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Detroit Lions News & Rumors

Ernie Accorsi To Consult On Lions’ GM Search

November 25th, 2015 at 1:49pm CST by Luke Adams

The Lions have selected former NFL general manager Ernie Accorsi to help guide them through the process of finding a new GM of their own, the team announced today in a press release. Accorsi, who previously served as the general manager of the Colts, Browns, Giants, will act as a consultant for Detroit as the team attempts to identify a permanent GM to replace Martin Mayhew.

“We are most pleased that Ernie Accorsi will serve as consultant for our GM search,” new Lions president Rod Wood said in a statement. “Ernie’s reputation is impeccable. Not only did he succeed as a general manager in the NFL, but his work as a consultant with teams like Chicago and Carolina is well documented.”

Less than a year ago, Accorsi acted as a consultant when the Bears were looking to replace former GM Phil Emery, eventually helping to identify Saints executive Ryan Pace as the man for the job. As Wood notes, Accorsi also took part in the Panthers’ search for a GM, which saw the team land on Dave Gettleman.

Per Albert Breer of the NFL Network (via Twitter), Wood said today that Accorsi has pledged exclusivity to the Lions during this winter’s hiring cycle, meaning he won’t be consulting for any other teams that may have a position open up in the front office in the coming weeks or months.

Wood reiterated today that interim general manager Sheldon White remains a candidate for the permanent job in Detroit. When asked if the coach and the GM could end up being the same person, Wood said that’s not the team’s plan at the moment (Twitter links via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press).

Lions’ Darius Slay Wants Contract Extension

November 24th, 2015 at 7:25pm CST by Zachary Links

Lions cornerback Darius Slay having a heck of a year and it sounds like he wants to continue this level of play in Honolulu blue. When asked if he’d be open to signing an extension with Detroit this offseason, Slay did not hesitate.

“I mean, of course,” Slay said, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “Who wouldn’t? I’d be loving that. But I’m going to let the people upstairs handle that business and I’m just going to handle what I can control.”

NFL teams are allowed to start discussing contract extensions with 2013 draft picks this offseason and the Lions are likely anxious to get talks underway with their 2013 second-round choice out of Mississippi State. Slay has 35 tackles, nine pass breakups and one interception in ten games, and according to Pro Football Focus, has allowed just 15 yards receiving the last three weeks. All in all, he has been one of the league’s best corners in 2015.

In addition to Slay, the Lions figure to address the futures of defensive end Ezekiel Ansah (first round), guard Larry Warford (third), punter Sam Martin (fifth), and running back Theo Riddick (sixth) this offseason.

NFC Notes: Martin, Packers, Caldwell

November 24th, 2015 at 8:58am CST by Luke Adams

Buccaneers running back Doug Martin, the 32nd overall pick in the 2012 draft, was one of 12 first-rounders from that year to have his fifth-year option for 2016 turned down by his team earlier this year. Tampa Bay may regret that decision now, though it’s possible that, without that motivation, Martin wouldn’t be having the season he is. The fourth-year back is currently the NFL’s second-leading rusher, with his 941 yards placing him behind only Adrian Peterson.

As Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times writes, the Bucs will have a tough call to make this offseason on Martin, whom Lovie Smith calls a “priority.” Tampa Bay has the flexibility to bring back the 26-year-old, and his production certainly warrants a new deal, but the club may decide that investing heavily on a running back coming off a huge bounce-back year isn’t the best use of its cap room.

Here are a few more items from across the NFC:

  • Having been cut by the Buccaneers a week ago, free agent safety D.J. Swearinger paid a visit to the Packers on Monday, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Green Bay safety Micah Hyde left Sunday’s game against the Vikings with a hip issue, so the team may be considering veteran options in case Hyde has to miss time.
  • With the Lions all but eliminated from the playoff hunt, the job security of head coach Jim Caldwell has become a popular topic of discussion and speculation in Detroit. However, Caldwell told reporters, including Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, not to “fixate” on it, adding that “I don’t think about it as much as you do.” Assuming the Lions bring in an outside candidate to fill the permanent general manager role, it seems likely Caldwell will eventually be replaced by that new GM.
  • Giants wide receiver Hakeem Nicks has yet to play a game during his second stint in New York, and his practice time has been limited so far, but head coach Tom Coughlin likes what he sees so far, per Fred Kerber of the New York Post. “He’s energetic, he looked good,” Coughlin said of Nicks. “Veteran experience, catcher, outstanding hands. He’ll work very hard. He’s excited about being here. He’s missed the opportunity to compete.”
  • The Talk of Fame Network spoke to former Panthers GM Marty Hurney, who is responsible for drafting a number of key contributors on this year’s 10-0 squad.

