- Wallace Gilberry, DE (Lions): One year, $1.25MM. $340K signing bonus. $25K workout bonus. Up to $500K in incentives for performance and playing time (link via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press).
TUESDAY, 1:33pm: Ridley’s deal is now official, as Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com tweets.
FRIDAY, 12:46pm: After visiting Detroit this week, free agent running back Stevan Ridley will sign with the Lions, as he announced himself today on Instagram. Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com (Twitter link) confirms the agreement, reporting that it will be a one-year contract for Ridley, who thanked the Jets and their fans in his Instagram statement.
“To the Organization and city of NEW YORK I truly thank you for all the love,” Ridley wrote. “But now it’s on to Detroit for me! I can’t be happier for another shot to tote this pill and showcase the gifts I’ve been truly blessed with! Detroit, I’ve got a surprise for you this year, I promise. I’m ready to get to work with my new family, so April 18th can’t come soon enough!”
A former third-round pick, Ridley averaged 5.1 yards per carry in limited action during his rookie season in 2011, then exploded for 1,263 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns in 2012. However, fumbling issues landed him on the bench in New England, and a devastating ACL/MCL injury limited him in both 2014 and 2015.
After spending his first four years in the NFL with the Patriots, Ridley signed with the Jets last season, but didn’t see the field all that much after coming off the PUP list. With Chris Ivory and Bilal Powell handling the majority of the workload out of the backfield, Ridley took over for Zac Stacy as the No. 3 back and earned just 36 carries, totaling only 90 yards for a career-worst 2.5 yards per attempt.
For the Lions, Ameer Abdullah figures to head into the 2016 season as the No. 1 option on the depth chart, and Theo Riddick should get plenty of work too, but the club was in need of some veteran depth after releasing Joique Bell earlier in the offseason.
Depending on the price, which shouldn’t be exorbitant, taking a flier on Ridley to see if the 27-year-old can come close to regaining his old form is a worthwhile roll of the dice for GM Bob Quinn, who was in New England’s front office when the Pats drafted the running back.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
- The Lions‘ pre-draft visits are underway, and the team looked at offensive line prospects on Monday, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, who tweets that tackles Jerald Hawkins (LSU), Shon Coleman (Auburn), Caleb Benenoch (UCLA), and Jason Spriggs (Indiana) are meeting with the Lions.
- Bowling Green center-guard Alex Huettel worked out for the Lions, a source tells Wilson (on Twitter).
- Former Michigan quarterback Jake Rudock has worked out for Patriots, Lions, Ravens and Vikings, as Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com writes. He’s also scheduled to meet with the Dolphins this week.
- The Lions have agreed to sign former Cincinnati defensive end Wallace Gilberry, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The one-year deal is worth up to $1.75MM.
- The Lions have signed veteran tight end Matthew Mulligan, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets.
- Liberty’s Josh Woodrum worked out for the Lions last week and will do the same for the Falcons on April 11, Gil Brandt of NFL.com reports (on Twitter). Despite having played at an FCS school, Woodrum had an eye-opening showing at his pro day, leading to interest from Detroit and Atlanta, per Brandt.
Matthew Stafford is locked in as the Lions‘ starting quarterback, but don’t be surprised if Detroit selects a signal-caller in this year’s draft. “I think it’s really good football business to acquire a young quarterback every year or every other year,” Lions general manager Bob Quinn told Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “There’s such a value in the position and nowadays in college football there’s a lot of spread offenses, which means it’s a lot different than pro football. So it takes these young quarterbacks time to develop. So if you can add a young quarterback every year or every other year to your roster, it’s good football business in my mind.”
Lions GM Bob Quinn came into the offseason searching for offensive line help, but he didn’t spend big in that department in free agency. Ultimately, Quinn says that he didn’t think he could have gotten decent bang for his buck (link via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press). “I didn’t see the value in the players that were getting signed to the contracts that they were getting from other teams, so I backed off,” Quinn said.
FRIDAY, 8:12am: Schwartz’s one-year deal with the Lions is a minimum salary benefit contract, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, who tweets that the veteran lineman received an $80K signing bonus and had $120K of his base salary guaranteed.
WEDNESDAY, 10:02am: The Lions have officially signed Schwartz, the team confirmed today in a press release.
7:52am: The Lions will add some depth to their offensive line, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, who reports (via Twitter) that the team has agreed to terms with free agent lineman Geoff Schwartz. Per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), it will be a one-year deal for Schwartz in Detroit.
Schwartz, 29, signed a four-year contract with the Giants in March 2014, but has been plagued by injuries since then, appearing in 13 games over the last two seasons for New York. He started 11 games for the Giants in 2015, but his season was cut short when he fractured a bone in his left leg in late November, forcing the team to place him on injured reserve. The Giants cut Schwartz earlier in the offseason.
Since becoming a free agent, Schwartz has received interest from multiple teams, paying a visit to the Steelers and nearly visiting the Cardinals as well — that meeting in Arizona was scuttled after the club signed Evan Mathis. In joining the Lions, Schwartz will be playing for fifth team in nine NFL seasons — he has also had stops in Carolina, Minnesota, and Kansas City since entering the league as a seventh-round pick in 2008.
It remains to be seen what role Schwartz will have for the Lions, but guard is his primary position, and if he’s healthy, he should certainly rank among the team’s top five offensive linemen, making a starting job a real possibility. Larry Warford and Laken Tomlinson were Detroit’s starters at guard a year ago, but neither player is elite, so Schwartz should push them for playing time, and could also get a look at right tackle.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Although there has been some speculation that he’ll play at right tackle, new Lions lineman Geoff Schwartz isn’t sure what his position will be, as Alex Marvez of FOX Sports tweets.