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Detroit Lions News & Rumors

Minor Moves: Saturday

October 25th, 2014 at 4:07pm CST by Ben Levine

Here are today’s minor transactions, with the latest updates at the top of the list:

  • The Raiders are set to activate cornerback D.J. Hayden, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The No. 12 overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, Hayden played in eight games as a rookie and started two. The club has filled their other remaining vacancy by signing defensive end Denico Autry to the active roster, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.
  • The Rams placed Brandon McGee on the injured reserve with a foot injury while replacing him with Jemea Thomas from the practice squad, tweets Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. McGee hasn’t played since Week 2.
  • The Dolphins announced (on Twitter) that they have waived wide receiver Damian Williams to make space for Jordan.
  • The Dolphins are moving defensive end Dion Jordan to the active roster today, tweets Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. There’s no word yet on a corresponding move, but they’ll have to cut someone to make space. Jordan was recently reinstated from his six-game suspension.
  • The Cardinals signed wide receiver Solomon Patton to their practice squad while cutting fellow WR Jalen Saunders, tweets Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com.
  • The Ravens waived tight end Ryan Taylor and promoted fellow tight end Phillip Supernaw from the practice squad, tweets Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com.
  • The Lions announced that they have suspended defensive tackle C.J. Mosley for two weeks for conduct detrimental to the team and subsquently sent him home from London earlier today. To fill his spot, Detroit has signed safety Jerome Couplin from the practice squad, according to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (on Twitter).
  • In addition to center Daniel Kilgore, the 49ers have also placed cornerback Chris Cook on the injured reserve. The team has signed safety Bubba Ventrone to fill one of the two roster spots.
  • The Jaguars have cut wide receiver Tavarres King and signed cornerback Peyton Thompson, tweets Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union. The writer adds that the move was made as insurance in case injured cornerback Dwayne Gratz can’t play this weekend.
  • Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot tweets that center Nick McDonald was activated from the Browns‘ non-football injury list. To make room on the roster, the team waived tight end Gerell Robinson.

NFC North Links: Johnson, Jennings, Kalil

October 25th, 2014 at 8:59am CST by Ben Levine

Former Bears return man Devin Hester has lit up NFC North opponents throughout his career. Lions coach Jim Caldwell has witnessed the game-changing abilities the veteran possesses, and he believes the current Falcons speedster deserves a spot in Canton. Via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press…

“He’s made it an art form and cut a niche in there like no one else has in the game, I think,” Caldwell said. “There’s been some great returners in this game, there’s no question about that. Deion Sanders was one that was one of those guys that was dangerous, in that regard. This guy is equally so, and I think he will be one of the first guys to ever sort of carve that niche out.

“Anytime (Hester) gets the ball in his hand, obviously, he’s a threat to go all the way. A very difficult guy to handle. We’ve faced some very good ones prior to this weekend, and he’s no exception. He’s probably going into the Hall of Fame, so he’s a cut above, maybe, the rest.”

Lions punter Sam Martin echoes his coach’s sentiment.

“He’s undoubtedly the best to ever do it, so that’s definitely something you consider,” Martin said. “But just like I’ve said about every other guy we’ve faced, they’re all dangerous and you don’t want to give any of them an easy return … on kickoffs or punts. Our coverage teams are going to do what they do, and I’m going to try limiting his touches as much as possible. Hit high balls and, hopefully, we shut them down.”

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

Lions Unlikely To Make Trade At Deadline

October 23rd, 2014 at 11:07am CST by Luke Adams

Defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh has been the subject of some trade speculation this year, but general manager Martin Mayhew doesn’t anticipate moving the star defender, or anyone else for that matter, as he told reporters today in London, including Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (Twitter link). With Tuesday’s deadline just five days away, the Lions don’t expect to be active, according to Mayhew.

“We kind of talk to everybody around the league, getting calls from different teams and things like that,” Mayhew said, per Mike O’Hara of DetroitLions.com. “I don’t anticipate us making any moves at the trade deadline.”

