Detroit Lions News & Rumors

Lions Work Out QBs C.J. Beathard, Nathan Peterman

Separating from Hendon Hooker after the former backup could not beat out Kyle Allen for the Lions’ backup job, the NFC power is still looking around at quarterback.

The two-time reigning NFC North champions brought in C.J. Beathard and Nathan Peterman for auditions Wednesday, per the Detroit Football Network’s Justin Rogers. With Hooker now on the Panthers’ practice squad, the Lions only have two QBs on the active roster and none on the practice squad heading into the season.

Teams almost always carry three passers into a season, with the increased flexibility for emergency third options helping clubs in this area. Jared Goff‘s durability would point to the Lions keeping only two (Goff and Allen) on their active roster, but a P-squad presence is probably needed at some point.

Despite woeful work early in his Bills run, Peterman has put together a lengthy career as a third-stringer or backup. The 31-year-old QB spent the full 2024 season on the Falcons’ practice squad, marking his eighth year in the NFL. Previously, Peterman enjoyed reserve opportunities with the Raiders and Bears. His most recent start — Week 18 of the 2022 season — helped the Bears secure the No. 1 overall pick in 2023.

The Jets worked out this duo together in mid-August, making for an interesting overlap. Beathard spent last season with the Dolphins and Jaguars, returning to Jacksonville after being signed off Miami’s practice squad. Beathard, 31, previously lost out on the Jags’ QB2 job to Mac Jones out of training camp last year. Like Peterman, he has not caught on with a team in 2025. Having made 13 career starts (to Peterman’s five), Beathard — a former third-round 49ers pick — is the far more experienced option.

Offseason In Review: Detroit Lions

Over the course of the Brad Holmes-Dan Campbell era, the Lions have emerged as one of the NFL’s best teams. Each of the 2023 and ’24 campaigns ended with painful postseason defeats, however. The past several months have seen few major losses on the roster (with the offensive line representing an exception), but an expected exodus along the sidelines has led to questions about Detroit’s Super Bowl window closing.

Last year, the team become the ninth in NFL history to post 15 regular-season wins in a campaign but only the second not to win a playoff game after doing so (joining the 2011 Packers). If Campbell’s team is to rectify that in 2025, it will do so with new offensive and defensive coordinators in place. Another season filled with competition from within the division and elsewhere in the NFC should be expected as the Lions aim to avoid further missteps in the postseason.

Coaching/Front Office:

Campbell was hired as the Lions’ head coach in 2021. Glenn joined him in Detroit that same offseason to take on his first career coordinator gig at any level. Johnson was already in Detroit by that time, but he was a familiar face based on his previous experience working with Campbell as part of the Dolphins’ coaching staff.

Together, that trio enjoyed a strong run, with Johnson taking on offensive coordinator duties in 2022. The Lions posted an annual improvement in points allowed under Glenn, finishing seventh in that regard last season. Johnson, meanwhile, oversaw top-five scoring units in each year at the helm; Detroit led the NFL in points in 2024. Losing at least one – particularly Johnson, who jumped off the past two HC carousels to stay in Detroit – loomed as a possibility in recent years, and Campbell conceded after the season he expected both would be head coaches for the 2025 campaign.

As such, it came as little surprise when Johnson and Glenn were hired. As expected, both were highly sought-after in this year’s hiring cycle, with the Jaguars, Raiders, Patriots and Saints either conducting or requesting an interview with one or both staffers before their respective decisions to join the Bears and Jets. In each case, 2025 will mark their first head coaching opportunities. While Glenn exited to an AFC rebuild, the Lions will be seeing plenty of Johnson due to his Chicago landing.

Campbell and the Lions did not cast a wide net in looking for replacement coordinators. No other candidate was linked to Detroit’s OC gig prior to Morton’s hire. Likewise, only Buccaneers LBs coach Larry Foote received an interview before Sheppard was officially promoted. That approach was by design, as continuity was a top priority.

Sheppard played eight seasons in the NFL, his final campaign coming as a member of the Lions. The 37-year-old’s coaching career began with Detroit in 2021 under Campbell and included the role of inside linebackers coach for the past three seasons. Taking charge of the team’s defense will be a notable step up in responsibility and mark the first time in Sheppard’s career he will handle play-calling duties. His initial year in that capacity will take place without Williams, who spent one season in Detroit in a familiar capacity before landing his first coordinator opportunity with New England.

