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Detroit Lions News & Rumors

Lions To Pursue Seahawks GM John Schneider

January 3rd, 2021 at 9:40am CST by Rory Parks

The Lions are leaving no stone unturned in their search for a new GM. In addition to three in-house candidates and myriad external options, including a few high-profile targets, the club is expected to make a run at Seahawks GM John Schneider, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports.

Schneider has long been considered one of the best executives in the game, and he and Pete Carroll have forged a remarkably productive GM-HC tandem since they came to Seattle in 2010. Under their leadership, the ‘Hawks have compiled a 111-63-1 record, five division titles, two NFC championships, and a Super Bowl.

But Carroll, not Schneider, has final authority over all personnel decisions. That means that a club like the Lions could interview Schneider if it offers him full control (though as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk observes, it may not be quite that simple, and Detroit may need to send compensation to Seattle if it wants to hire Schneider away). Plus, while Carroll signed a long-term extension several months ago that will run through the 2025 campaign, Schneider is only under contract through the 2022 draft, as Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times tweets. Rapoport says that, in addition to Detroit, Schneider is expected to get a call from at least one other team,

Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports says the Lions would also be interested in Steelers GM Kevin Colbert. Colbert has gone year-to-year with Pittsburgh for awhile, but that’s because he wants to leave open the possibility of retirement. He plans to be back with Pittsburgh in 2021, so it looks like another one-year pact is on the horizon.

Vikings assistant GM George Paton, who has been a fixture on the GM rumor mill in recent years, is also on the Lions’ radar, per Rapoport, and there is a new and interesting connection between Minnesota and Detroit. Paton’s boss, Rick Spielman, is the brother of new Detroit exec Chris Spielman, who is expected to have an integral role in the Lions’ search process.

Minor NFL Transactions: 1/2/21

January 2nd, 2021 at 5:06pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Saturday’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

  • Signed off Jets’ practice squad: G Blake Hance
  • Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: S Karl Joseph
  • Promoted: G Cordell Iwuagwu, LB Montrel Meander, T Alex Taylor

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

  • Promoted: DB John Brannon

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Football Team

Lions Notes: GM/HC Search, Stafford, Wood

January 1st, 2021 at 6:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

Lions president Rod Wood confirmed recently hired exec Chris Spielman is involved in the team’s coaching search, and Wood — a self-proclaimed non-football guy — has helped make some football decisions during the team’s time in between GMs, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press notes. Wood did, however, describe his role as more of a suggestion box or sounding board to the team’s current front office. As far as the Lions’ HC and GM searches, the team’s president offered a vague description of how this search is unfolding differently.

“One of the things that I think we’re doing differently that didn’t occur, at least in the searches I was involved in with Bob (Quinn) and Matt (Patricia) is really identifying what we want for a Detroit Lion coach and general manager. Not what some other team may want, but what do the Detroit Lions want?” Wood said, via Birkett. “So we’ve been discussing and detailing a lot of very specific criteria that is unique to us.”

The Lions may well be seeking a scouting type for the GM role, and Albert Breer of SI.com adds Detroit’s next coach would not need to be an offensive genius to land the job. Michigan native Robert Saleh has surfaced as an early frontrunner. Here is the latest from Detroit:

  • The Lions have interviewed eight candidates thus far for their GM position. They are not expected to stop there. The organization expects to venture well beyond 10 interviewees for this role, Breer tweets. Thus far, the Lions have interviewed unattached and internal candidates, with Rick Smith, Scott Pioli and Louis Riddick being the biggest names involved thus far.
  • One of the lower-profile candidates, however, may have some momentum. Rams college scouting director Brad Holmes is expected to be interviewed, and Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal tweets Holmes is viewed as a serious candidate to succeed Quinn. Holmes has been with the Rams for 18 years. The Lions will have competition, however. The Falcons are also expected to meet with Holmes.
  • Regarding head coach interviews, the Lions have waited. They are not opting to take advantage of a recent NFL rule change that allowed virtual interviews with candidates, Breer tweets. The franchise will then go through the usual search process, which can begin next week.
  • While Matthew Stafford has been the Lions’ QB1 since arriving in 2009, he has been mentioned in trade speculation for a bit now. The next coach hired will be Stafford’s fourth full-time HC, and the next GM will be the third of Stafford’s career. Some in the Lions organization are wondering if Stafford would be willing to be part of another rebuild, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. Stafford was involved in trade rumors earlier this year, but Quinn shot down that possibility and kept the 32-year-old passer. With Stafford’s $27MM-per-year contract no longer close to the top of the QB market, teams will be interested in the cannon-armed passer — should the next Lions regime entertain offers. A few AFC teams — like the Broncos, Colts or Patriots — and the 49ers profile as teams that could be interested in the veteran.

Lions To Place Kenny Golladay On IR

December 31st, 2020 at 10:41am CST by Zachary Links

For all intents and purposes, the Lions’ season is over. It’s also officially over for wide receiver Kenny Golladay, interim head coach Darrell Bevell announced. 

Golladay has been out of commission with a hip injury and limited to just five games throughout the year. It’s hardly the platform he wanted with free agency on the horizon. The 27-year-old, ideally, says that he would like to stay in Detroit for 2021 and beyond. But he also wants a market value contract, which could put him in the $18-20MM-per-season range — provided that he’s healthy.

“You know, [the Lions] believed in me,” Golladay said recently. “If it doesn’t work out, it doesn’t work out. Then I go somewhere else and ball out and play. But like I said, I’m a loyal person and of course I want to be here. I started my career here.”

The Lions, meanwhile, are in a holding pattern after the dismissal of Bob Quinn. The Lions’ next GM — whoever that may be — would have to clear significant salary cap space to either franchise tag Golladay or furnish him with a lucrative long-term pact.