The Lions are one of the NFL’s pleasant surprises so far, having jumped out to a 5-2 record and a share of the NFC North lead, despite kicking issues that cost the team at least one win. For a team with playoff – and even Super Bowl – aspirations, a modest addition or two could help solidify the roster, but Mayhew indicated he’s confident in the club’s current makeup.

“There’s no magic formula, schemes. There’s no magic trade I’m going to do that all of a sudden is going to bring some guy in here and we’re going to start winning,” the GM said. “It’s about how far our players are going to take us. I think they understand it.”

Practice Squad Updates: Wednesday

October 22nd, 2014 at 1:57pm CST by Luke Adams

We’ll keep tabs on Wednesday’s practice squad signings and cuts right here, as teams look to fill out their units and make sure they have insurance for positions hit hard by injuries. Here’s the latest:

  • The Saints have filled the 10th and final opening on their practice squad by re-signing linebacker Todd Davis, who was waived earlier this week, tweets Mike Triplett of ESPN.com.

Earlier updates:

  • Despite being in London for the week, the Lions have made a change to their practice squad, signing safety Jerome Couplin, per Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (Twitter links). The unlucky roster casualty is running back William Powell, who will have to return stateside.
  • After being cut by the team and clearing waivers, defensive lineman Jacobbi McDaniel has returned to the Browns‘ practice squad, according to Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal, who tweets that the club has also added wide receiver L’Damian Washington.
  • As anticipated, linebacker Shaquil Barrett has officially re-signed with the Broncos‘ practice squad, tweets Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com.

North Notes: Rice, McPhee, Vikings, Lions

October 21st, 2014 at 2:46pm CST by Luke Adams

A date has been set for Ray Rice‘s appeal hearing, which will get underway on November 5 and conclude the following day, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. The investigations being conducted by Robert Mueller and the NFLPA into the league’s and the Ravens‘ handling of the Rice incident almost certainly won’t have concluded in time for the hearing. Still, Rice’s camp is expected to argue that the running back was punished twice for the same infraction, and that the league’s decision to increase Rice’s punishment was based on a video that was edited by TMZ.

Here’s more from around the NFL’s two North divisions:

  • Ravens defender Pernell McPhee may be in the process of pricing himself out of the team’s plans beyond this season, says Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun. Although Zrebiec expects the Ravens to try to bring McPhee back when his contract expires, he figures the 25-year-old will have plenty of suitors.
  • Free agent cornerback DeMarcus Van Dyke, who auditioned for the Dolphins earlier this week, worked out for the Vikings today, according to Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter).
  • Lions head coach Jim Caldwell didn’t shoot down the idea that the team might be interested in Australian rugby star Jarryd Hayne, but was noncommittal when asked about the possibility. “Obviously, there are a lot of good athletes around this country, and there are a bunch of them playing other sports,” Caldwell said, per The Detroit Free Press. “Basketball, baseball, rugby, which is similar to our sport, and there is a lot of carryover. So, we’ll see.”

Lions Sign Kellen Davis

October 20th, 2014 at 1:01pm CST by Luke Adams

With their top three tight ends all dealing with injuries to some degree, the Lions have added another one to their roster, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, who reports (via Twitter) that the club has signed Kellen Davis. Per Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (Twitter link), safety Jerome Couplin has been waived to make room for Davis, while the Lions have also signed wideout Ifeanyi Momah to their practice squad.

Davis, who turned 29 earlier this month, has grabbed 50 balls for 561 yards and 12 touchdowns during his six-year NFL career. Although he won a Super Bowl with the Seahawks last year, most of Davis’ career has been spent in Chicago, with a Bears team that drafted him in the fifth round in 2008.

Eric Ebron and Joseph Fauria were both inactive for Detroit’s Week 7 game against the Saints, forcing Brandon Pettigrew into a larger role and prompting the team to promote Jordan Thompson from the practice squad. The signing of Davis gives the Lions five tight ends on their active roster for now.

