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Detroit Lions News & Rumors

Lions, Titans Interested In Kenyan Drake

October 25th, 2019 at 2:25pm CST by Sam Robinson

Days away from the trade deadline, interest in Kenyan Drake has picked up. The Lions and Titans are two known suitors for the Dolphins’ contract-year running back, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports. “Several” teams have shown interest, however.

But Miami has not seen a strong offer yet, with Jackson adding the team wants at least a fourth-round pick for Drake. The best known proposal the Dolphins have received was a conditional sixth-round selection, per Jackson, with another team offering an undisclosed late 2021 choice.

The Dolphins received a fourth-rounder for Jay Ajayi before the 2017 deadline, but Drake’s value has undoubtedly plummeted because of the latest Dolphin edition’s status. Miami’s bottom-tier offensive line has struggled this season, and Drake is averaging a career-low 3.7 yards per carry. The former third-round pick posted 4.8- and 4.5-yard averages in 2017 and ’18, respectively. Drake, 25, has not rushed for 50 yards in a game this season, but he surpassed 1,000 yards from scrimmage in a part-time role last year and has just 333 carries under his belt.

Detroit jumps out as a potential destination. Having lost Kerryon Johnson to another injury, the Lions are down to sixth-round rookie Ty Johnson as their starter. Not out of contention, Detroit has Johnson, passing-down back J.D. McKissic and ex-Packers and Giants backups Tra Carson and Paul Perkins, respectively. This would make sense for Drake, and the Dolphins may be willing to gamble on a better offer coming early next week.

The Titans boast a stronger backfield, with Derrick Henry and Dion Lewis in the second year of their partnership. It’s less clear where Drake would fit in with Tennessee, which has Henry in a contract year as well. Both of those backs are healthy, set to play alongside ex-Dolphins starter Ryan Tannehill on Sunday.

Extension talks having stalled, and the Dolphins being in full-scale rebuilding mode, led to Drake becoming available. He is not especially interested in a long-term Dolphins pact, per Jackson. It still appears likely Miami will move him before Tuesday afternoon’s deadline. The Dolphins have used Mark Walton more often this season, and banking on a late-round compensatory pick may not be realistic for a team that is expected to be active on the 2020 free agent market.

Golden Tate Talks Lions Tenure, New Home

October 25th, 2019 at 8:50am CST by cwcrouse

Golden Tate spent four-plus seasons with the Lions before the team traded him to the Eagles last fall. Tate and the team were negotiating an extension and the franchise made an offer during the 2018 season. Tate declined the offer, feeling that it was not up to par with his worth, and the Lions dealt him away.

“They offered me. I declined it. I think like a day later they traded me,” said Tate (via Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com). “They gave me an offer that was not what I thought I was worth. I just respectfully declined it, showed up to work the next day and …”

Tate will make his return to Detroit with the Giants taking on the Lions in Week 8. He maintains that he has no hard feelings toward the franchise.

“I understand it’s a business. Since I left, they’ve gotten rid of a lot of guys that were pretty good on that team. It is what it is when you get a new coaching staff, a new head coach who is going to make this his way. Sometimes there are casualties,” Tate said.

Tate admits that he wanted to remain in Detroit but he’s happy with the way things played out. The wide receiver inked a four-year, $37.5MM deal with the Giants this offseason.

“I like it. I really like the group we have,” Tate said. “I don’t like the outcome of all these games obviously. We’re going to change that. Each and every guy in this building shows up to work. You have to appreciate that. I think it’s very, very easy to get down when you’re 2-5. I don’t see guys doing that. I don’t see guys tanking. I see guys still trying to figure it out.”

Lions Sign S Marcus Gilchrist

October 24th, 2019 at 9:11am CST by cwcrouse

The Lions are signing Marcus Gilchrist, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press relays on Twitter. The safety started 16 games for the Raiders last season.

Detroit traded away Quandre Diggs earlier this week, which created a need in the secondary. Gilchrist will add depth to a passing defense that ranks 15th, according to Football Outsiders’ DVOA.

Gilchrist was a second-round pick by the Chargers out of Clemson back in 2011. In addition to at-the-time San Diego, the safety has previously played for New York, Oakland, and Houston.

NFL Workout Updates: 10/23/19

October 23rd, 2019 at 7:09pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Today’s workout updates:

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Miami Dolphins

New Orleans Saints

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/23/19

October 23rd, 2019 at 3:48pm CST by Zachary Links

Here are today’s minor transactions:

Cincinnati Bengals

Denver Broncos

  • Claimed: DL Jonathan Harris (from Bears)

Detroit Lions

Houston Texas

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

Philadelphia Eagles

Seattle Seahawks

Lions Viewed Diggs As In Decline

October 22nd, 2019 at 8:28pm CST by Sam Robinson
  • The Lions surprised many by dealing starting safety Quandre Diggs to the Seahawks, doing so despite Diggs being signed through 2021. Lions brass viewed Diggs’ play as having fallen off, per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (Twitter link), and called multiple teams about moving him. The Lions landed a 2020 fifth-round pick for Diggs, who is now a Seahawk. The play of young safeties Tracy Walker and Will Harris helped induce the Lions to pull the trigger, Birkett adds. Walker and Harris grade as top-40 safeties, per PFF, which has Diggs slotted outside the top 60. Diggs is only 26, however. This trade gives the Seahawks access to a key part of his prime.

