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Detroit Lions News & Rumors

Lions Sign Two Players, Cut Vaughn Martin

June 2nd, 2014 at 9:53am CST by Luke Adams

The Lions have maxed out their roster at 90 players by adding two and releasing one. According to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (via Twitter), edge defender Kalonji Kashama and wide receiver Cody Wilson will take the final two spots on the 90-man roster, while defensive lineman Vaughn Martin will be cut to make room.

Martin signed a two-year, $4MM deal with the Dolphins in March of 2013, but underwent surgery for a sports hernia and was released by the team early in the ’13 season. The 28-year-old, who previously spent four seasons with the Chargers, inked a minimum salary deal with the Lions earlier this offseason, but failed to last even until training camp. He’ll come away with the $65K bonus he earned at the time of his signing, as well as modest workout bonuses for his participation in the team’s offseason program.

As for Kashama and Wilson, both players are local products — Kashama played his college ball at Eastern Michigan, while Wilson attended Central Michigan. Both players figure to be long shots to earn spots on the team’s regular-season roster.

NFC Links: Panthers, Bucs, Lions, Packers

June 1st, 2014 at 7:57pm CST by Ben Levine

We’ve taken a look at rumors from the NFC West and NFC East this afternoon. Now let’s focus on some links from the North and South divisions…

Sunday Roundup: AFC North, Broncos, Lions

June 1st, 2014 at 12:50pm CST by Rory Parks

Let’s have a look at some notes from around the league as we head into the afternoon of this ever-important June 1:

  • Greg Gabriel of the National Football Post identifies a few second-year players in the AFC North that might break out in 2014.
  • Matt Zenitz of the Carroll County Times identifies a few free agents the Ravens could target to address their biggest needs, right tackle and cornerback.
  • Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review writes that the Steelers are working hard to reestablish their identity has a running team, and Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette similarly notes that LeGarrette Blount hopes to provide a strong complement to Le’Veon Bell.
  • In his weekly mailbag, Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com notes that although Browns coaches are excited about the potential of the team’s offensive line, they are reserving judgment until they see how the unit adapts to offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan‘s zone-blocking scheme.
  • Mike Klis of the Denver Post notes that the Broncos are currently carrying seven running backs on their roster, none of whom have a regular season start. Klis believes the team should not go after one of the remaining veteran free agents–Felix Jones, Michael Bush, and Ronnie Brown, for instance–to take reps away from Denver’s stable of young-but-intriguing RBs, but he concedes that it will be a tough call.
  • In a separate piece, Klis writes that Broncos‘ QB Peyton Manning intends to play out his contract with Denver, which runs through 2016 (Manning will turn 40 in March of that year).
  • In two separate pieces, Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union discusses how a healthy Roy Miller will impact the Jaguars‘ defense and Gus Bradley’s creation of the “Otto” linebacker, who will replace the traditional “Sam” linebacker and serve as a “physical/athletic/versatile player who will be positioned along the line of scrimmage.” Dekoda Watson will enter the season as the team’s “Otto.”
  • Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle writes that second-year wideout DeAndre Hopkins surprisingly became one of the few holdovers from the Texans‘ tumultuous 2013 season, and he is essentially a rookie again in 2014. Smith notes, however, that Hopkins has prepared himself well for the challenge.
  • Kevin Meinke of MLive.com writes that Lions‘ defensive end Devin Taylor is an integral component of new defensive coordinator Teryl Austin‘s desire to bring pressure from all three levels of the defense, and, in a similar vein, Josh Katzenstein of the Detroit News writes that players believe aggressiveness will be a hallmark of the Lions’ defense in 2014.

NFC North Notes: Fairley, Packers, Bears

May 31st, 2014 at 11:23am CST by Matt Feminis

Pro Football Weekly’s 2011 scouting report of draft prospect Nick Fairley included notes such as “has underachiever tendencies” and “needs to be pushed and is not a self-starter.” Three years after the Lions drafted him 13th overall, motivation is still an issue for Fairley, who is entering the final season of his rookie contract because the team declined his fifth-year option. Why? “The Lions had grown weary of Fairley’s fluctuating weight and inconsistent play and saw this as a last chance to motivate their talented defensive tackle who’s shown far too few flashes of brilliance on the field,” according to the Detroit Free Press’ Dave Birkett. In response, Fairly has trimmed down approximately 25 pounds in an effort to have a strong season and increase his value on the open market.