Morton represents a new arrival after his two-year stint as the Broncos’ pass-game coordinator, but he is no stranger to working alongside Campbell. In 2022, the two were colleagues when Morton served as a senior offensive assistant with the Lions. Upon returning, he will be tasked with maintaining the level of efficiency and creativity which defined Johnson’s spell as offensive coordinator.

Morton, 55, has one season of NFL OC experience. It came with a 2017 Jets team effectively buying time until a 2018 QB investment. Todd Bowles fired Morton after that ’17 season. Besides his 2022 Detroit stopover, Morton was on Jon Gruden‘s Raiders staff before landing in Denver once Sean Payton arrived.

His ability to keep Detroit’s offense among the most productive and multifaceted in the league will be critical to the team’s success moving forward. The Lions’ core on that side of the ball is largely unchanged from 2024, but losing Engstrand and Randle El will deprive Morton of key assistants on the sidelines. Campbell has stepped in midseason with respect to offensive play-calling and planning in the past; Morton and Co. will certainly hope that will not be necessary in 2025.

Shaw previously worked with Morton during Gruden’s first Raiders stint. More recently, success occurred at the college level, including a lengthy run as Stanford’s head coach. After receiving coaching interest in the pro ranks, Shaw returned to the NFL in a front office capacity with the Broncos. Johnson spoke with him about Chicago’s offensive coordinator position before tapping another Denver staffer (Declan Doyle) for the gig. That paved the way for Shaw to head to Detroit and help fill the vacancy created by a notable exodus on the sidelines.

Given Campbell’s approach to the hiring cycle, it is clear a major change in philosophy was not pursued during the efforts to replace Johnson and Glenn. If all goes according to plan, that stance could prove to be fruitful with the team managing to carry on en route to another strong season.

Sheppard in particular could experience growing pains in his new role, however. If that proves to be the case, concerns about further changes on Detroit’s staff in the near future could increase. A defining 2025 storyline will be the team’s ability to thrive with several new coaches being counted on to replicate past successes.

Free agency additions:

After doling out a slew of big-ticket extensions last offseason, the Lions entered free agency knowing more new deals for some of their foundational players would be needed. As expected, then, March proved to be quiet in terms of notable outside additions.

Throughout the 2024 campaign, it became increasingly clear Reed intended to test the open market for the second time in his career (having joined the Jets in 2022 on a three-year pact which proved to be a worthwhile investment). Naming a “stable environment” as a top priority regarding his next destination, the 28-year-old hit free agency in position to once again land a multiyear commitment from a new team.

That proved the be the case with Reed’s Lions pact, one worked out shortly after reports confirmed the Jets were not prepared to retain him. New York already had a notable slot corner contract on the books (Michael Carter) and, at the time, needed to budget for a massive Sauce Gardner extension. The new Gardner deal has since been finalized with a market-resetting AAV of $30.1MM.

Reed did not approach that figure (as expected), but he secured a raise compared to the average annual value of his Jets contract. The former fifth-rounder allowed a completion percentage of 57.1% in 2024, the second-lowest figure of his career. If Reed – who has missed more than three games in a season only once in seven years – continues to be strong in coverage, he should manage to meet expectations with Detroit.

A full-time starting spot is available to Reed, and he could form a strong tandem alongside Terrion Arnold on the perimeter. The latter’s rookie contract runs through at least 2027 (pending a fifth-year option decision), so his tenure on that pact will overlap entirely with Reed’s $16MM-AAV deal. Continuity at the CB spot for years to come would certainly be welcomed in the secondary given Detroit’s issues – injury-related and otherwise – in recent years.

While Reed will operate with the Lions’ first-team defense, Maddox and Ya-Sin are each set to fill backup roles. Maddox’s seven-year Eagles stint ended by means of a deal which falls well short of his 2021 extension in value but comes as little surprise after his low-cost return to Philadelphia upon being released last year. The Super Bowl champion will work as a top backup at safety as well as slot cornerback in the Motor City.

Ya-Sin worked as a perimeter corner through college and his six years in the NFL. A move to safety is in store for 2025, though, with the Lions aiming for experienced depth behind Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch. That tandem will be counted on to remain one of the league’s best this season, but any missed time could lead to notable playing time in Ya-Sin’s case. The 29-year-old play his way into a measure of stability with a strong year for Detroit, already his fifth career team.

Lopez has served as a full-time starter in three of his four seasons to date while handling an extremely consistent workload along the way. The former sixth-rounder handled a snap share between 45% and 48% during both of his campaigns in Houston and Arizona. A similar workload in 2025 would come as no surprise, although a heavier usage rate could be required early based on the Lions’ health situation along the defensive interior.