NFC Notes: Bears, Bucs, Lions, Kuechly

October 19th, 2014 at 5:10pm CST by Dallas Robinson

We’re witnessing a good afternoon game in the NFC, as the Giants and Cowboys are tied 14-14 early in the third quarter. Let’s take a look at some notes from around the NFC:

  • Unhappy with his team’s effort today against the Dolphins, Brandon Marshall called out several of his Bears teammates in the locker room following the contest, a source tells Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com. Quarterback Jay Cutler and kicker Robbie Gould were reportedly the targets of Marshall’s criticism. “We lost, there should be a lot of frustration,” Marshall told reporters. “You should hear frustration. We’re 3-4. Yeah, this means everything to a lot of guys in this locker room. This means a lot.”
  • The Buccaneers were among the most active teams during free agency, but as of yet, the team hasn’t gotten much production from its investments, writes Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. Tampa brought in Michael Johnson, Josh McCown, and Anthony Collins, among others, and the poor performance of those acquisitions have contributed to the team’s 1-5 record.
  • Second-year linebacker Jonathan Bostic might be auditioning to take over the weak side for the Bears in 2015, according to Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times. Bostic has mostly played in the middle and on the strong side, but with Lance Briggs‘ contract expiring after this season, Bostic might be a better fit at the “Will” spot. For his part, Briggs is still out of action with a rib injury.
  • Sunday’s win over Saints was a personal victory for Lions general manager Martin Mayhew, opines Josh Katzenstein of the Detroit News (Twitter link). Mayhew’s top two free agent acquisitions over the past two offseasons, Glover Quin and Golden Tate, each had a big impact against New Orleans. Quin registered five tackles and an interception, while Tate caught 10 balls for 154 yards and one touchdown.
  • Luke Kuechly was ejected from the Panthers‘ game against the Packers for making contact with an official, and although he’s likely to be fined, he won’t be suspended, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter).

Minor Moves: Saturday

October 18th, 2014 at 6:26pm CST by Ben Levine

Here are Saturday’s minor transactions from around the NFL, with recent updates added to the top of the list:

  • Defensive back Lowell Rose has been promoted to the Dolphins‘ 53-man roster, replacing defensive tackle Deandre Coleman, who was waived, the team announced today (Twitter link). Chris Perkins of the South Florida Sun Sentinel notes (via Twitter) that the return of defensive lineman Derrick Shelby and a hamstring injury to safety Jimmy Wilson likely spelled doom for Coleman.
  • The Saints have released tight end Tom Crabtree and promoted linebacker Todd Davis to the active roster, according to the team’s official Twitter page.
  • The Lions have placed linebacker Travis Lewis on the IR and promoted tight end Jordan Thompson from the practice squad to the active roster, reports Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (via Twitter).

Earlier updates:

  • The Redskins have activated Stephen Bowen off the PUP list, reports Chris Russell of ESPN Radio 980 in Washington D.C. The team has placed linebacker Akeem Jordan on IR to make room, reports Adam Caplan of ESPN (via Twitter).
  • The Ravens have added safety Will Hill to the 53-man roster, and placed defensive tackle Christo Bilukidi on IR to make room, reports Jamison Hensley of ESPN.
  • The Seahawks activated tight end RaShaun Allen off the practice squad, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). They also promoted safety Steven Terrell off the practice squad, and placed Cassius Marsh on IR to make room, reports Brian McIntyre of NFL.com (via Twitter).
  • The Panthers have waived safety Robert Lester and promoted linebacker Adarius Glanton from the practice squad, tweets ESPN.com’s David Newton. Lester, a former standout at Alabama, had 21 tackles in 12 appearances last season.
  • The Browns have signed defensive lineman Jacobbi McDaniel from their practice squad and have waived tight end Gerell Robinson, tweets Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal. Robinson has bounced around the league since going undrafted in 2012. He played in his first career game against the Saints in Week 2.
  • The Titans have signed tight end Brett Brackett from the practice squad, tweets Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean. Brackett will replace injured tight end Craig Stevens, who was placed on the injured reserve.
  • The Cowboys have signed linebacker Keith Smith from the practice squad, tweets Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com. To make room, the team released their seventh-round pick in the 2014 draft, defensive tackle Ken Bishop. Archer notes in a following tweet that he expects Bishop to return if he clear waivers.

