Detroit Lions Rumors & News - Pro Football Rumors

Lions To Sign Corn Elder

April 1st, 2021 at 2:15pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Lions are making another addition to their defense. Detroit has agreed to terms with free agent cornerback Corn Elder, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network tweets.

Rapoport writes that it’s a one-year “prove-it-deal,” so it’s presumably for pretty close to the veteran’s minimum. A Miami product, Elder was drafted by the Panthers in the fifth-round back in 2017. He missed his entire rookie season with a knee injury, then played only on special teams as a sophomore. He was waived during final cuts in 2019, and signed to the Giants’ practice squad.

Not too long after that Carolina signed him back off the Giants’ practice squad, and he ended up making real contributions on defense in 2020. Playing as part of a young Panthers secondary, he appeared in all 16 games and started one. He played a hair under 40 percent of the defensive snaps, racking up 40 tackles, three passes defended, and a forced fumble.

Detroit completely remade their secondary this offseason as they kicked off the Dan Campbell era, jettisoning former starters Justin Coleman and Desmond Trufant, so this dart throw can’t hurt.

Quinton Dunbar To Visit Cardinals, Lions

March 30th, 2021 at 2:47pm CST by Sam Robinson

Quinton Dunbar saw his stock diminish last year, but the veteran cornerback is drawing interest as a free agent. He has secured meetings with the Cardinals and Lions, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

After a breakout 2019 season in Washington, Dunbar was unable to secure an extension with the team’s new regime. Washington shipped one of its starting corners to Seattle for a fifth-round pick, and Dunbar did not provide much value for the Seahawks. He played just six games and could not match the performance level he established in his final Washington slate, allowing a 111 passer rating — after he had limited QBs to a collective 61.2 mark in 2019.

While the Seahawks also have a need at corner, Dunbar has not been linked to a new deal with them. He underwent knee surgery late last year. The 28-year-old defender will, however, meet with two teams in need at the position.

The rebuilding Lions cut both Desmond Trufant and Justin Coleman, and 2020 No. 3 overall pick Jeff Okudah is recovering from an injury that ended his season early. The Cardinals separated with Patrick Peterson after 10 seasons, and 2020 Arizona contributor Dre Kirkpatrick is no longer under contract. Arizona is a bit deeper than Detroit at this juncture, having Byron Murphy and the recently signed Malcolm Butler on its roster.

Wherever he lands, Dunbar will aim to return to the heights he reached in 2019. Although he only played 11 games, the former UDFA intercepted four passes and graded as a top-five corner in the view of Pro Football Focus. Dunbar has 31 starts in six seasons. Most of those came over the past three.

Lions Obtain Pick 101 In Stafford Trade

March 27th, 2021 at 3:43pm CST by Sam Robinson

The 2021 third-round draft choice the Rams are sending the Lions in the Goff-Stafford trade landed at No. 101 overall, according to the NFL transaction wire. The Rams will retain their original third-round pick (88th overall) and also still hold the No. 103 pick, obtained from the league after the Lions hired former Rams college scouting director Brad Holmes as GM.

Lions To Sign LB Alex Anzalone

March 24th, 2021 at 1:44pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

New Lions coach Dan Campbell is getting the gang back together. Well not entirely, but he is adding a familiar face to his inaugural defense.

Detroit has agreed to terms on a deal with free agent linebacker Alex Anzalone, a source told Mike Garafolo of NFL Network (Twitter link). It’s a one-year pact worth a modest $1.75MM, he reports. Campbell and Anzalone were together in New Orleans for the past four years when Campbell was an assistant head coach under Sean Payton.

The Saints drafted Anzalone in the third-round back in 2017, and he spent his first four pro seasons with the team. This past season he appeared in all 16 games and started nine, playing almost exactly half of the defensive snaps. He finished with 41 tackles, three for a loss.

The Lions have so far made the defensive line more of a priority, adding guys like Michael Brockers and Charles Harris, and this is their first real addition to the linebacking corp.

Lions To Sign WR/KR Kalif Raymond

March 23rd, 2021 at 11:56am CST by Zachary Links

The Lions have agreed to sign Kalif Raymond, per an announcement from his agents. The Titans non-tendered the wide receiver/kick returner earlier this year, freeing him up to sign with any club.

Raymond, 27 in August, has performed as one of the league’s better punt returners. He brought back 23 punts for 208 yards last year, good for a 9.0 yard average per try. He also returned 15 kickoffs for 275 yards total. After previous stints with the Broncos, Jets, and Giants (twice), he’ll push to make the Lions’ final cut in September.

After losing Kenny Golladay to the Giants and Marvin Jones to the Jaguars, the Lions are expected to keep searching for solutions at wide receiver. For now, they’ve added Raymond, Tyrell Williams, and Breshad Perriman to the group.

Lions’ Nick Williams Takes Pay Cut

March 23rd, 2021 at 9:39am CST by Zachary Links

Nick Williams has accepted a pay cut to keep his roster spot with the Lions. The defensive tackle will now earn $1.25MM in base salary this year, down from $4.1MM last year (Twitter link via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press). In exchange, Williams will also get $500K in guaranteed money, though his per-game roster bonus will go down from $400K to $250K.

