Detroit Lions Rumors & News - Pro Football Rumors

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.

NFC Notes: Watson, Lions, White

February 6th, 2016 at 11:10am CST by Ben Levine

Impending free agent Ben Watson had an excellent season with the Saints. Despite being 35-years-old, the tight end finished with a career-high 74 catches for 825 yards and six touchdowns. Predictably, the veteran would like to stick around New Orleans.

“I had a good conversation with Sean (Payton) and Mickey (Loomis), and I love the Saints organization,” Watson told Joel A. Erickson of The Advocate. “I’d love to be playing there. If not there, we’ll see where else. I think I’ll know more in about a month or so.”

Of course, Watson understands that it’s no guarantee that he’ll be back in black and gold.

“It is exciting to have the possibility to return there, but as an NFL veteran, you know how it works,” Watson said.

Let’s check out some more notes from the NFC…

Possible Lions cap casualties include linebacker Stephen Tulloch, running back Joique Bell, and tight end Brandon Pettigrew, writes ESPN.com’s Michael Rothstein.
When it comes to Calvin Johnson, Rothstein believes it’d be best for the Lions if the wideout stuck around for one more season. That way, the team could draft a young receiver who could learn from the superstar. However, if Johnson does decide to hang it up, the writer believes the team could pursue Marvin Jones or Jermaine Kearse.
While the ultimate decision will be up to coach Dan Quinn, Falcons owner Arthur Blank is hopeful that receiver Roddy White will finish his career in Atlanta. “I have nothing but respect for Roddy and I love Roddy,” Blank told ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure. “I love what he’s done for our franchise. And I love the type of leadership that he has. And I love his role as a father…When it comes to where Roddy is in the future, that’s where the owner doesn’t get involved. That’s a decision that will be made by the coach, the coaching staff and personnel. When they’re ready to do it, they’ll do it. They’re in the process of going through the roster evaluation now. They’ve had some discussions. They’ll have more discussions.”

Minor NFL Transactions: 2/5/16

February 5th, 2016 at 7:29pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The NFL offseason hasn’t yet officially begun, but clubs are still making small moves as they wait for the beginning of the new league year. Let’s dive into the latest:

The Buccaneers have signed four players to reserve/futures deals, inking defensive tackle Davon Coleman, defensive tackle Cliff Matthews, defensive end Jermauria Rasco, and receiver Bernard Reedy, the club announced. Matthews, 26, has the most experience of the bunch, having played in 32 games over the past three seasons with the Falcons (former Atlanta head coach Mike Smith, notably, is Tampa Bay’s new defensive coordinator).
Former Lions running back Mikel Leshoure is back in professional football, but it’s with the CFL as opposed to the NFL. The 25-year-old Leshoure has signed with the British Columbia Lions of the Canadian Football League, reports Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (link). A former second-round pick, Leshoure’s best season came in 2012, when he ran for nearly 800 yards and nine touchdowns with Detroit.

North Notes: Megatron, Lions, Forte, Browns

February 5th, 2016 at 5:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Much has been made of the fact that new Lions general manager Bob Quinn has yet to reach out to Calvin Johnson as the star wide receiver considers retirement, with some observers speculating that perhaps the GM prefers the extra cap room the team would pick up if Megatron retires. It hasn’t been complete radio silence between the Lions and Johnson though. Team president Rod Wood said today that he has been in touch with the 30-year-old wideout.

“While it’s out there that Bob Quinn has not talked to him, I have talked to him a couple times,” Wood said, per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “And so we are staying in touch. I’ve talked to Bus (Cook, Johnson’s agent) a couple times. Nothing has changed in what we announced before. We’re still giving him time. I’m hoping to introduce him to Bob within the next week or so, at least hand that off to him to start talking to Calvin.

“The nice thing about private conversations is they’re private, so I won’t tell you exactly what we talked about,” Wood added. “But I have been in touch with him. I was texting with him on Wednesday.”

Here’s more on the Lions and a couple other North teams:

The Lions still need to add a quarterbacks coach to their staff, and one of Jim Bob Cooter‘s former office-mates, Broncos offensive assistant Brian Callahan, could be a candidate for the job, Birkett writes for the Free Press.
Bears running back Matt Forte says he has “no idea” whether or not he has a future in Chicago, telling Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times that he hasn’t heard from the team in recent weeks. The longtime Bear is eligible for free agency this winter.
Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com tweets that he has heard “on the Super Bowl grapevine” that the Browns intend to make another hire for their player personnel staff at some point, though it’s not clear yet what position that new addition would hold.

