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Detroit Lions News & Rumors

NFC Notes: Forte, Packers, Falcons, Lions

February 13th, 2016 at 5:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

Green Bay could be a destination for running back Matt Forte despite the organization being one of the league’s most hesitant to sign outside veteran help. A source told Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune that former Bears teammate Julius Peppers is already discussing a reunion with Forte with the Packers. Eddie Lacy will enter his contract year in 2016, and longtime backup James Starks looms as an unrestricted free agent.

Here’s more from the NFC:

  • The Falcons are leaning toward bringing Roddy White back for his 12th season with the team, D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. Although White slumped through his worst season as a starter, catching 43 passes for 506 yards in 16 games, Atlanta looks to increase the veteran’s slot usage. Using Larry Fitzgerald as an example, Dan Quinn told media (including Ledbetter) White, who is nearly two years older than Fitzgerald despite entering the NFL a year later, is at his best on in-breaking routes.
  • In other Falcons news, general manager Thomas Dimitroff told Ledbetter he wished he’d have kept Todd McClure after the longtime Atlanta center expressed desire to play in 2013, but the team opted to go younger at the spot in the form of Peter Konz. The Falcons’ starting center from 2000-2012, McClure instead chose to retire after the ’12 season after the team handed his job to Konz, who started for two years and was released in September 2015 after recovering from a torn ACL.
  • The Lions hired Broncos offensive quality control coach Brian Callahan to be their quarterbacks coach, Troy Renck of the Denver Post reports. Callahan formerly worked with current Lions OC Jim Bob Cooter in Denver. The son of Bill Callahan, Brian Callahan worked with the Broncos for six seasons.

Extra Points: Lions, Dolphins, Broncos

February 13th, 2016 at 12:11pm CST by Ben Levine

Some assorted notes from around the NFL on this Saturday afternoon…

2016 Proven Performance Escalators

February 12th, 2016 at 5:53pm CST by Dallas Robinson

According to the NFL’s contractual bargaining agreement, players drafted in rounds three though seven are entitled to raises during the fourth year of their respective rookie contracts. The pay bumps are tied to playing time — a player must have played in 35% of his team’s offensive or defensive snaps in two of his first three seasons, or averaged 35% playing time cumulatively during that period.

If one of these thresholds is met, the player’s salary is elevated to the level of that year’s lowest restricted free agent tender — that figure is projected to be $1.696MM in 2016. Players selected in the first or second round, undrafted free agents, and kickers/punters are ineligible for the proven performance escalator.

Here are the players who will see their salary rise in 2016 courtesy of the proven performance escalator:Keenan Allen (Vertical)

49ers: Gerald Hodges, LB

Bears: Marquess Wilson, WR

Buccaneers: William Gholston, DE; Mike Glennon, QB; Akeem Spence, DT

Cardinals: Andre Ellington, RB; Tyrann Mathieu, CB/S; Alex Okafor, LB

Chargers: Keenan Allen, WR

Colts: Sio Moore, LB; Hugh Thornton, G

Cowboys: J.J. Wilcox, S; Terrance Williams, WR

Dolphins: Jelani Jenkins, LB; Dallas Thomas, T; Dion Sims, TE; Kenny Stills, WR

Eagles: Bennie Logan, DT

Falcons: Kemal Ishmael, S; Levine Toilolo, TE

Jaguars: Josh Evans, S; Dwayne Gratz, CB

Jets: Brian Winters, G

Lions: Larry Warford, G

Packers: David Bakhtiari, T; Micah Hyde, S

Patriots: Duron Harmon, S; Chris Jones, DT; Logan Ryan, CB

Raiders: Mychal Rivera, TE

Rams: T.J. McDonald, S

Ravens: Ricky Wagner, T; Brandon Williams, DT

Saints: Terron Armstead, T; John Jenkins, DT

Seahawks: Luke Willson, TE

Steelers: Markus Wheaton, WR

Titans: Brian Schwenke, C

Washington: Jordan Reed, TE

NFC Notes: Mathieu, Lions, Panthers

February 12th, 2016 at 1:02pm CST by Luke Adams

A January report indicated that getting an extension done with Tyrann Mathieu will be a top priority for the Cardinals this offseason, and GM Steve Keim confirmed as much during an appearance on Arizona Sports 98.7FM on Thursday (link via Adam Green of ArizonaSports.com).