NFC Notes: Gabbert, Lions, Packers, Seahawks

November 21st, 2015 at 8:16pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Three years ago, in the midst of a run to the playoffs, the 49ers elected to replace starting quarterback Alex Smith with backup Colin Kaepernick. That decision paid major dividends for a couple of years before the 49ers’ coaching staff and roster fell apart and Kaepernick’s career went off the rails.

With Kaepernick now on injured reserve and likely done in San Francisco, new starter Blaine Gabbert has a chance to follow in Smith’s footsteps and revive his career. Long before he lost his job to Kaepernick, Smith was the No. 1 pick in the 2005 draft. He was maligned with the 49ers until 2011, when he turned his career around. Smith has since been an effective starter for both the Niners and Chiefs, and it isn’t crazy to suggest Gabbert could go down a similar road, Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle opines.

Gabbert was the 10th overall pick in 2011 and had three woeful seasons in Jacksonville before joining the 49ers last year. He made his first start with the team Nov. 8 and helped lead it to a 17-16 win over the Falcons, going 15 of 25 for 185 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. As Branch writes, Gabbert has seven more starts to show 49ers brass what he’s capable of, and he could make a big statement in Seattle on Sunday. That will clearly be a tall order against the NFC’s top-ranked pass defense. Regardless, 49ers offensive coordinator Geep Chryst is hopeful Gabbert can be Smith 2.0.

“There were some similarities to what we felt Alex Smith went through,” said Chryst, who was the 49ers’ quarterbacks coach from 2011-12. “And we felt like Blaine had all this talent and, as a young player, maybe a change of scenery would be good for him.”

More on the 49ers and some other NFC teams:

  • In a scathing piece, Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News refers to 49ers brass as “bizarre and mindlessly cryptic” for how it handled Kaepernick’s injury. Kawakami likens the end of Kaepernick’s time in San Francisco to that of former 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh, whose battle with the front office led to his departure after last season.
  • Though the Lions are sitting near the bottom of the league at 2-7, their general manager opening is highly appealing, Kyle Meinke of MLive.com submits. The reasons: Detroit’s abundance of draft picks, positive salary cap situation, the return of injured linebacker DeAndre Levy in 2016, and the likelihood of the new GM having full autonomy over the football department.
  • The 6-3 Packers might play Sunday’s crucial game against NFC North rival Minnesota (7-2) with only four receivers, as Jared Abbrederis is out, Ty Montgomery is doubtful and, per ESPN’s Rob Demovsky (Twitter link), the team won’t call up Ed Williams from the practice squad. Green Bay is on a three-game losing streak and one contributing factor has been a decline in the passing game, so having a minimal amount of targets probably won’t help Aaron Rodgers‘ cause against the Vikings – who have been stingy against quarterbacks this year. Their defense ranks eighth in the league in aerial yardage allowed, ninth in yards per attempt and 12th in passer rating.
  • The Seahawks will wait another week to activate cornerback Jeremy Lane, according to Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times. Lane, who suffered ACL and wrist injuries in the Super Bowl last February, came off the physically unable to perform list two weeks ago and has been practicing since. If the Seahawks don’t activate him for their Nov. 29 game against the Steelers, they’ll have to place him on season-ending IR.

NFC Notes: Rams, Hardy, Lions

November 21st, 2015 at 10:18am CST by Ben Levine

Rams wideout Tavon Austin will be returning to his hometown of Baltimore to take on the Ravens this weekend. The former West Virginia University standout is happy playing in St. Louis, but he did tell Joe Lyons of STLToday.com that the Ravens did check up on him during the 2013 draft.

“They were definitely staying in touch,’’ the receiver said. “I had a great meeting with them. The GM (Ozzie Newsome) is an awesome guy. I thought they were going to pull the trigger, but Coach Fisher did. I’m proud he did and I’m happy to be a Ram.’’

