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Detroit Lions News & Rumors

Glover Quin, Lions Restructure Contract

May 13th, 2015 at 8:16am CST by Luke Adams

After restructuring his contract to provide some flexibility for the Lions last September, safety Glover Quin has tweaked his deal again, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com. The move will create some additional breathing room for Detroit, allowing the team to work toward signing the rest of its rookie class.

As Yates details, it’s a simple restructure for Quin, which means he’s simply converting a portion of his base salary into a signing bonus. By reducing his base salary for 2015 from $4MM to the minimum ($745K), and turning that $3.255MM into a signing bonus, Quin will have only a third of that bonus count toward ’15, with the rest being prorated for the 2016 and 2017 seasons.

In total, the restructure will create $2.17MM in immediate cap savings for the Lions, while increasing Quin’s cap numbers in 2016 and 2017 by an extra $1.085MM per year. The team may eventually have to adjust the 29-year-old’s contract again, since those ’16 and ’17 cap hits now exceed $7.5MM, but for now, it’s a move that benefits a Lions club that had the least amount of cap room in the NFL heading into today, according to Over the Cap‘s data.

Minor Moves: Tuesday Night

May 12th, 2015 at 7:56pm CST by Zachary Links

We rounded up some minor transactions earlier today, and we have a new group here for Tuesday night..

  • The Patriots have signed linebacker Dekoda Watson, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (on Twitter). Watson was let go by the Cowboys just days ago. Watson has spent time with the Bucs, Jaguars, and Cowboys over the course of his career and played in 70 games.
  • The Broncos claimed receiver/return man Solomon Patton off waivers from the Bucs, Troy Renck of The Denver Post tweets. The Broncos also claimed Jags tight end Marcel Jensen earlier today.
  • The Lions released UDFA running back Rasheed Williams, Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com tweets.
  • The Seahawks signed linebacker Tyrell Adams and fullback Brandon Cottom, according to Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times (on Twitter). To make room, Seattle waived lineman Nate Isles and terminated the contract of lineman C.J. Davis. Adams and Cottom were each tryout players at Seahawks’ rookie mini-camp over the weekend.
  • Safety Thomas Gordon, waived by the Giants yesterday, cleared waivers and is now on their reserve/injured list, Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News tweets.
  • Wide receiver Austin Hill, who did not pass a physical to sign with Seahawks, was signed today by the Raiders, according to Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times (on Twitter). To make room, the Raiders waived fellow wide receiver Milton Williams, a Delaware State product, as Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com tweets.

North Notes: Johnson, Lions, Suh

May 12th, 2015 at 6:20pm CST by Zachary Links

New Browns offensive coordinator John DeFilippo is signing the praises of offseason pickup Josh McCown, but it’s a rite of spring at this point for a Cleveland OC to speak highly of his QB, Bud Shaw of the Northeast Ohio Media Group writes. Shaw contrasted Kyle Shanahan‘s comments on Johnny Manziel last year with DeFilippo’s comments on McCown this year and the two read pretty similarly. Of course, we know how things turned out with Manziel in 2014. Here’s more from the AFC and NFC North..

  • UDFA safety Isaiah Johnson chose to sign with the Lions because of the chance that he could fill the void if James Ihedigbo doesn’t work out his contract dispute, Kyle Meinke of MLive.com writes. “(That) was in there a little bit,” Johnson said of his reasoning for picking Detroit. “Just looking at the opportunity. Everyone knows we’re coming in and trying to fight for theirs, and it’s just the game of football. It’s a business now. So I got to be a business.” Of course, it also doesn’t hurt that Johnson reportedly got a $12K signing bonus from the Lions, the highest sum of any UDFA on the team. Detroit must be high on the youngster, because that’s the same kind of financial commitment they made to LaAdrian Waddle, Cornelius Lucas and Joseph Fauria the last two years and all three of those players remain on the roster.
  • After losing defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh, Nick Fairley, and C.J. Mosley this offseason, the folks at Football Outsiders (ESPN Insider sub. req’d) are projecting that the Lions will finish with a 7-9 record for this year. Of course, it also doesn’t help that Detroit has one of the toughest schedules in the league this season.
  • The Ravens will likely go with two quarterbacks – Joe Flacco and Matt Schaub – on the 53-man roster, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com writes. After the release of Keith Wenning, Bryn Renner has the edge over undrafted rookie Jerry Lovelocke to get the No. 3 spot and go on the practice squad.