“It’s hard to say that that we’ll be able to get something done for sure, but we certainly have that goal in mind and there’s no doubt that this organization wants Tyrann Mathieu to be a fixture here for years,“ Keim said.

Here’s more from around the NFC:

  • The Lions are set to hire Broncos offensive assistant Brian Callahan as their new quarterbacks coach, according to Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (via Twitter). With Jim Bob Cooter having been promoted from QBs coach to offensive coordinator in the fall, Detroit needed someone to fill his old role.
  • The Panthers are making some changes to their special teams staff, with Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer tweeting that the club has parted ways with assistant ST coach Russ Purnell, and Marvez tweeting that Curtis Fuller will return to a defensive role rather than helping out with special teams in 2016. According to Person and Marvez (Twitter links), Buccaneers ST coach Kevin O’Dea, 49ers ST coach Thomas McGaughey, and former Panthers linebacker Chase Blackburn are getting interviews for spots on Carolina’s special teams staff.
  • Marvez also reports (via Twitter) that the Giants are hiring Jeff Zgonina as their assistant defensive line coach, which should complete Ben McAdoo‘s staff.
  • The Panthers were one game away from a championship this past season, but GM Dave Gettleman vows he’ll remain patient this winter when it comes to making roster decisions, and won’t force any moves in an effort to get the team over the top. Bill Voth of Black and Blue Review has the details and the quotes from Gettleman.
  • Despite one report suggesting he hopes to land a $5MM annual salary, it would be an upset if tight end Zach Miller leaves the Bears this offseason, says Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com. Dickerson doesn’t predict a potential price tag for Miller, but suggests he’d be next in line for a larger role if the team trades or cuts Martellus Bennett.

Lions Sign Lamar Holmes

February 12th, 2016 at 12:04pm CST by Luke Adams

The Lions have signed former Falcons tackle Lamar Holmes to a contract, according to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com. Atlanta cut Holmes from its roster with an injury settlement back in December, so he had been eligible to sign with a new team before 2016 free agency begins next month.Lamar Holmes

Holmes, 26, started 19 games at left and right tackle for the Falcons during his time with the team, including 15 games in 2013. A third-round pick in 2012, Holmes has been slowed by injuries since entering the NFL. He would have spent the entire 2015 campaign on Atlanta’s PUP list had the team not waived him in December.

If the Falcons had kept Holmes on their roster, his contract would have tolled, meaning his rookie deal would have extended for another year, keeping him under contract through the 2016 season. Instead, Atlanta opted to cut him, allowing him to reach the open market. Holmes took advantage of that opportunity by working out for a handful of teams over the last couple months, including the Cowboys, Dolphins, and Jets.

In Detroit, Holmes is probably unlikely to claim a starting job for the 2016 season, but given the problems the Lions have had getting steady production from some spots on their line, including right tackle, it’s not out of the question. At the very least, Holmes should have every opportunity to compete for a spot on the team’s 53-man roster. As long as he has recovered from the foot injury that sidelined him for all of 2015, he’s a decent bet to make the cut.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Minor NFL Transactions: 2/11/16

February 11th, 2016 at 4:33pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are Thursday’s minor signings, cuts, and other moves from across the NFL:

  • The Seahawks also signed running back Cameron Marshall, Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times tweets. An Arizona State product, Marshall played the past two seasons with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League. The 24-year-old runner gained 992 yards from scrimmage and scored five touchdowns in 18 CFL contests last season. He initially spent time with the Dolphins in 2013 before debuting in Canada a year later.

Earlier updates:

  • The Lions have signed veteran linebacker Jerry Franklin, the team announced today. Franklin, who played his college ball at Arkansas, has spent time on the regular season rosters for the Bears, Chiefs, and Saints since 2012.
  • The Panthers have signed former CFL punter Swayze Waters to a one-year deal, the club announced in a press release. Waters, who missed most of the 2015 season due a hip injury, handled punting and kicking duties for the Toronto Argonauts, earning special teams player of the year honors in 2014.
  • Another CFL player, wide receiver Jeff Fuller, has a deal in place to join the Seahawks, according to Scott Mitchell of the Calgary Sun (Twitter link). In 13 games last season for the Calgary Stampeders, Fuller grabbed 47 balls for 619 yards and three touchdowns.

