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Detroit Lions News & Rumors

Contract Tenders: Tuesday

March 11th, 2014 at 7:42pm CST by Rob DiRe

Cam Johnson has signed his tender that should keep him with the Colts in 2014, according to Craig Kelley of Colts.com (via Twitter). The linebacker was traded to the Colts from the 49ers last year.

Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune reports that Buccaneers returner Eric Page has also signed his tender, but awaits for the deal to be made official (via Twitter).

While Johnson and Page signed their respective one-year deals, here are some other players from around the NFL who were not tendered and are now free agents:

  • The Texans will allow three players to test free agency, as none of Bryan Braman, Terrell McClain, and Lestar Jean received tenders from the team, reports John McClain of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter).
  • Dezmon Briscoe did not receive a tender from the Redskins, reports Zac Boyer of the Washington Times (via Twitter). The 24-year-old receiver did not play in a game for the Redskins last season, but caught 35 passes for the Buccaneers in 2011.
  • The Bills chose not to tender Thomas Welch, reports Mike Rodak of ESPN NFL Nation (via Twitter). The offensive tackle is now an unrestricted free agent.
  • The Lions did not tender tight end Dorin Dickerson, reports Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (via Twitter).
  • Safety M.D. Jennings was not tendered by the Packers, reports Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (via Twitter). Silverstein does leave open the possibility of the team still re-signing their starting free safety.

NFC FA Rumors: Cowboys, Seahawks, Lions

March 11th, 2014 at 7:31pm CST by Luke Adams

We’ve passed along word of all the free agents who have already found homes – old or new – but there are plenty of players still on the market. Let’s take a look around the NFC at some of the day’s free agent rumors….

  • Now that Julius Peppers is an unrestricted free agent, the Cowboys have interest in the veteran defensive end, tweets Dianna Russini of NBC Washington. It would have to be a pretty inexpensive deal, given Dallas’ cap limitations.
  • Jeff Sullivan of DallasCowboys.com (Twitter link) and Calvin Watkins of ESPNDallas.com (Twitter link) both classify the Cowboys‘ interest in defensive lineman Henry Melton as strong, and Sullivan suggests there’s mutual interest. Melton will visit with the team and things could move quickly, according to the Dallas writers.
  • Free agent receiver Jacoby Jones will visit with the Giants on Wednesday, tweets Josina Anderson of ESPN. The Ravens are still discussing a potential return to Baltimore for Jones.
  • The Seahawks are in talks with defensive tackle Tony McDaniel on a new deal that would bring him back to Seattle, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Rapoport also tweets that the Seahawks will meet with free agent tight end Jermichael Finley and wide receiver Taylor Price, while Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (Twitter link) adds defensive tackle Jason Hatcher to that list.
  • Meanwhile, former Seahawks receiver Golden Tate is visiting with the Lions tonight, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter).
  • Schefter passes along word via ESPN.com colleague Michael Rothstein (Twitter link) that the Lions have interest in safety Chris Clemons. The Steelers were also originally mentioned as a suitor, but they’re almost certainly out of the mix now that Mike Mitchell is headed to Pittsburgh.
  • In their pursuit of a tight end, the Lions are discussing a potential visit for free agent Scott Chandler, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com.
  • The Panthers would like to retain free agent receiver Domenik Hixon, but the Bears are also in talks with him, reports Rand Gatlin of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter).

Lions, Kevin Ogletree Agree To One-Year Deal

March 11th, 2014 at 4:10pm CST by Rob DiRe

7:14pm: Ogletree gets a one-year deal worth $795K with $100K guaranteed and a $65K bonus (included), tweets Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun.

4:10pm: The Lions and receiver Kevin Ogletree have come to terms on a one-year deal, as reported by Pro Football Talk (via Twitter). Terms of the contract have yet to be disclosed. Ogletree began his career with the Cowboys before signing with the Buccaneers last offseason. He was released after four games, and was picked up by the Lions.

In 12 games with the Lions, the 26-year-old wideout managed 13 catches and one touchdown. The Lions will still be looking for additional help at receiver, either in free agency or the draft.

NFC Rumors: Sproles, Tuck, Suh, Watson

March 11th, 2014 at 1:22pm CST by Zachary Links

Let’s check on the latest miscellaneous notes from around the NFC….

