As Marla Ridenour of the Akron Beacon Journal points out, the deal does not exempt any individual from prosecution. Indeed, after the government’s investigation of Pilot’s alleged diesel rebate fraud became public last year, 10 former company employees pleaded guilty to charges stemming from the investigation (Pilot also reached civil settlements totaling $85MM with trucking customers who claimed to have been victimized by the company’s fraudulent activities). As far as Haslam and his associates are concerned, Ridenour writes, “There is still time for the government to find proof that Haslam had knowledge of the fraud. There is still time for the 10 former Pilot employees who have pleaded guilty to turn against him. There is still time for more people to be charged.”
On the other hand, as Flory observes, former assistant United States Attorney Tom Withers has stated that he would be surprised if the company would have resolved the charges against it without some indication from the government that Haslam himself would not be criminally charged. So, despite the government’s assertion that the agreement “demonstrate[s] quite clearly that no corporation, no matter how big, influential, or wealthy, is above the law,” there might have been another, unpublicized portion of the deal that made it more palatable for Haslam.
How does all of this affect the Browns? It probably won’t. Ridenour writes that Pilot has opened several locations recently and business is apparently doing quite well. And, as Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports tweets, the NFL has stated that “there are no allegations that apply to [the league’s] personal conduct policy.” Therefore, the Browns might yet achieve some front office stability, something they hoped they were getting from Haslam all along.
Sunday Roundup: Bills Ownership, NFC West
In May, Former Sabres owner B. Thomas Golisano and Syracuse developer Scott Congel had preliminary talks to form a partnership and purchase the Bills. Now, however, those conversations are dead, writes Tim Graham of The Buffalo News. According to Graham, Golisano would still like to bid on the team by himself, and Congel may also be interested in purchasing the club on his own. If Golisano were to buy the club, he would not rule out selling a minority share in the team to Congel.
Now for some more links from around the league:
- Rich Campbell of The Chicago Tribune lays out a “superlative guide” to the Bears‘ training camp, naming Marquess Wilson the player “most likely to succeed”–Wilson emerged from spring workouts as the team’s clear No. 3 receiver–and declaring the team’s fiercest frontline position battle to be at the safety position.
- Curtis Crabtree of Pro Football Talk continues PFT’s series of preseason power rankings by looking at the Rams. Crabtree notes that the team still lacks a true No. 1 receiver and depth along the secondary, and despite adding quality talent in the draft and boasting perhaps the best defensive line in the game, St. Louis plays in the league’s best division and so will probably remain on the outside looking in.
- Speaking of the talented NFC West, Kent Somers of AZCentral.com examines the Cardinals‘ outlook for the 2014 campaign. Somers notes that the Cards, who finished 10-6 under first-year head coach Bruce Arians in 2013, should see continued improvement as they continue to settle into Arians’ offensive system. There is talent up and down the roster, but the rebuilt offensive line and the linebacker group–which lost Karlos Dansby to free agency and Daryl Washington to suspension–could hold the team back.
- Seahawks‘ pass rusher Bruce Irvin, who underwent hip surgery this offseason, is progressing well, writes Todd Dybas of The News Tribune. Although Irvin tweeted last month that he would return by training camp, which opens July 25, Dybas notes that he will be sidelined quite a bit longer than that.
- Defensive lineman Vance Walker, who signed a three-year, $13MM free agent contract with the Chiefs this offseason, is feeling right at home with his new club, writes Terez A. Paylor of The Kansas City Star.
- Bo Smolka of CSNBaltimore.com examines the battle for the Ravens‘ No. 3 running back spot. Smolka notes that if Ray Rice is suspended as expected, both Justin Forsett and rookie Lorenzo Taliaferro will make the club and Baltimore can reexamine its options when Rice returns. However, if Rice somehow escapes suspension, Smolka predicts that Rice, Bernard Pierce, and Taliaferro will make up the team’s running back corps.
Offseason In Review: Detroit Lions
Notable signings:
- Golden Tate (WR): Five years, $31MM. $10.5MM guaranteed.
- Brandon Pettigrew (TE): Four years, $16MM. $5.2MM guaranteed.
- Joique Bell (RB): Three years, $9.3MM. $4.3MM guaranteed.
- James Ihedigbo (S): Two years, $3.15MM. $750K guaranteed.
- Don Carey (DB): Three years, $2.935MM. $600K guaranteed.