North Notes: Hayward, McManis, Manziel

February 10th, 2016 at 12:56pm CST by Luke Adams

A year ago, a pair of Packers cornerbacks – Tramon Williams and Davon House – reached the open market and signed with new teams, and it appears another Green Bay corner could explore his options in free agency this time around. As Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com details, Casey Hayward has hired a new agent, David Mulugheta, and isn’t sure whether he’ll get a new deal done with the Packers within the next few weeks.

“They normally wait til closer to the deadline [to negotiate],” Hayward told Demovsky this week in a text message. “But we shall see. I’ll probably hit the market.”

As Demovsky observes, the Packers typically prefer to re-sign their own homegrown players rather than bringing in outside free agents, but it appears the team is deep enough in the secondary to allow Hayward to gauge his value. If the 26-year-old finds that he has fewer suitors than expected, or doesn’t get an offer he likes, he could re-sign with the Packers even after becoming a free agent.

Here’s more from out of the NFL’s North divisions:

  • Defensive back Sherrick McManis doesn’t play much on defense, but he’s extremely valuable on special teams, so the Bears ought to consider re-signing him this offseason, writes Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com.
  • Even if the Browns didn’t lie about Johnny Manziel‘s concussion diagnosis during the final week of the regular season, the team has played a part in enabling the former Texas A&M quarterback since drafting him two years ago, says Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com.
  • Under previous general manager Martin Mayhew, the Lions often made their veteran cuts shortly after the Super Bowl, but new GM Bob Quinn may be a little more patient when it comes to making decisions on potential cap casualties like Stephen Tulloch, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.

NFC North Notes: Peppers, Martin, Lions

February 9th, 2016 at 9:50am CST by Luke Adams

When Julius Peppers signed a three-year, $26MM deal with the Packers in 2014, there was some skepticism that he’d get to play out the entire contract, especially considering the significant cap hits in the final two seasons. With just one year left on that contract though, it appears Peppers will play it out after all, writes Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com.

Peppers, who turned 36 last month, is set to count for $10.5MM against Green Bay’s 2016 cap, with a $7MM base salary. If he retires, or if the Packers cut him, the team would create significant cap savings, but it doesn’t appear the two sides are planning for either of those scenarios, according to Demovsky. Coming off a Pro Bowl season in which he recorded 10.5 sacks, Peppers seems prepared to continue his career, and the Packers want to keep him in the mix.

Here are a few more updates from around the NFC North:

  • Bears free agent safety Sherrod Martin is unlikely to return to Chicago this offseason, writes ESPN.com’s Jeff Dickerson. Martin started 36 games for the Panthers from 2009-11 but he only really played on special teams for the Bears. As a result, he doesn’t figure to be a high priority for the team this spring since his role could be filled by cheaper, younger players.
  • Calvin Johnson‘s future, potential veteran cuts, and a possible new contract for Darius Slay should be among the Lions‘ top priorities as the offseason officially gets underway, says Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com.
  • A player’s character will be a major point of emphasis in Detroit under new Lions GM Bob Quinn, as Rothstein details in a separate ESPN.com piece. “That’s definitely going to be taken into account on every draft pick, every free-agent signing that we take,” Quinn said at his introductory press conference last month.

Extra Points: Dolphins, Manziel, 49ers, Lions

February 6th, 2016 at 10:17pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Dolphins have two particularly noteworthy free agents-to-be in defensive end Olivier Vernon and running back Lamar Miller, but they don’t view them as equal priorities. Instead, the Dolphins believe retaining Vernon is more important than re-signing Miller, writes Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. That doesn’t necessarily mean Miller is done in Miami, though, as Jackson adds that the club will try to keep both players. However, if the Dolphins are unable to afford Miller, they’re confident they have a capable in-house replacement in Jay Ajayi. On the other hand, the Dolphins don’t think they’d fare as well in finding someone to take over for Vernon, reports Jackson, who notes that they could slap the $15MM franchise tag on him if they’re unable to reach a long-term deal.

Click here to read more about Vernon, Miller and other issues facing the Dolphins in PFR’s offseason preview of the team.