Lions Part Ways With Sheldon White

February 4th, 2016 at 11:41am CST by Luke Adams

New Lions general manager Bob Quinn continues to make changes in Detroit’s front office, and the latest executive to leave the team is the one Quinn replaced in the GM role. According to Justin Rogers of MLive.com, the Lions have parted ways with longtime director of pro personnel Sheldon White, who served as the team’s interim GM following Martin Mayhew‘s mid-season dismissal.

White was one of several candidates to interview for the Lions’ permanent general manager position, but when the team ultimately decided on Quinn, White’s future in Detroit became uncertain. The new GM said nearly a month ago that he wasn’t sure whether or not White would be back with the team.

At the time, I noted that White had been with the franchise for nearly two decades, in several roles and under multiple regimes, meaning it would be a bit of a surprise if he went anywhere. While White joined the Lions as a scout in 1997, he has spent most of his tenure with the club as the director of pro personnel, having been promoted to that role under former GM Matt Millen in 2000.

It’s not clear yet whether White’s departure was solely Quinn’s decision, or whether the two sides came to a more mutual agreement. Either way though, it figures to be just a matter of time before a seasoned executive like White lands with another team — that may happen sometime after this year’s draft, with teams like the Eagles looking to make front office changes at that point.

As for the Lions, they hired Jaguars director of college scouting Kyle O’Brien last month to head their pro and college scouting departments, and added former Patriots director of player development Kevin Anderson last week, to head their football operations department. The team figure to make another front office hire at some point to help replace White.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

NFC North Notes: Lions, Golden, Loadholt

February 2nd, 2016 at 2:18pm CST by Luke Adams

If the Lions want to keep their 2013 draft class, it’ll cost them a pretty penny, says Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. The Lions are slated to have $20MM in salary cap space right now and they could tack on another $11MM if Calvin Johnson retires. Still, the team has five starting-caliber players from the 2013 class that are slated to hit the open market in 2017 if they don’t sign new deals.

Here’s more on the Lions and some of their division rivals:

Speaking of Johnson’s potential retirement, in a separate piece for the Free Press, Birkett writes that some observers believe Megatron would be more likely to continue playing for the Lions if the team had won more during his time in Detroit.
The Lions have hired former Miami and Temple head coach Al Golden as their tight ends coach, the team announced in a press release. It’s the first NFL job for the longtime college coach, who was with the Hurricanes from 2011 to 2015.
Vikings tackle Phil Loadholt, who is working his way back from a torn Achilles, is optimistic that he’ll be ready to go for offseason workouts this spring. However, it remains to be seen whether he’ll still be on Minnesota’s roster at that point, since the club could create $6MM in cap savings by releasing him. Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune spoke to Loadholt about his recovery and his uncertain contract status.
Earlier this afternoon, we learned that Bears tight end Zach Miller is seeking $5MM per year on his next contract. That story is right here.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Latest On Calvin Johnson

February 1st, 2016 at 7:53pm CST by Zachary Links

In yet another sign that Calvin Johnson could be getting ready for retirement, the wide receiver called owner Martha Ford to thank her and her daughters for everything over the years, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Still, as of this writing, Johnson has not formally relayed his decision to the team.

Meanwhile, Lions’ coaches are still keen on finding a way to bring Megatron back (link). Johnson will not be brought back at his current salary as his cap charge is set to balloon to more than $24MM next season. Still, he could be brought back at a lesser AAV on an extension. Rapoport suggests Larry Fitzgerald‘s extension as a possible comp and that could be a logical move for both sides, if Johnson can be talked into playing. This time last year, Fitzgerald agreed to a deal that instantly created $13MM in cap space for the Cardinals. Prior to the deal, he was slated to count for $23MM against the cap in ’15.

If Johnson does retire, he will owe the Lions $3.2MM in signing bonus money. Moreover, Detroit will save more than $11MM on its 2016 salary cap if Johnson hangs it up.

Since leading the NFL with 122 receptions and 1,964 yards in 2012, Johnson has seen his production decline a little. Still, he continued to be one of the league’s more productive pass catchers in 2015, with 88 catches, 1,214 yards, and nine touchdowns. Johnson is the Lions’ all-time leader in receptions (731) receiving yards (11,619) and receiving touchdowns (83), tweets Dianna Marie Russini of ESPN.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

NFC North Notes: Long, Megatron, Greenway

February 1st, 2016 at 10:20am CST by Luke Adams

Bears offensive lineman Kyle Long changed positions in 2015 after making the Pro Bowl as a right guard during his first two NFL seasons, moving over to right tackle under new head coach John Fox. Having earned another Pro Bowl nod this year, Long has now demonstrated an ability to play multiple positions up front.

