Detroit Lions Rumors & News - Pro Football Rumors

Lions Having Trade Talks About QB Chase Daniel

March 7th, 2021 at 7:01pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Lions already made the big blockbuster trade of this offseason by swapping Matthew Stafford for Jared Goff and picks, and they apparently might not be done dealing quarterbacks.

Detroit has had trade discussions with teams about backup Chase Daniel, sources told Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). We’ve heard trade rumors about tons of quarterbacks in what should be an unusually busy cycle for signal-caller movement, but this is a new one.

Daniel of course has never actually produced much on the field, but teams are continuously enamored with him as a veteran backup. He only has five career starts under his belt, and just three since the 2014 season. The most recent of those came in a 2019 spot start with Chicago. The Missouri product spent time with the Saints, Chiefs, and Eagles prior to joining Chicago.

He then signed a surprisingly lucrative three-year, $13.05MM deal with the Lions last offseason. If the Lions do trade him it won’t be for anything more than a late-round pick, but it’s interesting that teams are talking. It could be squads with a recently drafted quarterback making calls, as Schefter notes that Daniel “has been considered an ideal mentor for young QBs” around the league.

This Date In Transactions History: Browns Release Jamie Collins

March 6th, 2021 at 12:36pm CST by Ben Levine

In January of 2017, the Browns made Jamie Collins one of the highest-paid linebackers in the NFL. Two years later, the organization moved on from the Pro Bowler. On March 6, 2019, Cleveland released the veteran linebacker.

Collins, of course, spent the first three-plus seasons of his career with the Patriots, earning a Super Bowl ring and a Pro Bowl appearance. Despite his production, New England wasn’t too eager to hand the impending free agent the sizable contract he desired. So, in October of 2016, the Patriots traded Collins off to Cleveland. In return, New England received a third-round pick, a selection that’d ultimately pair with a first-rounder to acquire Brandin Cooks (and a fourth-rounder, which was ultimately forfeited due to Deflategate) from the Saints.

Collins continued producing down the stretch of the 2016 season, and the Browns decided to open their check book for him during the following offseason. Cleveland inked the linebacker to a lucrative four-year, $50MM pact, including $26.4MM in guaranteed money, making him the highest-paid traditional linebacker in the NFL. Collins struggled with injuries during his first full season with the Browns, appearing in only six games. However, he managed to appear in every game during the 2018 campaign, finishing with 104 tackles, four sacks, and one forced fumble. Despite the solid numbers, Collins graded out as just the No. 58 ranked LB in the NFL, per Pro Football Focus.

The Browns apparently recognized that Collins wasn’t living up to his lofty contract. The team was reportedly looking to move him during the 2018 trade deadline, and they spent the early parts of the 2019 offseason shopping him around. The front office couldn’t find a taker, forcing them to cut bait with the veteran. The move ultimately saved the organization $9.25MM in cap room versus just $2.5MM in dead money.

Predictably, Collins ended up landing back in New England for the 2019 season, starting 15 games and finishing with a career-high seven sacks. That performance earned him a three-year, $30MM contract with the Lions, where he reunited with former Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia. The 31-year-old started all 14 of his games in 2020, finishing with 101 tackles, one sack, and three forced fumbles.

Is there a lesson to be learned from all this? Eh, maybe, but it wouldn’t be some new revelation. If a team’s so willing to move on from a Pro Bowler at the end of their rookie deal, that’s probably an indication that the team doesn’t believe the player will be worth his second contract. There were already reports that Collins was freelancing on defense during his final half-season in New England, leading to questions about the player’s commitment to winning.

The Browns not only ponied up financially for Collins, but they also gave up assets to acquire his half-season before free agency. Sure, Cleveland’s probably not kicking themselves over a lost third-rounder (a pick that eventually turned into Saints defensive end Trey Hendrickson), and the organization is two front offices removed from that 2016 administration. Still, if the organization could receive a mulligan on the trade and contract, they’d probably take it.

Lions Part Ways With Execs Jimmy Raye III, Kyle O’Brien

March 5th, 2021 at 6:57pm CST by Sam Robinson

Two experienced NFL executives are now free agents. The Lions’ Brad Holmes-led front office will not include Bob Quinn-era holdovers Jimmy Raye III and Kyle O’Brien, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press notes.

The Lions hired O’Brien shortly after naming Quinn GM. He served as the franchise’s VP of player personnel. In December, O’Brien interviewed for the job that ended up going to Holmes. O’Brien spent most of his career with the Patriots, following Quinn from New England to Detroit in 2017.

Raye worked as a senior personnel executive with the Lions, joining the team in 2018. The veteran scout/exec has been a regular on the GM interview circuit, having met with the Colts, 49ers, Texans and Panthers about their respective jobs from 2017-18. Raye served as Indianapolis’ interim GM in between Ryan Grigson‘s firing and the hiring of Chris Ballard. Most of Raye’s career has come with the Chargers, who employed him from 1996-2012.

Holmes, assistant GM Ray Agnew and senior personnel exec John Dorsey are now in charge of the Lions, who are expected to conduct a rebuild. The front office quickly greenlit a Matthew Stafford trade that brought back two first-round picks and Jared Goff.