Allen has bounced around since he started 12 games for the Panthers in 2019. The 29-year-old signed as a depth option under center, but Dan Campbell made it clear a path existed for him to claim the backup gig. Indeed, Allen outperformed Hendon Hooker during the summer, leading to the latter being let go. The QB2 spot will therefore belong to Allen in 2025. An extended stay in Detroit could be in store depending on how he fares if called into action in the regular season.

Injuries were a major issue in 2024 for the Lions, and (to a degree) they have already become noteworthy this season. Yeboah, Herron and Sutherland have each landed on injured reserve, ensuring they will not play in 2025.

Read more

WR Tim Patrick Drew Trade Interest From Multiple Teams

Tim Patrick survived roster cuts last week but he did not remain in place with the Lions long after that point. The veteran wideout was traded to the Jaguars one day after Detroit’s initial roster was in place.

A sixth-round pick was exchanged to allow Patrick to head to Jacksonville just ahead of Week 1. That return certainly suggests a tepid market existed in this case, but other suitors were in the mix as well. Lions general manager Brad Holmes said (via ESPN’s Eric Woodyard) multiple teams showed interest in acquiring Patrick.

In 2024, the 31-year-old found success in a complementary role with Detroit. Patrick totaled 394 yards and three touchdowns on 33 catches, and that production landed him $2.5MM guaranteed on a new Lions pact in the spring. Instead of a second campaign in the Motor City, though, the former Bronco will spend the coming campaign in Jacksonville. He will add a veteran presence to a heavily renovated WR room in the process.

The Jaguars traded away Christian Kirk while also releasing Gabe Davis and Devin Duvernay. Jacksonville’s new regime will rely heavily on 2024 first-rounder Brian Thomas Jr. along with No. 2 pick Travis Hunter (whose exact offensive workload is yet to be determined, of course) in the passing game. Free agent addition Dyami Brown is also in the fold for 2025, but Patrick – a fellow pending free agent – will look to carve out the No. 3 role on his latest team.

In the meantime, the Lions will move forward with plenty of continuity at the receiver spot. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams and Kalif Raymond are set to reprise their roles from last season. Third-year tight end Sam LaPorta can again be expected to serve as a focal point in the passing game as well. With a limited workload in store for Patrick had he remained with the Lions, Holmes noted he felt the change of scenery was the best case scenario for all involved.

With Patrick no longer in the fold, third-round rookie Isaac TeSlaa could stand to benefit. The training camp standout primarily worked with the backups on offense this summer, but Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press notes an increased role could become available as the season progresses. During his two-year run at Arkansas, TeSlaa flashed potential based on his size and athleticism. Especially with Raymond scheduled for free agency next spring, a starting spot could be available to TeSlaa in 2026 or even earlier depending on how the coming months play out.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/29/25

Here are Friday’s minor moves:

Detroit Lions

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

New England Patriots

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

Tennessee Titans

Free Agent

Manoa will be suspended for the first two weeks of the season, if he lands with an NFL squad. While details of the suspension have not been disclosed, it may be linked to an incident that led to him being kicked out of Allegiant Stadium in the spring after some alleged property damage.

2025 NFL Trades

The modern NFL features four clear trade windows. While the Cowboys and Steelers’ George Pickens swap showed moves can be made at other points on the NFL calendar, early March, the draft, the late-August 53-man roster-setting date and the November deadline reside as the primary points trades occur around the league. On that note, it is a good time to check in on what has transpired on the trade market between windows two and three.

Excluding pick-for-pick trades, here are the moves NFL teams have made thus far in 2025:

March 1

49ers chose running back Jordan James at 147

March 4

Rams traded pick to Vikings, moving up to No. 172 for linebacker Chris Paul Jr.

March 5

March 6

March 7

Seahawks chose quarterback Jalen Milroe at 92

March 9

Seahawks used No. 52 to trade up (via the Titans) 17 spots for safety Nick Emmanwori, drafted running back Damien Martinez at 223; Steelers selected quarterback Will Howard at 185

March 10

Texans added wide receiver Jaylin Noel at 79, sent 236 to Jaguars in Day 2 trade; Commanders chose wideout Jaylin Lane at No. 128 

Eagles used No. 164 to climb one spot (via Chiefs) in first round for linebacker Jihaad Campbell

March 11

March 12

Bills took Ohio State cornerback Jordan Hancock at 170; Cowboys chose guard Ajani Cornelius at No. 204