Minor Moves: Tuesday

May 12th, 2015 at 12:50pm CST by Luke Adams

We’ll use this space to round up Tuesday’s minor transactions from around the NFL, with the latest moves added to the top of the list throughout the day….

  • The Ravens have waived quarterback Keith Wenning, tight end Phillip Supernaw, and outside linebacker Darius Allen, the team announced today in a press release. Wenning, a sixth-round pick in 2014, became expendable when Baltimore signed Matt Schaub to be Joe Flacco‘s backup. Meanwhile, the Ravens added three players to their roster, signing undrafted rookies Leon Brown (G), Daniel Brown (WR), and Andrew Bose (ILB).
  • The Seahawks announced that they have signed Seahawks have signed defensive end Julius Warmsley and guard Kona Schwenke. Both players tried out for Seattle during the team’s rookie minicamp this past weekend. Schwenke, a Notre Dame product, signed as a UDFA around this time last year with the Chiefs and also saw time with the Pats, Jets, and Raiders.
  • The Lions are signing former Wayne State running back Desmond Martin, who participated in the club’s rookie minicamp, reports Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (via Twitter).
  • In addition to confirming the previously reported signings of tight end Will Tye and defensive tackle Carlif Taylor, the Giants also announced deals for running back Kenneth Harper and wide receiver Ben Edwards.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Lions To Sign Lance Moore

May 12th, 2015 at 12:12pm CST by Luke Adams

The Lions have added a veteran wide receiver to their roster, agreeing to terms on with former Saint and Steeler Lance Moore, writes Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com. Moore’s deal with the Lions will be for one year, and while financial terms weren’t disclosed, I’d be surprised if it’s worth much more than the minimum after the wideout’s down year in 2014.

Moore, 31, caught just 14 balls for the Steelers last year, matching his lowest total since his rookie season. While Moore was never the focal point of New Orleans’ pass game, he had three seasons of 65+ receptions with the Saints, but saw his usage decline significantly in Pittsburgh. With Antonio Brown, Martavis Bryant, and Markus Wheaton all ahead of him on the team’s depth chart, Moore played just 264 offensive snaps in 2014.

The veteran wideout hinted at season’s end that he’d like to join a club that would give him more playing time, and a report suggested he was seeking his release from the Steelers, despite having signed a two-year deal with the team last spring. Pittsburgh granted that request in early March.

Calvin Johnson and Golden Tate are firmly cemented at the top of the wide receiver depth chart in Detroit, but Moore should have an opportunity to compete for snaps and targets with players like Corey Fuller, Jeremy Ross, and Ryan Broyles.

North Notes: Ravens, Wootton, Manziel

May 11th, 2015 at 10:05pm CST by Zachary Links

By signing wide receiver Breshad Perriman on Monday, the Ravens set a new mark for the earliest that they have ever inked a first-round draft choice, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com tweets. It’s no surprise that the Ravens got a deal done quickly with the UCF speedster and that’s partially because of how easy the current CBA has made signing rookies. Here’s a quick look at the AFC and NFC North..

  • The Lions worked out defensive lineman Corey Wootton today, a source tells Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun (on Twitter). The veteran tried out for the Jaguars and Titans earlier in the offseason and visited with the Saints in April.
  • Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (on Twitter) believes that cornerback Kyle Arrington makes a lot of sense for the Ravens. Arrington, who signed a four-year, $16MM contract with the Patriots in 2013, was let go by the Patriots earlier today.
  • If the Browns see anything worthwhile out of Johnny Manziel they should slot him in as the starter, Pat McManamon of ESPN.com writes. He reasons that the Browns need to find out where they stand with Manziel in 2015 rather than stagnate with Josh McCown.

Minor Moves: Monday

May 11th, 2015 at 3:12pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Here are Monday’s minor transactions from around the NFL, with the latest minor moves added to the top of the list throughout the day:

  • The Lions signed three tryout players – safety Nathan Lindsey and receivers Erik Lora and Jarred Haggins – and released wideout Desmond Lawrence, Tim Twentyman of the team’s website writes.
  • Washington has signed undrafted receiver Quinton Dunbar, formerly of Florida, tweets Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington.com.
  • The Dolphins signed one tight end – Tim Semisch, undrafted out of Northern Illinois – and released another in Ryan Taylor, writes Mike Wilkening of Pro Football Talk. Taylor, a Packers seventh-round pick in 2011, has eight career catches.
  • The Cardinals have signed three tryout players – a quarterback (Phillip Sims) and two safeties (Brandon Person and Harold Jones-Quartey) – per their official website. To make room, they released tackle Kelvin Palmer, wide receiver Travis Harvey, and cornerback Ross Weaver.
  • The Bears signed quarterback Pat Devlin, defensive tackle Terry Williams, and linebacker Kyle Woestmann, tweets Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune. They also waived linebacker Khaseem Greene and cut fellow LB Austen Lane.
  • The Buccaneers have cut safety Shelton Johnson, wide receivers Chandler Jones and Josh Reese, offensive lineman Matt Patchan, and linebacker Michael Reynolds (Twitter: Roy Cummings, Tampa Tribune).
  • The Packers will release defensive lineman Luther Robinson, according to Bill Huber of Packer Report. Robinson appeared in five games last year.
  • The Bills signed undrafted free agent safety Wes Miller, formerly of UTEP, according to Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News (Twitter link).
  • The Raiders signed ex-Auburn running back Michael Dyer, who tried out for them over the weekend, tweets Richard Davenport of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (Twitter link). They also signed Emporia state wideout Austin Willis, the player told Rick Peterson Jr. of the Topeka Capital-Journal. Additionally, running back Terrance Cobb wrote on Instagram that the team released him.
  • The Vikings waived wide receiver Kain Colter and guard Jesse Somsel, writes Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune. Colter was on the Vikings’ practice squad last year, while they recently signed Somsel as an undrafted free agent.
  • The Giants released three players – running back Chris Ogbonnaya, linebacker James Davidson, and defensive back Thomas Gordon – according to ESPN’s Dan Graziano (Twitter link).
  • The Buccaneers signed linebacker Jared Koster, who tried out at their rookie minicamp, tweets Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune.
  • The Steelers signed tryout players Cameron Stingily (running back) and Mike Thornton (defensive line) to their 90-man roster, reports Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (Twitter link). To make room, they cut punter Richie Leone, defensive tackle Nigel Crawford-Kinney, defensive end Brandon Prate, long snapper Brandon Hartson, wide receiver Brelan Chancellor, and guard Collin Rahrig (Twitter).
  • The Broncos waived guard Jon Halapio, whom they signed to their practice squad last December, tweets Mike Klis of 9News. Additionally, the team waived wide receiver Matt Miller after signing him as an undrafted free agent earlier this month (Twitter link via Troy Renck of the Denver Post).
  • The Buccaneers have signed three tryout players from rookie camp, tweets Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune. The team agreed to deals with wide receivers Donteea Dye and Adam Humphries and offensive tackle Edawn Coughman.
  • Offensive tackle Antonio Richardson, whom the Vikings waived last week, has retired because of knee issues, per Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press. Richardson signed with the Vikings last year as an undrafted free agent from Tennessee and saw some action in the preseason.
  • The Panthers have cut defensive tackle Darious Cummings, reports ESPN’s Joe Person (via Twitter). Cummings signed with the Panthers last week as an undrafted free agent from Florida.
  • The Buccaneers will cut return man Solomon Patton today, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Patton, who went undrafted out of Florida last year, appeared in seven games for the Bucs as a rookie. He has had two stints with Tampa and one with the Cardinals during his short career.
  • Former Wisconsin offensive lineman Andy Phillips signed with the Packers, the player tweeted. Phillips earned a spot with the Pack after impressing team brass as a tryout player at rookie minicamp over the weekend.

Extra Points: Bears, Saints, Titans, Lions

May 10th, 2015 at 9:55pm CST by Dallas Robinson

After firing their college scouting director and a top scout last week, the Bears have also parted ways with associate director of player personnel Dwayne Joseph, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. Joseph was actually offered a promotion (to director of player personnel), per Biggs, but turned it down to explore other opportunities.