Lions Restructure Jamie Collins’ Deal

March 5th, 2021 at 3:09pm CST by Zachary Links

The Lions have restructured Jamie Collins‘ contract, as Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. Collins will still earn $9MM as scheduled, except with the addition of some voidable years. The exact new cap number is not yet clear, but the linebacker will come in at a lower figure than his slated $11.3MM.

Collins reunited with old Patriots pal Matt Patricia last offseason. Even though Patricia is out of the picture, Collins will be staying put. He still effectively has two years to go on his initial three-year, $30MM deal.

The 31-year-old (32 in October) logged a career-high seven sacks in 2019 for the Pats, plus 81 total tackles, three interceptions, and three forced fumbles. In his first Lions season, Collins did less pass rushing, but did record 101 stops.

The Lions still have some work to do on that side of the ball, such as finding a replacement for cornerback Desmond Trufant. Meanwhile, they’ve already begun to shape their wide receiver group. Tyrell Williams agreed to a one-year deal this week — the Lions hope that he’ll be serving as the WR2, behind Kenny Golladay.

Lions To Release Desmond Trufant

March 4th, 2021 at 12:19pm CST by Zachary Links

The Lions have informed Desmond Trufant that he will be released, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). Trufant — who served as a starting cornerback for Detroit — will be officially dropped on the first day of the league year later this month.

Trufant compiled four interceptions and seven passes defensed in 2019, despite being limited to only nine games. Still, the Falcons released him midway through his five-year, ~$69MM mega-deal.

That led him to the Lions last March on a more reasonable two-year, $21MM deal. Still, his Lions contract included $14MM in guarantees. So, with his release, the Lions will save $6MM while being left with roughly $6.2MM in dead money, provided that he isn’t classified as a post-June 1 release.

Trufant’s short Lions tenure ended early, due to injury. He finished out 2020 with one interception, four passes defended, and 20 total stops in six games.

Lions, WR Tyrell Williams Agree To Deal

March 3rd, 2021 at 2:41pm CST by Sam Robinson

Tyrell Williams will link up with Anthony Lynn in Detroit. The former Chargers and Raiders wide receiver agreed to terms with the Lions on a one-year deal Wednesday, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.

The recent Raiders cap casualty can earn up to $6.2MM on his new deal with the Lions. Williams played under Lynn for two seasons in Los Angeles. Lynn is now Detroit’s offensive coordinator.

This move stands to help the rebuilding Lions at a key need area. Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones are free agents. So is Danny Amendola. While Golladay has surfaced as a franchise tag candidate, Jones is expected to depart to join a playoff contender. Despite missing all last season due to injury, Williams did not linger in free agency long.

The Raiders gave Williams a four-year, $44MM deal in 2019, but only $10MM of that pact was guaranteed. Still, the Raiders guaranteed Williams’ 2020 salary last year but saw that move go bust when the veteran suffered a shoulder injury over the summer. Williams, 29, only recently returned to full health.

Williams’ most productive season came under Mike McCoy — a 1,000-yard 2016 slate — but he remained an auxiliary Chargers cog under Lynn from 2017-18. Williams totaled more than 1,300 yards and nine touchdowns between those seasons and figures to be able to quickly assimilate into Lynn’s Jared Goff-piloted offense.

Lions GM On Kenny Golladay, Romeo Okwara

March 2nd, 2021 at 10:24am CST by Zachary Links

The Lions have only one franchise tag to give with two deserving players. When asked about tagging wide receiver Kenny Golladay or edge rusher Romeo Okwara, GM Brad Holmes indicated that the decision won’t be rushed. At the same time, it sounds like the Lions are hoping to keep both players in the fold for 2021.

“We want to make the best decision for the Lions, and sometimes those decisions take a little bit longer,” Holmes said (via NFL.com). “We’re not gonna rush it, so whether it is a franchise tag on a Romeo or Kenny or whoever it is, we’ll definitely have a process in place that we believe in that we’re trusting … and we’re sticking to it and [making] sure it meets the Detroit Lions’ timeline and that’s really the thing that matters the most.”

The Lions’ WR group is due for a reset, one way or another. Like Golladay, veterans Marvin Jones, Danny Amendola, and Mohamed Sanu are all out of contract, leaving youngster Quintez Cephus as the last one left. Golladay was limited to just five games last year, but his 2019 Pro Bowl campaign solidified him as a standout. He’s still only 27, and he’s just one year removed from a 65/1,190/11 stat line.

“I don’t think there’s any debate that Kenny has shown the ability to be a No. 1 receiver in this league, with that skill-set that everybody knows that he has,” Holmes said. “There’s also been no debate that Kenny’s been at the forefront of our mind in terms of making sure that we make the best possible decision for no only the Lions, but for Kenny. You’ll hear about what we’ll be doing shortly.”

The Lions — and the other 31 teams in the league — must make their franchise tag decisions by March 9.