- Rashean Mathis (CB): One year, minimum salary benefit. $565K guaranteed.
- Dominic Raiola (C): One year, $1.5MM. $250K guaranteed.
- Dan Orlovsky (QB): One year, minimum salary benefit. $125K guaranteed.
- Kevin Ogletree (WR): One year, minimum salary benefit. $100K guaranteed.
- Don Muhlbach (LS): One year, minimum salary benefit. $65K guaranteed.
- Darryl Tapp (DE): One year, minimum salary benefit. $65K guaranteed.
- Jed Collins (FB): One year, minimum salary. $65K guaranteed.
- Isa Abdul-Quddus (S): One year, minimum salary. $50K guaranteed.
- Andre Fluellen (DL): One year, minimum salary benefit.
- Cassius Vaughn (CB): One year, minimum salary benefit.
Notable losses:
- David Akers (K)
- Nate Burleson (WR): Released
- Louis Delmas (S): Released
- Dorin Dickerson (TE)
- Jason Fox (OT)
- Dylan Gandy (OL)
- Leroy Harris (G): Released
- Shaun Hill (QB)
- Chris Houston (CB): Released
- Israel Idonije (DL)
- Rocky McIntosh (LB)
- Micheal Spurlock (WR/KR)
- John Wendling (S)
- Willie Young (DE)
Extensions and restructures:
- Montell Owens (RB): Restructured contract. 2014 base salary reduced from $1.25MM to $855K in exchange for $100K roster bonus, $50K workout bonus, and up to $200K in per-game incentives.
- Cory Greenwood (LB): Restructured contract. Reduced 2014 base salary from $730K to $645K, eliminated $20K workout bonus, and eliminated 2015 season.
Trades:
- Acquired a second-round pick (No. 40) from the Seahawks in exchange for a second-round pick (No. 45), a fourth-round pick (No. 111), and a seventh-round pick (No. 227).
- Acquired a fifth-round pick (No. 158) and a seventh-round pick (No. 229) from the Cowboys in exchange for a fifth-round pick (No. 146).
Draft picks:
- Eric Ebron, TE, North Carolina (1.10): Signed
- Kyle Van Noy, LB, BYU (2.40): Signed
- Travis Swanson, C, Arkansas (3.76): Signed
- Nevin Lawson, CB, Utah State (4.133): Signed
- Larry Webster, DE, Bloomburg (4.136): Signed
- Caraun Reid, DT, Princeton (5.158): Signed
- T.J. Jones, WR, Notre Dame (6.189): Signed
- Nate Freese, K, Boston College (7.229): Signed
Other:
- Hired Jim Caldwell as head coach.
- Hired Joe Lombardi as offensive coordinator and Teryl Austin as defensive coordinator.
- Longtime owner William Clay Ford Sr. passed away.
- Have discussed extension for Ndamukong Suh.
- Declined Nick Fairley‘s fifth-year option for 2015 ($5.477MM).
- Signed and later released Vaughn Martin ($65K guaranteed).
- Received two compensatory draft picks.
- Signed 12 rookie free agents after the draft.
When the Lions qualified for the playoffs in 2011 after an 11-year absence, it seemed only a matter of time before they would make a serious run at the Lombardi Trophy. They had an explosive offense, a strong enough defense, and had shown steady improvement under head coach Jim Schwartz. Unfortunately, they were unable to continue along that positive trajectory. After failing to reach the playoffs in 2012 and 2013, the team overhauled its coaching staff in the hopes of re-establishing itself as a serious contender in the NFC.
After firing Schwartz, the team hired Jim Caldwell in January of this year as his replacement. Caldwell’s hire was something of a surprise. He served as head coach of the Colts from 2009 to 2011, guiding Indianapolis to two AFC South titles and an AFC championship during that time. However, star quarterback Peyton Manning missed the 2011 season due to injury, and the team collapsed in his absence. After a 2-14 campaign, Caldwell was fired and resurfaced as quarterbacks coach of the Ravens shortly thereafter.
Despite not having any experience as a playcaller, Caldwell replaced Cam Cameron as Baltimore’s offensive coordinator when Cameron was fired late in the 2012 season. Caldwell utilized Cameron’s playbook more effectively than Cameron did, and he oversaw Joe Flacco‘s historic playoff run that culminated in a Super Bowl victory. However, 2013 was an unmitigated disaster for the Ravens’ offense, and Caldwell had no remedy for his woeful unit. Nonetheless, the Lions liked what they saw in Caldwell as a manager of staff and players, and handed him the reins of their promising but underachieving roster.