Titans drafted running back Kalel Mullings at No. 188; Cowboys chose running back Phil Mafah at 239

March 13

March 15

Vikings packaged No. 187 in trade-down move (via Texans); 49ers drafted safety Marques Sigle at 160

April 3

Patriots traded down from No. 171 (via Lions) to draft kicker Andres Borregales; Cowboys chose defensive tackle Jay Toia at 217

April 26

Seahawks selected defensive lineman Rylie Mills at No. 142; Vikings traded No. 172 to Rams

May 7

June 2

Pick could upgrade to fourth-rounder if performance-based conditions are met

June 30

July 1

August 4

August 17

August 20

August 22

August 24

August 25

August 26

August 27

August 28

September 8

2026 fifth-round pick (from Bryce Huff trade) could upgrade to fourth-rounder, which would be sent to Jacksonville if 49ers DE meets those conditions

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 8/28/25

Teams around the NFL continued to adjust their practice squads as new players came free from Wednesday’s transactions. Here are all the latest updates:

Arizona Cardinals

Arizona Falcons

Buffalo Bills

  • Signed: CB Jalen Kimber, DE Andre Jones Jr.
  • Released: CB Daequan Hardy

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos:

  • Signed: TE Patrick Murtaugh (international exemptin)

Detroit Lions: 

Green Bay Packers:

Houston Texans: 

  • Signed: OT Reid Holskey, WR Josh Kelly

Indianapolis Colts: 

Jacksonville Jaguars: 

Kansas City Chiefs:

Los Angeles Chargers:

Miami Dolphins:

  • Signed: RB JaMycal Hasty

Minnesota Vikings:

New England Patriots: 

New York Giants: 

  • Signed: TE Qadir Ismail

New York Jets: 

  • Signed: OL Marquis Hayes, DB Korie Black

Philadelphia Eagles:

  • Signed: WR Britain Covey, OT Luke Felix Fualalo (international exemption)

San Francisco 49ers: 

Seattle Seahawks: 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 

Tennessee Titans: 

Washington Commanders: 

Signed: RB Donovan Edwards, CB Darius Rush

Ismail was one of 17 players to work out for the Giants on Thursday, per The Athletic’s Dan Duggan. He won the practice squad spot over more notable players like former Broncos safety Caden Sterns and former Browns quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson. Canadian quarterback Taylor Elgersma also attended the workout, per Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post, suggesting that the Giants might be looking for extra depth at the position.

Wallace worked out for the Vikings on Thursday, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. It must have gone well, as he was signed to the practice squad hours later as extra depth both in the secondary and on special teams.

Griffin returned to the Seahawks this offseason, eight years after they made him a third-round pick in the 2017 draft. He did not make Seattle’s 53-man roster, but as a vested veteran, he was able to re-sign to the practice squad without going through waivers.

Lions To Trade WR Tim Patrick To Jaguars

For a second straight August, Tim Patrick will be on the move. A year after making a Denver-to-Detroit trip, the veteran wide receiver is heading to Jacksonville.

The Lions are trading Patrick to the Jaguars, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reports. The Jags are sending a 2026 sixth-round pick to the Lions in this trade. Patrick is tied to a guaranteed one-year, $2.5MM deal. The deal is now official, and the Jags waived wide receiver Austin Trammell to clear a roster spot.

Patrick, 31, had missed two full seasons but managed to stay healthy after joining the Lions in 2024. The Broncos moved on from the 6-foot-4 receiver following training camp last year, dangling him in trades before not including him as part of their initial 53-man roster. As Denver went with a younger group of pass catchers alongside Courtland Sutton, Patrick caught on with Detroit’s practice squad before making a quick move onto the active roster.

The former UDFA caught 33 passes for 394 yards and three TDs, working as a possession receiver in an explosive Lions attack. Patrick operated as an auxiliary wideout for a Lions team that had three defined targets ahead of him — Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Sam LaPorta — and made key contributions for a 15-2 juggernaut. The season reestablished some value for Patrick, who suffered ACL and Achilles tears during the 2022 and ’23 training camps.

While Patrick did not live up to the three-year, $30MM extension he signed with the Broncos during the 2021 season, his reemergence caught the Jaguars’ attention. Patrick posted back-to-back 700-plus-yard years (2020-21), drawing a second-round RFA tender, and will now be positioned to complement Brian Thomas Jr. and Travis Hunter. The Jags also signed Dyami Brown to a one-year deal.