This Date In Transactions History: Lions Re-Sign Romeo Okwara

March 1st, 2021 at 9:21pm CST by Ben Levine

Two years ago today, the Lions agreed to a two-year deal with Romeo Okwara. At the time, the move flew under the radar a bit (it got only three brief paragraphs on the team’s website). Fast forward to today, and the new Lions brass is probably disappointed that their predecessors hadn’t made a longer commitment.

The 2016 undrafted free agent out of Notre Dame spent the first two seasons of his career with the Giants, appearing in 22 total games. After getting waived prior to the 2018 campaign, he caught on with the Lions, and he proceeded to have a career year for his new team. Okwara appeared in 15 games (14 starts), compiling 39 tackles, 7.5 sacks, and one forced fumble. The defensive lineman was one of the few standouts for a lowly Lions squad, but the team still had some hurdles to overcome in order to retain the player.

Okwara was set to become a restricted free agent following that 2018 campaign. Instead of placing a second-round (or even first-round) tender on the player, the team paid him a bit more in order to retain his services without any competition. The front office ultimately gave the defensive end a two-year deal worth $6.8MM, including $3.4MM in guaranteed money. It was a bit of gamble for the team, as Okwara was solely getting paid off of one productive season.

The defensive lineman didn’t necessarily live up to that deal in 2019, as he was relegated to a rotational role and finished with only 1.5 sacks. However, he rebounded with a career year in 2020, finishing with career-highs in tackles (44), sacks (10.0), and forced fumbles (three). The 25-year-old was especially productive down the stretch; per Pro Football Focus, Okwara finished with the third-highest pass-rush grade from Week 12 on, and he posted the ninth-highest grade for the entire season.

As a result of this production, Okwara is expected to be a popular name in unrestricted free agency this offseason. Detroit would certainly be a suitor…he’ll already account for $900K on their books thanks to previous signing bonus machinations. It sounds like new defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn is also a fan of the defensive lineman.

“Romeo had 10 sacks (last year),” Glenn said (via Kyle Meinke of MLive.com). “So, he’s a pressure player. Every team in this league, every coach in this league, wants a pressure player. So if he’s back with us, which we hope we get the chance to get him back, we’re going to have him rushing the quarterback. That’s what he does best. Again, we’re going to put him in position to do what he do best and that’s to get after the quarterback.”

Hindsight is obviously 20/20, and the Lions may have raised some eyebrows had they originally signed Okwara for more than two years back in 2019. However, exactly two years after that contract was signed, we’re sure GM Brad Holmes and his staff are wishing they had another year to evaluate the young defensive lineman.

Lions Hope To Keep Kenny Golladay

February 24th, 2021 at 10:28am CST by Zachary Links

Some have wondered whether Kenny Golladay could price his way out of Detroit this offseason. However, with weeks to go before free agency, Lions exec Chris Spielman tells WXYT-FM that Golladay — and the wide receiver position in general — is one of his very top priorities (via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press).

“I think Kenny is a, he’s a competitive guy and the thing that I’ve always admired most about Kenny when doing the games on TV is his ability to win the 50/50 ball,” said Spielman, an ex-linebacker and broadcaster who serves as one of the organization’s top executives. “I just think his size and what he can bring to the table is something that a lot of people liked about Kenny Golladay, including me.”

The Lions — like most teams this year – are facing a numbers crunch due to the anticipated salary cap decrease. As they rebuild for the near-term and long-term, Spielman says he’ll be looking at talent and character in equal measure.

“In any philosophy, you can fill in voids in free agency, but you can’t buy a locker room,” Spielman said. “That’s been a philosophy for a lot of teams. And generally, what I believe is that you want to build your team through the draft. So it’s kind of, draft, develop and re-sign. And I think that’s hopefully the direction that I think the Lions will take.”

When it comes to Golladay, the Lions figure to have lots of competition if/when he reaches the open market. The Giants, who are eyeing a major WR upgrade, are expected to be among his top suitors.

Lions’ Marvin Jones To Chase Super Bowl In Free Agency

February 19th, 2021 at 9:01am CST by Zachary Links

Marvin Jones will be looking to play for a contender in 2021. In an interview with SiriusXM, Jones said that he’ll be looking to join a winner, though he still wants to get a fair value deal.

“At this point in my career, that’s what I want,” Jones said. (via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press). “But at the same time, it’s not going to be — I’m not going to just straight sacrifice and not get what I’m worth just because I’ve put in my work to get where I’m at and it happened the first time and I did it, and I think I outplayed it the second time.”

Jones signed a five-year $40MM deal with the Lions in March of 2016 with $13MM fully guaranteed. He went on to have the most efficient year of his career in 2017, averaging a league-high 18 yards per grab. After that, injuries and issues with the Lions’ offense slowed him down a bit, though he’s remained productive. Last year, Jones turned in his best stat line since ’17 — 76 grabs for 978 yards and nine touchdowns.

Jones, 31 in March, will enter free agency as one of the best receivers available, just behind the likes of Allen Robinson and Chris Godwin. A return to the Lions still remains possible, but Jones would be catching passes from Jared Goff rather than longtime pal Matthew Stafford.

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