Golladay’s fourth season will end with just 20 catches for 338 yards and two touchdowns. It’s a far cry from his 2019 showing of 65 grabs for 1,190 yards and an NFL-leading 11 receiving TDs, leading to his first-ever Pro Bowl nod.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/29/20

December 29th, 2020 at 2:06pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

We’ll keep track of today’s practice squad shuffles here, so be sure to check back later for all the new updates:

Cincinnati Bengals

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

Pittsburgh Steelers

  • Signed: LB Christian Kuntz, G John Leglue

Seattle Seahawks

Washington Football Team

Lions Interested In Urban Meyer?

December 28th, 2020 at 2:27pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

To that end, Meyer could “receive serious consideration” from the Jaguars and Lions, sources told Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, so it’s possible those are the two unspecified teams Schefter referred to. The Jags of course still have Doug Marrone leading the team, but his firing following Week 17 is all but guaranteed. La Canfora notes that Jacksonville’s search has been “noticeably quiet, writing that “with several NFL execs and agents” have noted “they have had limited contact with the Khan family” that owns the team. The Jaguars have clinched the top overall pick in April’s draft, most likely landing them Trevor Lawrence, and making them an infinitely more attractive option to coaches and executives. Meyer walked away from Ohio State after the 2018 season, and led them to a national title in 2014. He also won two national championships during his time at Florida.

Lions Cut S Jayron Kearse

December 28th, 2020 at 1:42pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Lions are playing out the string after their embarrassing 47-7 loss to the Buccaneers last week, and now they’re making a notable move with just one game left to play. Detroit has cut veteran safety Jayron Kearse, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network tweets.

Since we’re this late in the season Kearse will be going on waivers with 31 teams getting a chance to claim him. It’s interesting since Kearse had been playing a large role on defense recently, starting each of their last seven games before missing the Tampa game with an injury. Kearse was drafted by the Vikings in the seventh-round back in 2016, and spent the first four years of his career in Minnesota.

He became a special teams standout with the Vikings, and also a team captain. He signed a one-year, $2.75MM deal with Detroit back in March. He was suspended for the first three games of 2020 due to a substance abuse violation, but began playing a sizable role on defense right away that soon progressed to a near-every down role.

He’ll finish his stint with the Lions with 58 tackles, two passes defended, and a forced fumble in 11 games and seven starts. His most productive year in Minnesota was last season when he finished with six passes defended and an interception while making three starts. It’s possible that a contender with a banged up secondary takes a flyer on him for the postseason.

Lions Release Jonathan Williams

December 25th, 2020 at 12:53pm CST by Zachary Links

Jonathan Williams‘ time in Detroit has come to an end. On Friday, the Lions released the running back to make room for the return of defensive end Everson Griffen.

[RELATED: Lions To Interview Brad Holmes]

Williams joined the Lions back in August and got dropped in early September, but found a home on their practice squad. After a brief cup of coffee in Washington, he circled back to the Lions in late October and saw time in five games as a reserve.

Sitting behind Adrian Peterson, rookie D’Andre Swift, and Kerryon Johnson, there weren’t a ton of opportunities for Williams. He leaves Detroit with just one carry in his five games.

The former fifth-round pick of the Bills has traveled the league throughout his five-year career. To date, his best season came with the Colts, when he notched 235 yards and one score on 49 carries. Most of that production came in a two-week span when Williams ran for 220 combined yards against the Jaguars and Texans.

Lions To Interview Rams’ Brad Holmes

December 24th, 2020 at 4:32pm CST by Zachary Links

The Lions will interview Rams director of college scouting Brad Holmes for their GM job, as Lindsay Thiry of ESPN.com tweets. The Lions are at least the second team to show interest in Holmes as the Falcons are also planning to meet with him.

[RELATED: Falcons Show Interest In Holmes]

Holmes first joined the Rams 18 years ago and joined them for the move from St. Louis to Los Angeles. He’s been in his current role for the last eight years, forging an impressive career after his playing days at North Carolina A&T. Holmes — who has been stationed out of Atlanta to scout ACC and SEC talent — may have to do some winter clothes shopping if he relocates to Detroit.

Already, the Lions have interviewed ex-Texans GM Rick Smith, former Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff, former Chiefs GM Scott Pioli, and ESPN analyst/longtime NFC East exec Louis Riddick. The next GM should have some say in the team’s head coaching vacancy, which currently belongs to interim HC Darrell Bevell (not to be confused with interim interim HC, Robert Prince).

Lions’ Robert Prince To Serve As Interim Interim HC

December 24th, 2020 at 9:29am CST by Zachary Links

The Lions, technically speaking, are on to their third head coach of 2020. Wide receivers coach Robert Prince will man the sidelines on Saturday while interim head coach Darrell Bevell watches from afar, per the league’s COVID-19 protocols.

Bevell and nearly all of the Lions’ defensive staff were classified as close contacts to a COVID-positive assistant, putting the team in uncharted waters on a short week. Four other coaches will be keeping their distance too. The shuffle will see quarterbacks coach Sean Ryan call plays for the first time in his career. For his part, Prince previously served as Boise State’s offensive coordinator. He joined the Lions in 2014 under the Jim Caldwell administration and he stands as the team’s longest-tenured assistant.

While the Bucs make their playoff push, the Lions won’t be playing for much. If the season ended today, they’d be in line for the No. 11 overall pick.

In other Lions news, future Hall of Famer Adrian Peterson says he wants to continue his career in 2021. So far this year, the 35-year-old has averaged 3.7 yards per carry and scored six touchdowns.

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