The ex-Commanders Day 2 draftee and Patrick are positioned as complementary pieces, though it is still not known how much Hunter will play on offense as he prepares for a historic two-way role. Patrick stands to give the Jags some cover there, as Hunter may not be available on a full-time basis offensively.

This trade clears some runway space for Lions third-round pick Isaac TeSlaa, a Combine standout whom the team traded up for in the third round. The Lions used third- and seventh-round picks on receivers (Dominic Lovett going in Round 7) and kept six on their initial 53-man roster Tuesday. Detroit traded up 30 spots (from No. 102 to No. 70) for TeSlaa, highlighting an interest in developing him as its WR3 for the time being. Two years remain on Williams’ rookie deal.

Edge Rusher Za’Darius Smith Top Name On Market

Now that all 32 NFL teams have thinned out their active roster to 53 players, placed players on injured lists, and started to settle their practice squads, teams have a much better idea of the strengths and holes on their rosters. Teams who weren’t sure if they needed to (or could afford to) go after a veteran free agent can now address such decisions.

One such free agent who may be at the top of the list is pass rusher Za’Darius Smith. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Smith has multiple teams checking in on him to contend for his signature. A free agent since his release from the Lions in March, Smith has reportedly been training as he waits for the right situation to come along.

At 32 years old, Smith has remained a high-quality defender throughout his 10 years of play. Stuck behind Terrell Suggs, Elvis Dumervil, and Matt Judon throughout his time in Baltimore, Smith didn’t have a chance to breakout until the final year of his rookie deal, when he led the team with 8.5 sacks.

That performance helped him land a four-year, $66MM contract in Green Bay, where he racked up 26.0 sacks in his first two years as a Packer. A back injury in 2021 kept Smith out for almost the entire season as he appeared in only 18 snaps of the season opener and 19 snaps of a Divisional Round playoff exit that year. The Packers released him for cap reasons, and Smith quickly moved on with a three-year, $42MM deal with the Vikings.

A year after Smith put up a 10.0-sack performance in Minnesota, the Browns sent two fifth-round picks to the Vikings in exchange for Smith, a sixth-, and a seventh-round pick. He finished with 5.5 sacks in 2023 for Cleveland, and after a litany of injuries to the Lions defense led Detroit to send the Browns a fifth- and sixth-round pick in exchange for Smith and a seventh-rounder, Smith ended his 2024 campaign with nine sacks — five in Cleveland and four in Detroit.

Now looking to enter his 11th season of NFL play, Smith is a top target for teams needing to improve their pass rush. Many believe the Lions are a likely team to land Smith’s signature, considering last year’s injury troubles and Smith’s eagerness to return. Detroit has kept in contact with the veteran, but with star pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson coming back from injury, they feel fairly good about their situation.

There’s still a chance that he lands back in Detroit, but as Fowler points out, several teams are likely to reach out. The three-time Pro Bowler seems to be enjoying the luxury of choice, at the moment, but once the right deal comes around, a top free agent option should find his way to a roster before the start of the year.

Wednesday NFL Transactions: NFC North

Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline Tuesday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters. In addition to waiver claims, teams can begin constructing their 16-man practice squads today. These BearsLionsPackers and Vikings moves are noted below.

Chicago Bears

Claimed:

Released:

Signed to practice squad:

Detroit Lions

Signed:

Claimed:

Signed to practice squad:

Green Bay Packers

Signed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

Minnesota Vikings

Signed to practice squad:

2025 NFL Waiver Order

Many of the players cut Tuesday were subject to waivers, giving teams a chance to pick them up (along with the rest of their contract). Teams can claim as many players as they want before the next team gets their remaining targets.

It’s also worth noting that relatively few players are claimed off waivers during final roster cuts each year. Waiver claims will be processed at 11am CT in the following order (via NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo). In reverse order of the 2024 NFL standings, here is how the waiver priority sits:

  1. Titans
  2. Browns
  3. Giants
  4. Patriots
  5. Jaguars
  6. Raiders
  7. Jets
  8. Panthers
  9. Saints
  10. Bears
  11. 49ers
  12. Cowboys
  13. Dolphins
  14. Colts
  15. Falcons
  16. Cardinals
  17. Bengals
  18. Seahawks
  19. Buccaneers
  20. Broncos
  21. Steelers
  22. Chargers
  23. Packers
  24. Vikings
  25. Texans
  26. Rams
  27. Ravens
  28. Lions
  29. Commanders
  30. Bills
  31. Chiefs
  32. Eagles