While he was valuable to the Bears as a guard, Long, a former first-round pick, increased his earning potential by shifting to the outside, particularly now that Lane Johnson has set a new standard for right tackles with his huge new contract extension.

In Johnson’s case, the Eagles assume it’s only a matter of time before he moves over to left tackle, and it’s not clear if that will be the case for Long and the Bears, but either way, a payday is on the way for the former 20th overall pick, writes John Mullin of CSNChicago.com. We’ll have to wait and see if Chicago plans on tackling a Long extension this offseason when the team still holds a fifth-year option on him for 2017, but when he eventually signs a new contract, there’s a real chance he could surpass every right tackle except Johnson in terms of per-year salary.

Here’s more from around the NFC North:

Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap looks at the cap implications of Calvin Johnson‘s potential retirement, explaining how placing the star wideout on the reserve/retired list would affect the Lions in 2016 and in future seasons. Fitzgerald also briefly explores the idea of Johnson using the threat of retirement as leverage to get a clean break from Detroit without having to request a trade.
Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com suggests some potential uses for the cap room the Lions would save if Johnson retires, while Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press identifies some logical targets at wide receiver for the team.
After the Vikings‘ heart-breaking Wild Card loss last month, veteran linebacker Chad Greenway said that he wants to continue his career, adding that he “can’t let it end like this.” Greenway isn’t under contract for next season, but wants to re-sign with the Vikings, so Ben Goessling of ESPN.com examines what a deal might look like, concluding that a one-year contract worth between $2-3MM would make some sense.

Calvin Johnson Likely To Retire

January 31st, 2016 at 6:21pm CST by Dallas Robinson

6:21pm: The Lions released a statement that doesn’t deny the ESPN.com report but doesn’t close the book on Johnson’s career with the team, either. “Regarding today’s ESPN report, we stand by our statement issued on Jan. 6 regarding Calvin,” the team’s comment reads, according to Tim Twentyman of Lions.com (on Twitter).

The team is standing by its previous stance of Johnson’s retirement not being final, which read, per Twentyman (Twitter links), “We obviously have profound respect for Calvin and certainly understand and appreciate his decision to give proper thought and consideration to his football future.”

4:22pm: Lions receiver Calvin Johnson told a group of family and friends prior to last season that 2015 would be his final year in the NFL, and he relayed that same sentiment to head coach Jim Caldwell following the conclusion of the regular season, sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Detroit management has not given up hope that Johnson will change his mind, but a person close to Johnson said the receiver is “pretty content with his decision,” per Schefter.

After Johnson told Caldwell of his plans, the Lions head coach reportedly asked Johnson to take his time to mull over the decision, and out of respect for Caldwell, Johnson did just that, according to Schefter. Only two of of Johnson’s teammates — quarterback Matthew Stafford and linebacker Stephen Tulloch — were told of Johnson’s retirement thoughts prior to the 2015 season, and they were asked to keep the decision under wraps. No one else in the Lions organization learned of Johnson’s aims until the end of the season.

When the rest of the franchise learned of Johnson’s intentions, reports did start to leak out, and an early January report indicated Johnson was indeed mulling hanging up his cleats. Johnson downplayed the specifics of that report, however, indicating that he was still thinking through his options. “Like many players at this stage of their career, I am currently evaluating options for my future,” Johnson said at the time. “I would expect to have a decision regarding this matter in the not-too-distant future.”

According to Schefter, the wear and tear of nine seasons in the NFL has done a number on Johnson, who has been dealing with nagging ankle injuries and overall soreness (he’s also deal with finger issues in recent years). Megatron has been remarkably durable — he’s missed just five games of the past five seasons — but heading into his age-31 season, it seems that physical ailments have taken their toll.

If Johnson does retire, he will owe the Lions $3.2MM in signing bonus money, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk notes (Twitter link). Moreover, Detroit will save more than $11MM on its 2016 salary cap if Johnson hangs it up. Even if he does reverse course and decide to play another year, Johnson and the club might have to rework his current deal, and his cap charge is set to balloon to more than $24MM next season.

Since leading the NFL with 122 receptions and 1,964 yards in 2012, Johnson has seen his production decline a little. Still, he continued to be one of the league’s more productive pass catchers in 2015, with 88 catches, 1,214 yards, and nine touchdowns. Johnson is the Lions’ all-time leader in receptions (731) receiving yards (11,619) and receiving touchdowns (83), tweets Dianna Marie Russini of ESPN.

As of last week, new Lions general manager Bob Quinn said he had not spoken to Johnson about his future, though Quinn did note that he hoped to have a resolution before the start of free agency in March.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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