Let’s check out some other assorted notes from around the NFC…

  • The Cowboys have shown that they’re willing to deal with all of Greg Hardy‘s on and off the field issues, leading Jon Machota of DallasNews.com to predict that the defensive end will play in Dallas next season. The 27-year-old appears to like the organization, and the writer believes Hardy would willingly return, assuming Dallas offers him close to what he wants.
  • Following news that Lions interim general manager Sheldon White would be a candidate for the full-time gig, the executive acknowledged that his team needs to win if he wants to keep the job. “Obviously if we don’t then, I won’t be a candidate,” White told Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “But if we win these games and we find ways to get better and improve our roster, maybe I will be.”
  • New Lions president Rod Wood is confident that his team isn’t far away from contention, and with that mindset, Birkett believes quarterback Matthew Stafford could be sticking around. However, Wood did acknowledge that the decision would be up to the general manager. “I’m going to leave that to the general manager, but they’re great players,” Wood said, adding, “Matthew is my quarterback on my fantasy team if that means anything.”

NFC Notes: Cruz, Hayne, Wilson, Ramirez

November 20th, 2015 at 8:40pm CST by Luke Adams

Victor Cruz‘s uncertain future with the Giants received some press this month when he landed on injured reserve, ending his season, but he won’t be the only difficult roster decision facing the Giants in the offseason. As Bob Glauber of Newsday details, the team will also have tough calls to make on players like Jason Pierre-Paul, Prince Amukamara, and Jon Beason.

Here are some other notes from around the NFC:

  • Jarryd Hayne admitted today that he has received offers to return to Australia’s National Rugby League since he was moved from the 49ers‘ 53-man roster to their practice squad, but he’s committed to NFL, tweets Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. The former rugby star saw some action earlier this season as a running back and return man for San Francisco.
  • Despite an up-and-down performance so far this season, Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson says the lucrative new contract he signed prior to the season isn’t playing any part in his – or the team’s – struggles, as Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times writes. “People want to make it something else but for me I love the game of football and I love coming to work, I love getting here early and leaving late and that’s what it’s about,” Wilson said. “Nothing’s changed. The biggest thing is we’ve just got to find ways to win.”
  • Having been benched by the Lions, veteran guard Manny Ramirez is unlikely to reach several playing-time incentives in his contract, and he hopes that’s not the motive for his reduced role. “I hope not,” Ramirez said Thursday, per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “But I can’t worry about that. I can only worry about the things that I’m in control of, which is, every time I step on the field, that I’m ready to go. That’s all I can do.”

Lions President Talks GM, Caldwell, Roles

November 20th, 2015 at 4:09pm CST by Luke Adams

New Lions president Rod Wood spoke to reporters at a press conference today, reiterating that he doesn’t have a football background and indicating at one point, “I would probably say that I’m not qualified to run any other NFL team, but I think I’m qualified to run this one,” according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (Twitter link). The assertion, which sounds alarming on the surface, makes some sense when taking into account Wood’s connection to the Ford family, and his understanding of ownership’s wishes and goals, tweets Birkett.

Still, for an executive whose hiring has been scrutinized and questioned based on his lack of football experience, Wood perhaps should have chosen his words a little more carefully. While that quote may get most of the attention, the new team president had plenty more to say, so let’s round up some highlights….

  • According to Wood, the new general manager will be in charge of the Lions’ salary cap, and there will be a clear line of demarcation in responsibilities in the front office (Twitter links via Birkett). It will be “incredibly rare” for Wood to have input on any football personnel decisions — it will likely only happen if a signing or acquisition requires a significant financial investment.
  • The Lions’ advisory board, which consists of Wood and various members of the Ford family, doesn’t have a ton of football experience, as the new president acknowledged today. Wood suggested the Lions will employ an advisor for their GM search to help identify the right candidate (Twitter link via Birkett).
  • According to Wood, the team will use “every resource available to us” in its search for a general manager, and interim GM Sheldon White will be a candidate (Twitter link via Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com). Identifying a candidate with “a history of successful roster building” will be a priority, tweets Birkett.
  • The new general manager will be the one to make the call on Jim Caldwell‘s future with the club, per Birkett (Twitter link). That doesn’t bode particularly well for Caldwell, since new GMs often prefer to bring in their own head coaches.
  • Wood admitted that he was involved in discussions on whether or not to fire former GM Martin Mayhew and president Tom Lewand (Twitter link via Birkett). While it would be unfair to accuse Wood of any ulterior motives, it seems to me like a conflict of interest for the team to solicit his opinion on whether to fire someone he ultimately replaced.
  • Selling the team isn’t an option for the Fords in the near future, according to Wood, who declined to comment on a succession plan for ownership (Twitter link via Birkett).

NFC North Notes: Lions, Forte, Ringo

November 20th, 2015 at 10:32am CST by Luke Adams

Earlier today, we rounded up several Lions-related items, which focused on the hiring of new team president Rod Wood. Many of the reactions to that move have been been skeptical, calling into question Wood’s lack of football-related experience and his close relationship with the Ford family. However, Kyle Meinke of MLive.com argues that while Wood’s hiring may not be a popular decision among Lions fans, that doesn’t mean it’ll be a bad move.

