- The Lions worked out wide receiver Tyler Murphy today, according to a source who spoke with Aaron Wilson of he Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). Murphy, a 2015 undrafted free agent, was waived off Miami’s injured reserve list in August and hadn’t been heard from since.
While Banks hasn’t yet debuted with the Lions, their staff – including cornerbacks coach Tony Oden – expects him to contribute soon, writes Meinke. Oden was the Buccaneers’ defensive backs coach in 2013, Banks’ three-INT rookie year. “I feel like he’s readjusted me all over again,” Banks said. “I’m a new corner again. Just changing me, getting me low, getting me into a better stance. I’ve had so many coaches, I’ve been changed so much, I feel like I was changed the wrong way. And, you know, I feel like I’m being coached right again.”
- Lions linebacker DeAndre Levy returned to practice Wednesday for the first time since Week 1, per Kyle Meinke of MLive.com. Levy, who has missed 23 of the Lions’ past 25 games, has been dealing with knee and quad injuries this year. While it’s possible the 2014 second-team All-Pro could take the field Sunday against Jacksonville, it’s likelier he’ll suit up on Thanksgiving versus NFC North rival Minnesota, writes Meinke.
Over the weekend, it was reported that Matthew Stafford wants $25MM per year on his next contract. When asked about those rumblings today, Stafford issued a clear denial. 
[RELATED: Jason La Canfora On Stafford And Much More]
“That was news to me, to tell you the truth,” Stafford said. “Hadn’t, obviously, had any thoughts of that in my mind, to tell you the truth. I don’t know where that came from or how it got out there, but I’m focused on our team, this season, playing well this week. That’s really all I care about.”
It’s possible that Stafford has that $25MM figure in mind, but doesn’t want his contract to become a distraction for the team. Stafford may also be telling the truth on a technicality. It could be his reps that are seeking $25MM per season while he mostly stays out of the talks. In any event, this is a public denial by Stafford that he is eyeing a contract that would make him the highest-paid player in the NFL.
Stafford closed strong in 2015 and he has continued to play well through the first half of 2016. He’s not the top quarterback in the NFL, but timing is everything and between his contract year performance, the league’s dearth of reliable quarterbacks, and the increased salary cap, he could be poised to set a new watermark. Stafford doesn’t turn 29 until February and Andrew Luck‘s five-year extension worth $24.6MM per year could be in his crosshairs.
So far this year, Stafford is Pro Football Focus’ No. 9 rated QB in the NFL, putting him behind Tom Brady, Matt Ryan, Luck, Russell Wilson, Drew Brees, Derek Carr, Carson Wentz, and Cam Newton. By that measure, he’s also ahead of guys like Aaron Rodgers, Dak Prescott, and Philip Rivers.
The Lions have extended safety Don Carey, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. It’s a one-year, $1.35MM deal that will take him through 2017. 
Listed as a safety and sometimes as a cornerback, Carey’s main contributions come on special teams as a gunner. Thanks in part to Carey, Sam Martin currently leads the league with a 45.4 yard net average. This year, the 29-year-old has a team-high seven special teams tackles.
Overall, the Lions have made special teams a priority this year. In the offseason, they added special teams ace Johnson Bademosi and their September extension of Sam Martin made him one of the highest-paid punters in the NFL.
- Matthew Stafford is enjoying a terrific 2016 campaign, and his performance thus far, combined with the Lions‘ status as a playoff contender, has put him into the middle of the MVP discussion. Although it is too early to consider such awards, it is not too early to consider what a new contract for Stafford might look like. The Georgia product is under club control through 2017, and it has become increasingly likely that the team will explore an extension for their star signal-caller after this season is over. La Canfora confirms that those contract talks will indeed happen, and he adds that Stafford’s reps will be seeking to secure a deal that pays their client over $25MM per season. Given rising salaries for quarterbacks, including those less accomplished than Stafford–who has thrived since Jim Bob Cooter took over as offensive coordinator last November–it seems likely that Stafford will hit that target. That is especially true since Stafford’s franchise tag number for 2018 would be $26.4MM, as former NFL agent Joel Corry tweets.
Today’s practice squad moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: QB David Fales (Twitter link via Jeff Zriebec of the Baltimore Sun)
Detroit Lions
- Signed: TE Khari Lee
- Cut: CB D’Joun Smith
Minnesota Vikings
- Cut: OL Sean Hickey
- The Lions tried out tight end Kennard Backman, who suited up for seven games with NFC North rival Green Bay last year (Twitter link).
The Lions announced that they have activated wide receiver Corey Fuller from the PUP list. To make room, the team waived tight end Khari Lee. 
Fuller, 26, has appeared in 28 games for Detroit over the last two years. Unfortunately, he has been slow to recover from foot surgery but it now sounds like he’ll be able to suit up for Week 11 against the Jaguars. In total, Fuller has caught 18 of his 40 career targets for 288 yards and one touchdown. He’ll give Detroit a fifth receiver, something they haven’t really had all season long. The Lions have Golden Tate as their top WR target along with Golden Tate, Anquan Boldin, and Andre Roberts. It will be interesting to see where Fuller fits in with that group of big names.
Lee was claimed off waivers from Chicago in early September. The 24-year-old appeared in all 16 regular season games for the Bears and even made seven starts, but his role didn’t involve a ton of pass-catching. He was tasked with a similar job in Detroit as he drew just one target this year.
- The Lions worked out tight ends Ryan Malleck and Gannon Sinclair, defensive ends Rakim Cox and Jordan Williams, and linebacker Tristan Okpalaugo (Twitter link).