Lions Trade Quandre Diggs To Seahawks

October 22nd, 2019 at 3:49pm CST by Zachary Links

The Lions will ship defensive back Quandre Diggs and a 2021 seventh-round pick to the Seahawks for a 2020 fifth-round draft pick, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. 

Diggs, 26, was asked to carry more of the load this year after the Lions moved on from Glover Quin. The safety started in five contests this year, notching 20 tackles in total. For his work, Pro Football Focus has him graded as just the No. 61 ranked safety in the NFL, but, historically, PFF’s advanced metrics have held him in high regard.

Diggs is signed through the 2021 campaign thanks to the three-year, $20.4MM extension he signed with Detroit back in 2018. Still, the Seahawks can easily escape his deal, if they want to, after this season.

The Seahawks’ secondary is a long way from the Legion of Boom days and an experienced player like Diggs was badly needed in Seattle. Still, the Seahawks’ training staff will have to give Diggs some attention if they want him to stay on the field – the former sixth-rounder has seen limited snaps since Week 4 due to hand and hammy issues.

With Diggs in Seattle, the Lions will move forward with Tracy Walker, Tavon Wilson, and Will Harris as their top guys.

Lions Place Kerryon Johnson On IR

October 22nd, 2019 at 3:20pm CST by Zachary Links

Kerryon Johnson won’t see the field for a while. The running back has been placed on injured reserve, according to head coach Matt Patricia.

Johnson was forced out of the first quarter of Sunday’s game with a right knee injury and further testing revealed that he’ll need surgery to help jumpstart his recovery. Per league rules, Johnson can return after eight missed weeks. Patricia says that’s the plan, though that’ll hinge on the pace of Johnson’s recovery. That’ll also hinge on the Lions’ place in the playoff chase, though Patricia did not vocalize that part.

 

Johnson’s early career has been defined by potential and bad injury luck. Last year, he missed six games with a left knee injury, though he showed some promising flashes.

In six games this year, Johnson ran for 308 yards and two touchdowns. Through the air, he added another score and 126 receiving yards off of nine catches.

With the 2018 second-round pick out of action, the Lions will likely turn to Ty Johnson and J.D. McKissic. There’s also No. 3 RB Tra Carson on the active roster and Paul Perkins may be considered for a promotion.

Kerryon Johnson To Miss “Some Time”

October 21st, 2019 at 6:20pm CST by Ben Levine

Lions running back Kerryon Johnson was injured during the first quarter of yesterday’s game, and it sounds like he’s about to miss a more than three quarters of play. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter) that Johnson is set to miss “some time,” with the running back currently designated as week-to-week.

Johnson missed the final six games of his rookie campaign with a knee injury. Even if this current ailment isn’t particularly serious, it would make sense for the Lions to be relatively cautious with the 2018 second-rounder.

The running back looked the part of a three-down back last season, and while his sophomore campaign has been a bit underwhelming, he’s still proven to be an important part of Detroit’s offense. Through six games, Johnson has 308 rushing yards and two scores on 92 carries. He’s added another touchdown and 126 receiving yards on nine receptions.

With Johnson out, the Lions will likely turn to Ty Johnson and J.D. McKissic (they’re also rostering Paul Perkins on their practice squad, as well as recent-addition Tra Carson on their active roster). While it’s just my speculation, the Lions could turn to veteran running back C.J. Anderson, who played the first two games of the season with Detroit. The veteran worked out for the Raiders earlier today.

2019 NFL Cap Space, By Team

October 21st, 2019 at 5:29pm CST by Zachary Links

With eight days to go before the 2019 trade deadline, here’s a look at the cap space possessed by each team, via ESPN.com’s Field Yates (on Twitter):

1. Colts: $43.5M
2. Browns: $32.9M
3. Dolphins: $28M
4. Bills: $24.7M
5. Cowboys: $24M
6. Titans: $23.7
7. Chiefs: $23.1M
8. Raiders: $22.4M
9. Eagles: $22.2M
10. Texans: $21.6M
11. Lions: $18.9M
12. Bears: $17M
13. 49ers: $14.4M
14. Panthers: $14.2M
15. Bengals: $13.6M
16. Redskins: $13.5M
17. Jaguars: $10.3M
18. Broncos: $10M
19. Packers: $9.5M
20. Seahawks: $7.8M
21. Buccaneers: $6.5M
22. Jets: $6.1M
23. Rams: $4.6M
24. Cardinals: $4.1M
25. Chargers: $4.1M
26. Steelers: $3.4M
27. Patriots: $2.5M
28. Giants: $2.2M
29. Ravens: $2.1M
30. Saints: $1.9M
31. Falcons: $1.7M
32. Vikings: $623K

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