Here’s more from around the NFC North:

  • Bears running back Jeremy Langford has looked good in an increased role with Matt Forte injured in recent weeks, raising more questions about Forte’s future in Chicago beyond 2015, as Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune writes. While Forte says he’s willing to share the load in the Bears’ backfield, he acknowledges that there’s no guarantee he’ll still be with the team in 2016. “Chicago is kind of like that: ‘Well, see ya later, Matt,'” Forte said, referring to some narratives from the local media. “I’m like, ‘Man, I’ve been here going on eight years, y’all just going to throw me to the side like that?’ But that’s the nature of the NFL. And I don’t mind. I will play wherever I end up.”
  • Packers defensive lineman Christian Ringo is on the team’s practice squad, but as of last week, he’s earning active-roster money, tweets Field Yates of ESPN.com. According to Yates, Ringo is one of several practice squad players around the NFL who is earning $25,588 per week, which is equivalent to the minimum salary for a rookie on the 53-man roster.
  • Bears quarterback Jay Cutler has no interest in revisiting his time in Denver as Chicago prepares to host the Broncos this week, per Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com. “It’s so far removed,” Cutler said. “Coaching staff has changed. The only player I can really think of that was on the team is maybe Ryan Clady. I don’t know if there’s anybody else on that team at this point.”

Lions Notes: Wood, GM Search, Ownership

November 20th, 2015 at 8:56am CST by Luke Adams

Speaking today to WJR-AM in Detroit, new Lions president Rod Wood confirmed that he will “probably” not be involved with the team’s personnel decisions going forward. However, he’ll be involved in managing the salary cap and other financial decisions that affect the franchise, as Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press writes.

The football and personnel decisions figure to be handled by the new general manager, and Wood said today that the Lions are “just embarking upon the next steps of that [GM search].” According to Birkett, many league observers believe the club will likely hire a young GM who is one of the candidates formally identified by the NFL. We heard yesterday about a few executives Detroit may be considering.

Here’s more out of Detroit:

  • The top candidates for the Lions’ GM job will have questions that need to be answered about the ownership structure and succession plan for the franchise, Birkett notes (via Twitter). However, Wood’s presence doesn’t make the job any less appealing. Birkett suggests that Lions ownership ought to hire someone from the NFL’s GM advisory board as a consultant to help conduct the search and to sit in on interviews with candidates (Twitter link).
  • The hiring of Wood, just two weeks after owner Martha Ford promised to conduct “a national serach for the best leadership to manage our team going forward,” doesn’t sit right with Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press, who says Wood’s main qualification for the position is that he has earned the Fords’ trust.
  • As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk outlines, the fact that Wood said he “probably” won’t be involved in personnel decisions, rather than dismissing the idea outright, may be a cause for concern. Florio also points out that if Sheila Ford Hamp were to be next in line to take over the franchise, Wood could end up acting as a surrogate owner for a while, since he’s a “close confidante” of Hamp.
  • Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com provides five things to know about the Lions’ new president.

Latest On Lions’ GM Search

November 19th, 2015 at 8:07pm CST by Zachary Links

The Lions announced on Thursday that they’ve established an advisory board to lead the search for a new general manager, while continuing to consult with the league’s career development advisory panel. That panel has met twice already and will meet twice more before the end of the season, but Tom Pelissero of USA Today has already learned the identities of five of the leading candidates.

According to Pelissero, some of the early frontrunners are Chiefs director of football operations Chris Ballard, Ravens assistant GM Eric DeCosta, Vikings assistant GM George Paton, Jaguars director of player personnel Chris Polian, and Packers director of player personnel Eliot Wolf. All five executives have been linked to the job in one fashion or another, though many have speculated that the Lions will not be able to lure Wolf away from Green Bay, where he is thought to be the heir apparent to the GM job. Ballard and DeCosta, two highly-respected NFL execs, were on last year’s list cultivated by the panel. The Jets used the panel last year to make their hire of Mike Maccagnan, who was then the Texans’ director of college scouting.

On Thursday afternoon, the Lions hired Rod Wood as the team’s new president, taking over the position previously held by Tom Lewand. Wood, of course, will be an integral part of the team’s advisory board to find its next GM. That group also includes owner Martha Firestone Ford and the team’s board of directors and vice chairmen, all of whom are members of the Ford family.

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