Caldwell brought in Joe Lombardi, a young and respected offensive mind who had served as the Saints’ quarterbacks coach since 2009, as his offensive coordinator. He then hired Teryl Austin, who had been the Ravens’ secondary coach since 2011, to run the defense.
As is often the case when a new coaching regime takes over, there has been a great deal of optimism surrounding the Lions’ new staff. As far as the team’s offense is concerned, such optimism is more than justified. An already dynamic attack was augmented by two significant additions, Golden Tate and Eric Ebron. Tate slowly came into his own in Seattle before signing a lucrative deal with Detroit, and he projects as the team’s No. 2 receiver opposite the game’s most dominant wideout, Calvin Johnson. The Lions hope Tate, who is a talented playmaker in his own right, can direct some of the attention of opposing defenses off of Johnson, something that Nate Burleson–who left for the Browns this offseason–could never really accomplish.
In Ebron, the team landed the consensus No. 1 tight end in this year’s draft. Many pundits predict that Ebron, with his blend of size and speed, can impact Detroit’s passing game the way Jimmy Graham and Rob Gronkowski impacted the offenses of their respective clubs. While Ebron may eventually approach that level of success, it might take a season or two before the Lions truly reap the benefits of his talent. Ebron has struggled with drops in offseason workouts–which is a concern, given that drops plagued him in college as well–and with grasping Lombardi’s offense. Nonetheless, it will be impossible for defenses to adequately cover every player in the Lions’ aerial attack, and if those defenses continue to double-team Johnson, quarterback Matt Stafford might see Ebron running free down the seam many times over the course of the season (it is also important to note that the team re-signed tight end Brandon Pettigrew. Pettigrew is a talented enough pass catcher himself, but he is also one of the few tight ends in the league who offers receiving and blocking abilities, so his presence will probably be an underappreciated but invaluable glue for this offense).
Defense, however, will again be a concern. The Lions struggled mightily against the pass in 2013, and they released top corner Chris Houston and safety Louis Delmas. They added veteran corners Rashean Mathis and Cassius Vaughn on one-year minimum contracts, but it is unrealistic to expect much out of those two players. New strong safety James Ihedigbo, signed as a free agent from the Ravens, offers quality play as a run-stopper and occasional pass rusher, but, like traditional strong safeties, does not offer much by way of pass coverage. As such, the onus will fall upon corner Darius Slay and free safety Glover Quin to pick up the slack on the back end of the defense.
The front seven, however, offers more promise. The defensive line is anchored by Nick Fairley and Ndamukong Suh, and Ziggy Ansah demonstrated tremendous upside in his rookie campaign that he should be able to build upon in 2014. Meanwhile, the Lions supplemented their linebacker corps, anchored by veterans Stephen Tulloch and DeAndre Levy–who enjoyed the very definition of a breakout season in 2013–with intriguing talent Kyle Van Noy, whom they selected in the second round of this year’s draft. Van Noy was a late riser in the draft, and the Lions liked him enough to trade their No. 45, No . 111, and No. 227 picks to Seattle to move up five spots to nab him. Van Noy is not an elite athlete–which probably kept him out of the first round–but he does everything else well, and he should see a lot of snaps in his rookie season.
There will also be a kicking competition between Nate Freese, whom the team selected in the seventh round of this year’s draft, and Giorgio Tavecchio, who has been in camp with the 49ers and Packers in recent seasons but who has not yet established himself in the league. Freese, as a draftee, is the presumptive favorite, and the Lions hope he will be the team’s long-term solution at the position after veteran David Akers struggled in 2013 to replace the production of stalwart Jason Hanson. Both Freese and Tavecchio, however, have struggled thus far.
The Lions are unquestionably a team with talent, and the coaching changes were probably necessary ones, as the proverbial message of Schwartz and company had apparently grown stale. However, outside of their possibly dynamic offense, they are also a team with flaws. Fortunately for them, the Packers and Bears have vulnerabilities of their own, and the Vikings appear to be at least a year away from legitimate contention. As such, the Lions have a real chance to make a run at the NFC North crown, but, failing that, a wild card berth is well within their reach.
Spotrac and Over The Cap were used in the creation of this post.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images