Williams, a 2013 seventh-round pick, has managed a lengthy pro career. In 2019, he turned in a career year with new watermarks in tackles (42), and sacks (six) for the Bears. He parlayed that into a solid payday with the Lions, but he was less impressive as a full-time starter. Last year, he had 23 tackles and one sack in 14 games (13 starts).

The extra coin could allow the Lions to pursue other free agents still on the board, including slot specialist K’Waun Williams.

Lions Interested In K’Waun Williams

March 22nd, 2021 at 4:20pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

A new team is entering the K’Waun Williams sweepstakes. We heard earlier this morning that the veteran cornerback will meet with the Chiefs tomorrow, and he’s also been connected to the Jets.

The Lions are also expressing interest in Williams, a source told Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports (Twitter link). Maiocco adds that he could be headed to Detroit for a visit, but that’s not confirmed yet. He also notes that the 49ers have expressed interest in a reunion. Williams played for Robert Saleh in San Francisco the past few years, so the Jets talk makes a lot of sense.

Williams was hit with a two-game PED suspension in November, but that was quickly rescinded. He played in only eight games for the 49ers last year due to ankle and knee injuries, starting four. In 2019 he played in 15 and started eight, recording a couple of interceptions. He started his career as an UDFA with the Browns in 2014.

Williams will turn 30 in July, and could be a quality low-cost signing for a team that missed out on the initial wave of top cornerbacks like William Jackson, Shaquill Griffin, and Ronald Darby. The Lions’ secondary is going to look a lot different in 2021 after they cut Justin Coleman and Desmond Trufant this offseason. They’re hoping 2020 third overall pick Jeff Okudah will become a top corner this offseason, and could be looking to put a vet like Williams next to him.

Damontae Kazee To Visit Lions

March 21st, 2021 at 12:58pm CST by Rory Parks

Free agent safety Damontae Kazee has a visit lined up with the Cowboys, and the Lions also have interest. Per veteran NFL reporter Josina Anderson, Kazee will visit with Detroit brass in short order (Twitter link).

A fifth-round pick of the Falcons in 2017, Kazee delivered a breakout campaign in 2018 in relief of an an injured Keanu Neal (who signed with the Cowboys yesterday). That season, Kazee intercepted an NFL-best seven passes and posted 10 passes defensed in 16 games (15 starts). He started 14 games in 2019, adding three more picks to his career tally.

Unfortunately, a torn Achilles ended his 2020 season after just four games, which means he might be forced to accept a one-year pact this year in an effort to reestablish his value (although he is expected to be medically cleared by training camp). The Lions will return 2018 third-rounder Tracy Walker and 2019 third-rounder Will Harris, but Kazee’s ball-hawking skills would be a welcome addition to that young safety group.

Even though Neal is now in Dallas, he is expected to play some linebacker as well as safety, meaning that Kazee would still fit into the team’s defense. The opportunity to reunite with Cowboys DC Dan Quinn — Kazee’s head coach in Atlanta — might sway Kazee in Dallas’ favor if he believes there are enough snaps to go around, but he will listen to Detroit’s pitch just the same.

Lions Re-Sign LS Don Muhlbach

March 20th, 2021 at 6:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

A Lion since midway through the franchise’s Matt Millen era, Don Muhlbach agreed to come back for an 18th season with the team.

The Lions have again re-signed their longtime long snapper. Muhlbach, who will turn 40 in August, has played on one-year deals worth the veteran minimum for the past eight years. It seems unlikely this contract will break the trend. He made $1.05MM in base salary last season; that is firmly in the well-defined long snapper tax bracket.

Muhlbach suited up for 16 games last season, moving his career total up to 260. While that ranks in the top 10 all time for games with one franchise, it interestingly is not No. 1 in Lions history. Jason Hanson‘s 327 games are the most any NFLer has played with one team. Muhlbach snapped to the since-retired kicker for nine seasons.

The enduring former UDFA will play under a sixth head coach next season (Dan Campbell), should he make the Lions’ 53-man roster. Muhlbach’s most recent camp challenger, Steven Wirtel, is now with the Rams.

Lions, Michael Brockers Agree To New Deal

March 20th, 2021 at 6:25pm CST by Sam Robinson

Michael Brockers agreed to two contracts in free agency last year, coming to terms with both the Ravens and Rams. The veteran defensive lineman now has another new deal, this time with the Lions.

After acquiring Brockers for just a seventh-round pick, the Lions agreed to a new contract with the nine-year vet. Brockers is now attached to a three-year, $24MM contract with the Lions, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets.

This deal will benefit Brockers in guarantees. After no guarantees remained on his latest Rams extension — also a three-year, $24MM pact — the Lions have included $11MM in guarantees for their newly acquired interior defender. This should move Brockers from being signed through 2022 to being under Lions control through 2023.

After Brockers’ Ravens three-year, $30MM Ravens agreement fell through, the Rams swooped in and re-signed him last March. Aaron Donald‘s longtime D-line sidekick registered five sacks and matched his career high with 10 QB hits in 2020.

Brockers joins Jared Goff in heading from Los Angeles to Detroit, with new GM Brad Holmes bringing in some familiar players to start a rebuild in Detroit. Brockers, 30, has been an ultra-reliable player over the course of his career. He has missed just six games in nine seasons, and one of those came because he landed on the Rams’ reserve/COVID-19 list late last season.

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