 

NFC Notes: Lions, Cowboys, Panthers, Seahawks

October 18th, 2014 at 10:53am CST by Ben Levine

As Reggie Bush prepares for his reunion with the Saints this weekend, the former No. 2 overall pick reflected on his entrance and exit from New Orleans.

The current Lions running back was ushered into the business side of the league very quickly, as he was blindsided by not going first overall. Via ESPN.com’s Michael Rothstein…

“I was preparing to go to Houston, and we found out the same way everybody else found out, on SportsCenter,” Bush said. “That was that. That was my first real introduction to the business side of football. I got an introduction really quick.”

Following five up-and-down seasons with the Saints, the two sides parted ways following the 2010 season. The 29-year-old said there is not bitterness or hard feelings over the “mutual decision.”

“It was nothing that was unexpected,” Bush said. “I don’t have any bitterness toward the team or anybody. It’s part of the business side, the business side of our sport.

“Sometimes it can be ugly, but at the end of the day we all sign on the dotted line and we understand how it works.”

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

  • Rothstein opines that if the Lions don’t keep Ndamukong Suh, they could very well re-sign DeAndre Levy and Nick Fairley. While Levy’s contract doesn’t expire until 2015, the team could still theoretically try to lock him up. Rothstein also questions whether the team would actually extend Fairley following one productive season.
  • In addition to Dez Bryant and DeMarco Murray, Cowboys linebacker Rolando McClain will also be in line for a payday this offseason, but an extension isn’t on his mind. “We haven’t talked about it and I’m not worried about it,” McClain told ESPN.com’s Todd Archer. “I’m getting ready for the Giants…I’m just happy to be with the Dallas Cowboys. I’m happy with our success so far. I’m having fun with my teammates. Having a good time, gelling together and playing some good ball right now.”
  • At this point in time, the Panthers have no reason to trade for a cornerback, writes ESPN.com’s David Newton. The team still believes in Antoine Cason and Melvin White, as well as former fifth-round pick Josh Norman.
  • Newton writes that there would be little incentive for the Panthers to cut Greg Hardy since the team would still owe him more than $13MM.
  • Seahawks rookie Cassius Marsh broke his foot in practice this week and is expected to have surgery on Monday, tweets NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. While Rapoport estimates the defensive end will miss four or five weeks, Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times says a six-to-eight week absence is more likely (via Twitter).

North Notes: Hoyer, Rice, Lions, Packers

October 16th, 2014 at 8:31pm CST by Zachary Links

No team in the league has gotten more production out of less talent than this year’s Browns, writes Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Starting quarterback Brian Hoyer, who continues to delay the full-time arrival of Johnny Manziel, was an undrafted free agent. Backup running back Isaiah Corwell was also a UDFA and the same goes for the team’s three top wide receivers Andrew Hawkins, Miles Austin, and Taylor Gabriel. The Browns will look to go to 4-2 when they take on the Jaguars on Sunday. More from the North divisions..

  • A source tells Rob Maaddi of The Associated Press that a neutral arbiter is expected to make a decision early next week on whether Roger Goodell should testify in the Ray Rice case. The NFLPA, of course, is going to bat for the former Ravens running back on his indefinite suspension.
  • The Lions tried out tight ends Kellen Davis and Richard Gordon today, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter, via Michael Rothstein). Detroit worked out a number of players on Tuesday, but none at the tight end position.
  • The Packers had former Mississippi State safety Nickoe Whitley in for a visit, but he didn’t work out for them, tweets Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. Whitley signed with the Browns this year after going undrafted. The Packers were among the teams who scoped out Whitley at his school’s pro day, so they have some level of familiarity with him.
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