As the clock ticks closer to Super Bowl 50, here’s more from around the NFL:

  • The league isn’t turning its back on Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel amid his off-field issues, according to its executive vice president of football operations, Troy Vincent. “We wish to give Johnny as much support as he is willing to receive. We can’t make anyone do anything,” Vincent said Saturday, per The Associated Press. “I’ve seen his father make a statement, reach out to the family to make sure the family knows the National Football League, the Cleveland Browns, the players association — everyone’s here to support you, but you have to embrace it.”
  • 49ers receiver Torrey Smith believes quarterback Blaine Gabbert is right for new head coach Chip Kelly‘s offense and could give Colin Kaepernick legitimate competition for the starting job (if Kaepernick isn’t traded or cut in the coming months, of course). “I think people assume that because of this offense that Kap’s the best fit. But Blaine can do everything. He may not be as fast, but Blaine housed a 40-yard run last year, he can run, man. He can get rid of the ball quick. I think it’s going to be an interesting battle,” Smith told KNBR (link via CSNBayArea.com).
  • The Lions may soon be in need of receiving help with Calvin Johnson leaning toward retirement, and it so happens that pending free agent wideout Anquan Boldin spoke glowingly of head coach Jim Caldwell on Saturday (Twitter link via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press). Although he has been one of the league’s most productive receivers throughout the last decade-plus, the 35-year-old Boldin is nowhere near Johnson’s caliber at this stage. While Boldin hauled in a respectable 69 catches with San Francisco in 2015-16, it was for the second-lowest yardage total of his career (789).

NFC North Notes: Megatron, Bears, Packers

February 6th, 2016 at 3:29pm CST by Sam Robinson

Ron Rivera‘s path to the Panthers emerged when he and Lovie Smith ended a contentious relationship in three seasons working together in Chicago. The former Bears coach didn’t renew the former Bears defensive coordinator’s contract after the duo helped the Bears to Super Bowl XLI during the 2006 season, largely due to philosophical and personal differences, Austin Murphy of SI.com reports.

Smith preferred then-Buccaneers assistant head coach Rod Marinelli for the job upon being hired as Bears coach in 2004, but, per Murphy, Rivera was mandated by then-Chicago GM Jerry Angelo.

The former Bears player under blitz-happy Buddy Ryan, Rivera wanted a blitz-heavy scheme, whereas Smith was a Tampa-2 proponent. Murphy also asserts Rivera’s eight interviews for head-coaching positions while employed as Bears DC were potentially seen as disloyal by Smith.

When Rivera became the Chargers’ linebackers coach in 2007 after Smith denied him a fourth season running the Bears’ defense, he and Smith were on bad terms, a Bears source told Murphy. The 54-year-old Rivera served three years as San Diego’s DC before accepting Carolina’s top coaching job.

Here are some more items from the NFC North on the eve of Super Bowl 50.

  • The Bears should let Matt Forte walk while re-signing Alshon Jeffery and Zach Miller, Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap notes in his analysis of the Bears’ cap situation. Also advising the Bears to orchestrate an extension with Kyle Long after they pick up the tackle’s fifth-year option, Fitzgerald recommends the Bears cut Martellus Bennett and gauge Lamarr Houston‘s trade value. Bennett would save Chicago $5.2MM, and Houston, entering his seventh season, will net the Bears $4MM in cap savings if released. Brought in to play in a 4-3 scheme, Houston graded as Pro Football Focus’ No. 62-ranked edge defender as an outside linebacker in Vic Fangio‘s 3-4.
  • Calvin Johnson‘s impromptu retirement could be a negotiating ploy a la Adrian Peterson‘s trade request last year, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes. The Lions will need to know Johnson’s official intentions on his future by March 9, when his $16MM base salary and $24MM cap number are configured into Detroit’s 2016 salary cap. Florio speculates Johnson could have threatened to retire to force the Lions to appreciate his presence rather than insist he renegotiate that massive cap figure. Peterson ended up receiving additional guaranteed money, instead of the Vikings potentially attempting at reducing his salary, Florio offers.
  • Randall Cobb‘s punctured lung sustained against the Cardinals could have been an effect of him being mic’d up by NFL Films, the slot receiver and the Packers medical staff theorize (via Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel). “I punctured a lung. I didn’t break a rib and I didn’t fracture a rib. It’s really abnormal for that to happen,” Cobb told radio host Bill Michaels in San Francisco. “But I was mic’d up for the game. I landed flush on my back. The battery pack was on my shoulder pads and I landed flush on my back and we think that possibly could be it but there’s no way of proving it.” Cobb, who left the divisional playoff game after injuring himself on a spectacular catch that ended up being nullified by penalty, will enter the season season of the four-year deal he signed last March.
  • Casey Hayward hired the same agent, David Mulugheta, used by fellow Packers DBs Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and Quinten Rollins, Rand Getlin of ESPN.com reports (Twitter links). Hayward is one of Green Bay’s top free agents.
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