Here’s some more news and notes from around the NFC North division, starting with another prominent defensive tackle:

  • Packers defensive lineman B.J. Raji accepted a one-year, “prove it” deal to return to Green Bay, in part, because he will return to his more natural nose tackle position, says Tyler Dunne in the Journal Sentinel.
  • The Packers appear to be transitioning versatile defensive back Micah Hyde to safety in an attempt to get their best personnel on the field, reports Lori Nickel of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
  • Colt Lyerla will be one of the most watched undrafted free agents in the league this summer because his physical ability and impact potential is legitimate. Though his checkered past means he’s on a perilously short leash in Green Bay, the team is making a concerted effort to foster mutual trust and an environment in which Lyerla can develop without distraction, writes Dunne.
  • Lance Briggs has the Bears’ weak-side linebacker job on lock, but the other two linebacker spots are question marks. ESPN’s Michael C. Wright thinks veteran D.J. Williams will man the middle with second-year flash player Jon Bostic will beat out Shea McClellin on the strong side.

Minor Moves: Browns, Ravens, Bengals, Bucs

May 30th, 2014 at 4:41pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are the latest minor transactions from around the NFL, including several signings and cuts of players who haven’t seen much recent NFL regular-season action:

  • The Browns have waived defensive back Julian Posey, the team announced today (via Twitter). Posey saw just 89 defensive snaps for Cleveland last season, with most of them coming in a Week 17 game against the Steelers, which he started.
  • The Ravens have signed undrafted free agent linebacker D.J. Roberts, who attended their rookie minicamp on a tryout basis, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. According to Wilson, the club cut quarterback Nick Stephens to clear a spot for Roberts, leaving three signal-callers on the roster — Joe Flacco, Tyrod Taylor, and Keith Wenning.
  • Defensive tackle Ogemdi Nwagbuo has been released by the Bengals with a non-football illness designation, the team announced today (Twitter link). The 28-year-old has also spent time with the Chargers, Panthers, and Lions.
  • The Buccaneers have signed cornerback Quinton Pointer and cut another corner, Marc Anthony, the club announced today in a press release. Pointer last played for the Rams but didn’t receive a qualifying offer from the team in March, making him an unrestricted free agent. Anthony, meanwhile, spent last season on Tampa Bay’s practice squad.
  • The Lions have cut defensive end Kourtnei Brown, according to Wilson (via Twitter). Brown was cut once by the Bills earlier in the offseason, at which point Detroit claimed him off waivers. If he clears waivers this time, he’ll become an unrestricted free agent.
  • Veteran defensive tackle Kentwan Balmer, who hasn’t appeared in a regular season game since 2011, was released and removed from the reserve/left team list by the Redskins, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com.

NFC North Notes: Finley, Neal, Packers, Lions

May 30th, 2014 at 1:20pm CST by Luke Adams

In a piece on the best remaining free agents, former Packers tight end Jermichael Finley tops the 10 players named by Alex Marvez of Fox Sports. Of course, as agent Blake Baratz tells Marvez, it’s not 100% certain that Finley will even return from his spinal injury and play in the NFL again. While we do expect the tight end to sign somewhere, he could file for the collection of a $10MM insurance policy if he opts not continue his playing career.

