- The Lions waived wide receiver Damian Copeland and signed fellow wide receiver Alex Chisum, as Justin Rogers of The Detroit News tweets.
Here’s a quick look at the Lions:
- While Lions head coach Jim Caldwell refused to discuss the injury today, a source told ESPN’s Adam Caplan that Lions tight end Eric Ebron is dealing with a “pretty decent [right] ankle sprain.” Over the weekend, Ebron was carted off the field after suffering an apparent Achilles injury. The extent of the injury remains to be seen, but it appears that the talented tight end has avoided a season-ending Achilles tear. Ebron finished last season with 47 receptions for 537 yards and five touchdowns — all personal career highs.
- Aside from running back Theo Riddick, Lions punter Sam Martin could be the next player up for an extension, according to Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com. Martin, he writes, boasts one of the best young legs in the league and can provide Detroit with position stability. Devin Taylor and Larry Warford would also be extension candidates, but the Lions want to see more consistency out of both players before extending them. The next big deal could to be done could be for quarterback Matthew Stafford sometime after the 2016 season.
- This week, we checked in with Justin Rogers of The Detroit News to discuss the additions of Anquan Boldin and Marvin Jones and their prospects for the coming year.
- Lions tight end Cole Wick says that the Raiders, Eagles, Panthers, Buccaneers, and few other teams also showed interest in him as a UDFA, Rogers tweets. Wick signed on with the Lions in May and received a $10K bonus. He may have to play a larger-than-expected role if Ebron has to miss time. For a complete look at the Lions’ tight end depth chart, head on over to Roster Resource.
With the season fast approaching, we’re chatting with beat writers from around the league to gain insight on each team’s offseason and how those moves will impact the season ahead.
Now, we continue the series by discussing the Lions with Justin Rogers of the Detroit News. You can follow Justin on Twitter @Justin_Rogers and check out his stories here.
Zach Links: Marvin Jones was the best available wide receiver this year and the Lions pounced quickly to sign him. Do you think he’ll be targeted almost as much as Golden Tate this year? Will his five-year, $40MM contract be a good deal in the long run for the Lions?
It could be close, but I still expect Tate to be targeted at a higher rate, simply because he’s a bit more lethal on throws close to the line of scrimmage. That said, Matthew Stafford and Jones have developed chemistry rapidly, and the former Bengals wide receiver is truly a good fit in the Lions offense, offering a skill set that makes him a threat at all levels, including the deepest parts of the field.
A lot of people scoffed at $8MM per year for Jones, but it felt right at the time and seems like an even better value when you see the potential he has in the offense. Obviously time will tell, but I could see Jones catching 80 balls for close to 1,000 yards this year, and we all understand his potential in the red zone.
Zach Links: The Lions added some notable names at WR late in the offseason by signing Anquan Boldin and Andre Roberts. What does Boldin have left in the tank? Do you think that Roberts can get back to his old form? 
Justin Rogers: Based on the fact that he caught nearly 70 balls in San Fran last season, Boldin obviously isn’t running on fumes. He’s looked like a nice fit in the slot, giving the Lions’ nickel corners fits with the way he uses his thicker frame to box out the defender and create extra separation on routes across the middle.
The Lions have a lot of weapons, so they don’t need Boldin to be a focal point of the offense. Depending on the health of Eric Ebron, Boldin will be the fourth or fifth option in the passing game and catching 40-50 balls would be an upgrade from what the team has recently been working with at WR3.
Zach Links: Many expected the Lions to use their first-round pick on Taylor Decker and they did not disappoint when it was their turn at the podium in April. Do you expect Decker to shine right off of the bat or will he need some time to develop, as rookie left tackles often do?
Continue reading about the Lions..
SUNDAY, 5:25pm: For what it’s worth, Ebron told multiple teammates “that he’s okay,” leading NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport to wonder whether the injury might actually be minor (Twitter link). Furthermore, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press tweets that the Lions haven’t reached out to any free agent tight ends.
SATURDAY, 3:04pm: Eric Ebron left Saturday’s Lions practice on a cart after suffering an injury that prevented the third-year tight end from putting any weight on his lower right leg, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports.
Jim Caldwell, per the Lions’ usual policy regarding injuries, did not have any comment on the nature of the starter’s injury. Ebron suffered what Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter) categorized as an Achilles malady. Ebron remained down for several minutes before the cart emerged.
The Lions, who held Ebron out of practice on Friday due to an undisclosed injury, observed their tight end depth chart endure what could be a savage blow while Ebron was blocking during a drill. Backup tight end Brandon Pettigrew is still recovering from a torn ACL he suffered last season. Beyond those two injured performers, Detroit’s top tight ends are Matthew Mulligan and Orson Charles. The Lions also lost Tim Wright for the season due to an offseason ACL tear.
Owen Daniels, Andrew Quarless and Alex Smith are three available tight ends, should Ebron’s injury turn out to be season-altering. Birkett also lists Kellen Winslow, whom recently reappeared in the news cycle after the Packers booked a workout with him earlier today.
Ebron finished last season with 47 receptions for 537 yards and five touchdowns — all career highs for a tight end expected to play a larger role for a Lions offense without Calvin Johnson this season.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
- The Lions have signed linebacker Chi Chi Araguzo and waived fellow LB Raphael Kirby, per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (Twitter link).
- Wide receiver Ryan Spadola has reverted to the Lions‘ IR after going unclaimed on waivers, as Justin Rogers of The Detroit News tweets.
- The Lions re-signed receiver Damian Copeland and waived fellow pass-catcher Ryan Spadola, per Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com.
- The Lions have signed former University of Miami linebacker Raphael Kirby to a three-year deal, according to his reps at Universal Sports Management (Twitter link). Kirby, who was the Hurricanes’ team captain, is said to finally be healthy after suffering a torn ACL in college. To make room, linebacker Dominique Tovell has been waived, per a team announcement.
- After signing Darius Slay to a lucrative extension earlier this week, the Lions have turned their attention to punter Sam Martin, as Rothstein writes in a separate piece. Martin, who is entering a contract year and who has established himself as one of the better punters in the league, had the best net punting numbers of his career last season at 41.95 yards per punt, while opponents averaged only 6.12 yards per return. Detroit is in negotiations with Martin’s representatives, and the fourth-year pro could soon be clearing more than $3MM per year.
- The aforementioned Slay extension is a representative of the Lions‘ strategy going forward under new general manager Bob Quinn, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “That’s the plan,” said team president Rod Wood. “Build our own through the draft and find good guys, then extend them and keep them here. It’s a lot easier when you know the guy then signing them from free agency when you’re hoping that you know them, so we’re really happy that it worked out this way.” Detroit will have a chance to execute that approach next offseason, when offensive linemen Riley Reiff and Larry Warford are scheduled to become free agents.