Here’s more from around the league…

  • The Saints’ selection of tackle Andrus Peat in the first round and quarterback Garrett Grayson in the third show that GM Mickey Loomis and head coach Sean Payton aren’t simply in win-now mode, writes Mike Triplett of ESPN.com. The Grayson pick, specifically, conveys that the club’s decision-makers are planning for the long haul (and the eventual exit of Drew Brees) instead of going all-in on 2015.
  • Zack Moore of Over the Cap singles out some of the biggest cap sins in the NFL in 2014, pointing to Ndamukong Suh (who took up 16.85% of the Lions’ cap) on the individual player side, and to the Falcons, Cowboys, and Saints as clubs who were unrestrained with their caps.
  • Running back Shonn Greene will head to camp with the Titans, but he probably won’t make the 53-man roster, opines Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com in his latest mailbag.
  • Lions head coach Jim Caldwell is both open-minded and excited about what undrafted free agents have to offer, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press explains.
  • Former Alabama quarterback Blake Sims attended the Packers recent minicamp on a tryout basis, but Green Bay won’t be signing him, according to Rob Demovksky of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Instead, Sims will attend Washington‘s rookie camp, albeit as a running back.

Minor Moves: Sunday

May 10th, 2015 at 8:38pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves…

  • Former Alabama and Winston-Salem State quarterback Phillip Sims has agreed to a deal with the Cardinals after he participated in the club’s rookie tryout, according to Matt Zenitz of the Alabama Media Group (Twitter link).
  • After working out with the Raiders over the weekend, Emporia State receiver Austin Willis has signed a contract with the team, tweets Herbie Teope of ChiefsDigest.com. Emporia State, a Division II school located in Kansas, also produced former Cowboy Leon Lett.

Earlier updates:

  • After holding their rookie minicamp this weekend, the Lions have decided to offer three players contracts, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (all Twitter links). Safety Nathan Lindsey (Fort Hays State), receiver Erik Lora (Eastern Illinois), and receiver Jarred Haggins (Florida State) all scored deals with Detroit.
  • The Colts have signed running back Abou Toure, reports Stephen Holder of the Indy Star (via Twitter). The Tennessee-Martin (and Utah State) product had previously been signed to a tryout contract. As a senior, Toure ran for 1,160 yards and eight touchdowns.
  • The Colts have also waived outside linebacker Terrell Hartsfield, reports Holder. The rookie was signed as an undrafted free agent last week. The former Cincinnati Bearcat compiled nine sacks and 12 tackles for loss last season.
  • The Giants have signed running back Kenny Harper, according to Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News (via Twitter). The Temple product ran for 1,113 yards and 17 touchdowns on 269 attempts during his four-year career.
  • The Falcons offered a contract to offensive tackle Matt Huffer, Wilson reports (via Twitter). The former South Dakota Coyote tried out for Atlanta last week.

NFC Notes: Lions, Giants, Panthers

May 9th, 2015 at 8:54am CST by Ben Levine

Lions safety James Ihedigbo is seeking a new contract, and the 31-year-old will not be attending his team’s voluntary workouts as he presumably negotiates a new deal.

While Ihedigbo isn’t breaking any rules by not attending, that doesn’t mean he isn’t drawing the ire of his coach. On Friday, Jim Caldwell talked to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press about his desire to have a full team at workouts.

“What I try to do is to make certain that they understand that, in our business, it’s unique. They have things that they have to look at from their vantage point, what they think is best. My business is to make certain we’ve got the best team we possibly can. So my interest is getting him here, and getting him here pronto, right?

“I’d like to have every guy here. But the fact of the matter is it doesn’t always happen that way. Guys got to look at things. He’s been around long enough and make his own determination and make his own decisions in that regard. But he’s not mandated to be here at this point in time, so we’ll see when he is mandated, what happens.”

Let’s take a look at some more notes out of the NFC…

  • Birkett wonders if undrafted rookie quarterback Anthony Boone could make the Lions roster. While the Duke product would have to leapfrog veterans Dan Orlovsky and Kellen Moore for the backup gig, one of his former coaches is confident he’ll make the leap. “Anthony’s real smart,” David Cutcliffe said. “He’s going to pick the system up quickly. And I told Anthony: Odds are, you’re probably a backup quarterback, which means you’ve got to be able to know the system and perform well without a lot of snaps, period. That’s the National Football League. And I think he’s capable of being that. I really, really do.”
  • After missing most of last season with an injured knee, Giants defensive back Bennett Jackson is looking forward to competing for a roster spot. It appears that his coaching staff appreciates the player’s versatility, as Newsday’s Tom Rock writes that the cornerback has been asked to play safety in 2015. “I didn’t ask any questions,” Jackson said. “I was all for it.”
  • Panthers second round pick Devin Funchess tweaked a hamstring and was carted off the field yesterday, reports ESPN.com’s David Newton (via Twitter). The severity of the injury is not yet known.
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