As we wait to see if the Packers express interest in bringing Finley back into the fold, here’s more from around the NFC North:

  • Linebacker Mike Neal re-signed with the Packers early in free agency, but Green Bay wasn’t the only team interested in him. Neal tells Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune that the Bears made him an offer, though he opted not sign with the Packers’ division rival. “In the long run, their offer, it wasn’t a bad deal,” Neal said of Chicago’s proposal. “The option for me to come back [to Green Bay] was better, in my opinion. I felt like this was a system that if I was kept in the same position, I could flourish in.” The Steelers also reportedly expressed interest in Neal before he re-upped with the Packers.
  • Although there are questions about how long Ted Thompson will continue on in his role as Green Bay’s general manager, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com says Packers fans should hope that Thompson still has plenty of years left on the job. One person close to Thompson recently told Demovsky that he doesn’t think the GM will leave anytime soon unless the Packers win another Super Bowl, and that speculation about his retirement “got him going.”
  • The Lions have promoted Rob Lohman to assistant director of pro personnel and expanded their scouting department, as Tim Twentyman details at DetroitLions.com.

NFC North Notes: Marshall, Lions, Packers

May 29th, 2014 at 9:22am CST by Luke Adams

Although Brandon Marshall‘s new extension with the Bears was originally reported as containing $22.3MM in guaranteed money, not all of that money is fully guaranteed, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Only Marshall’s $7.5MM signing bonus and $7.3MM base salary are fully guaranteed, whereas the other $7.5MM – his 2015 base salary – is guaranteed for injury only at this point. In total then, Marshall’s new deal contains $14.8MM in fully guaranteed money.

Here’s more from around the NFC North:

  • Following the team’s OTAs on Wednesday, the Lions hosted free agent defensive back Terrell Thomas for a visit, according to Josh Katzenstein of the Detroit News. Thomas, who also visited recently with the Patriots, posted solid numbers for the Giants in 588 defensive snaps last year, ranking 52nd out of 110 qualified cornerbacks, according to Pro Football Focus’ grades (subscription required). He also accumulated 67 tackles, an interception, and a forced fumble.
  • A contract extension for Ndamukong Suh would seem to be a win-win scenario for the defensive tackle and the Lions, since it would mean a payday for Suh and increased cap room for the team, which would allow Detroit to sign its top draft picks. The fact that a new deal hasn’t been struck yet has Drew Sharp of the Detroit Free Press questioning Suh’s “supposedly full-throated commitment to the Lions and doing whatever necessary to help them win.”
  • While the Packers may be rolling the dice by signing troubled tight end Colt Lyerla, the club did its due diligence before making the move, says Dan Pompei of Bleacher Report. According to Pompei, three Green Bay front office executives interviewed Lyerla in person, and GM Ted Thompson and head coach Mike McCarthy both spent time with the tight end at the team’s rookie minicamp.
  • Insider linebacker is the Packers‘ biggest remaining need, as Rob Demovsky writes at ESPN.com, citing Rivers McCown’s Insider-only piece.

Extra Points: Bucs, Lions, Boone, Chargers

May 27th, 2014 at 9:22pm CST by Zachary Links

What’s harder, learning an NFL offense or studying at Harvard? Buccaneers rookie tight end Cameron Brate gave Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times the answer. “This is definitely harder,” said Brate, comparing the playbook to his classes at Cambridge. “Once you get the base down, everything builds off of that in economics. One thing that Harvard helped me out with was teaching me how to learn efficiently.” More from around the NFL..

  • Free agent tight end Jermichael Finley will undergo testing with the Packers tomorrow, writes Tyler Dunne of the Journal Sentinel. This could be a sign that his spinal contusion has healed and that he’s closer to getting back on the field.
  • The Lions worked out defensive tackle Derek Landri today, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (Twitter link) Landri, 31 in September, signed a two year, $3.25MM contract with the Buccaneers in March 2013 and was released in February of this year.
  • The Bucs are discussing a long-term deal with All-Pro defensive tackle Gerald McCoy but that’s not exactly at the forefront of his mind. “That’s cool,” McCoy said, according to Matt Baker of the Tampa Bay Times. “That sounds good, but I’m not worried about that right now.” One of McCoy’s priorities for this offseason will be to get more familiar with the Tampa 2 defense that Lovie Smith has brought back to the franchise.
  • The 49ers‘ method of signing promising inexperienced backups to modest contract extensions can backfire and Alex Boone is just the latest example, writes Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle. The 26-year-old was a no-show for OTAs over dissatisfaction with his deal. He’s set to earn base salaries of $2MM this season and $1.2MM in 2015.
  • While he wouldn’t name names, Chargers GM Tom Telesco told SiriusXM that the 2014 crop of undrafted free agents is better than those that were signed in 2013, tweets Alex Marvez of FOX Sports 1.
  • Prized offseason pickup Chris Johnson took to Twitter to let everyone know that he wants to see the Jets go out and get disgruntled Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson. The star receiver, frustrated with several difficult seasons, was a no-show for OTAs in Houston.
  • The Bears‘ draft picks and free agent pickups look strong in OTAs and seem comfortable with their new surroundings and schemes, writes Matt Bowen of the Chicago Tribune. The Bears’ additions on the defensive front, including defensive end Jared Allen, give Chicago a level of flexibility that they didn’t have last season.
  • In this week’s mailbag, Mike Jones of the Washington Post discusses the Redskins‘ front office following the departure of Morocco Brown and Bruce Allen being bumped up to President and GM.

NFC Notes: Bucs, Bucannon, Receivers

May 26th, 2014 at 12:31pm CST by Rob DiRe

Mike Glennon is the Buccaneers‘ quarterback of the future, despite the arrival of Josh McCown via free agency. After McCown was announced as the starter, trade rumors began to circulate concerning Glennon, but head coach Lovie Smith and general manager Jason Licht have come to the decision to support the quarterback they inherited, writes Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune. They believe Glennon possesses the most important traits needed for a successful quarterback.

“The three things — and Lovie and I were in complete agreement on this — are toughness, intelligence and accuracy,’’ said Licht. “And then arm strength is a distant fourth. Mike showed during this process that he has those three things and he scored very high on those three things.”

Here are some other notes from around the NFC:

  • Although the Buccaneers have had a thin roster the past few seasons, Smith says that one of the most important aspects of winning is depth at multiple positions, writes Cummings. Specifically, Smith spoke about the team’s depth at safety and how impressed he is with the players they have.
  • Cardinals‘ first-round pick Deone Bucannon hasn’t provoked many negative statements from the organization, but head coach Bruce Arians tried to come up with one, writes Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com. “(Deone has) only got one problem — He is so much a perfectionist,” said Arians. “It is paralysis by analysis right now because he wants to do everything just perfect.”
  • Lions‘ receiver Ryan Broyles is committed to returning from a ruptured achilles tendon that sidelined him in 2013, writes of Kyle Meinke of MLive.com. “I’m looking forward to the competition. It’s never scared me away,” said Broyles. “But at the end of the day, we’re here to win. They’re going to put guys in place to help us win.”
  • Saints‘ receiver Kenny Stills is looking to get better in his second season with the team, writes Mike Triplett of ESPN.com. Stills could have an increased role in the offense after finishing 2013 strong, but has new competition as the team traded up to draft Oregon State receiver Brandin Cooks.

AFC Mailbags: Raiders, Patriots, Bengals

May 24th, 2014 at 10:37pm CST by Ben Levine

We took a look at ESPN’s NFC mailbags earlier tonight. Let’s dive into the AFC mailbags to end this Saturday night…

  • If Raiders rookie Khalil Mack ultimately starts, veteran Kevin Burnett could be expendable, writes Paul Gutierrez.
  • Gutierrez projects that Raiders‘ seventh-round pick Travis Carrie and undrafted rookie George Atkinson III will stick around on special teams.
  • It wouldn’t shock Gutierrez if the Raiders add a veteran tight end to compete with Mychal Rivera and David Ausberry.
  • When asked if the Patriots would go after Lions tight end Joseph Fauria, Mike Reiss writes that a trade isn’t likely. Reiss says the Lions wouldn’t trade the red zone target for “anything less than a high-round pick.” Fauria is the nephew of former Patriots tight end, Christian Fauria.
  • After the Bengals added Jeremy Hill to Giovani Bernard and BenJarvus Green-Ellis, it’s easy to forget about former sixth-round picks Rex Burkhead and Cedric Peerman. Coley Harvey thinks there is room for all five running backs, adding that Burkhead was “redshirted last season for a reason.”
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