  • The Saints are set to cut Darren Sproles today, but they are still holding out hope on trading him, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. There are more than ten teams interested in the diminutive tailback if he’s cut free, so it’s conceivable that they could find a trade partner.
  • Justin Tuck‘s exploration of the free agent market may end up with him returning to the Giants, a source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Florio hears that one team was willing to pay Tuck $3MM per year, but the veteran defensive end would prefer to remain in New York at that price.
  • Talks have yet to start between the Lions and Ndamukong Suh on reworking his deal, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. The thinking previously was that Detroit had to re-work the deal before the start of free agency but that’s not the case.
  • Buccaneers linebacker Dekoda Watson is likely to sign elsewhere at the start of free agency, a league source tells Mike Florio.
  • The Bears would like to bring back cornerback/special teams player Sherrick McManis, but the Ravens, Eagles, and Falcons could be in play as well, tweets Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.
  • With Donte Whitner set to leave the 49ers, San Francisco could turn to safety Ryan Mundy as a fallback, tweets Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.
  • Free agent left tackle Jared Veldheer has fired his agent in order to hire his brother, James Veldheer, as his new agent, tweets Mike Jurecki of FOX Sports 910. Veldheer is expected to sign with the Cardinals.
  • The Redskins are monitoring Kenny Britt, who could be had on a reasonable deal in a soft market, tweets Zac Boyer of the Washington Times. Of course, the Redskins’ likely deal with Andre Roberts lessens their need for Britt.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

FA Rumors: McCown, Pettigrew, Giants, Cards

March 11th, 2014 at 10:32am CST by Luke Adams

Free agency rumors are pouring in, with less than five hours until the market officially opens. Let’s round them up….

  • Quarterback Josh McCown expects to get a deal done quickly once free agency opens, and has one or two specific teams at the top of his list, as he told SiriusXM NFL Radio this morning (Twitter link).
  • The Lions continue to talk to tight end Brandon Pettigrew, but a deal before the deadline appears unlikely, so he should hit the open market, says Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (via Twitter).
  • Centers Evan Dietrich-Smith and Brian De La Puente appear unlikely to land with the Giants, according to Jordan Raanan of NJ.com.
  • Expect the Cardinals to pursue free agent linebacker Mike Neal, tweets Mike Garafolo of USA Today.
  • Free agent tight end Jeff King is highly unlikely to return to the Cardinals, says Craig Morgan of Fox Sports Arizona (via Twitter).
  • Cornerback Antoine Cason is drawing some interest, but he’ll likely wait until after the top-tier corners sign to find a deal, tweets Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com.
  • Emmanuel Sanders is among the names on the list of wide receiver targets for the Browns, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com.
  • Since being released late last month by the Patriots, safety Steve Gregory has received some interest, and expects to sign after the bigger dominos fall, tweets Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald.
  • It looks like Bears cornerback and ace special-teamer Sherrick McManis will reach the open market today, tweets Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.

NFC Rumors: Veldheer, Houston, Byrd, Hawley

March 11th, 2014 at 9:10am CST by Luke Adams

It looks like many of the top offensive tackles will fly off the shelves early when free agency gets underway at 3:00pm central time this afternoon. Branden Albert appears to be headed to Miami, while Anthony Collins will likely sign with the Bucs, and Eugene Monroe and the Ravens should work out a new deal. That leaves the Cardinals as the logical landing spot for Jared Veldheer, and Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com says (via Twitter) GMs and agents are essentially viewing that as a done deal, turning their attention to Rodger Saffold and other players. As we wait to see if Arizona can officially lock up the Raiders’ free-agent-to-be, let’s check out a few more updates from around the NFC….

  • The Packers were “very interested” in defensive end Lamarr Houston, but appear likely to bow out of the bidding as his price tag increases, says Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
  • It doesn’t sound as if things are heating up between Jairus Byrd and the Redskins at the moment, according to Mike Jones of the Washington Post, who hears from a source that the two sides are just having “casual conversations” (Twitter link).
  • The Lions have been in recent contact with defensive end Willie Young’s agent about a new deal, but Young looks set to hit the open market and should have a handful of suitors, writes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
  • The Falcons are trying to lock up center Joe Hawley to keep him from reaching the open market, but there are other teams interested in him, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com, who says (via Twitter) talks might go right up to 3:00pm today.
  • Tight end Garrett Graham could be a target for the Buccaneers, tweets Pat Yasinskas of ESPN.com.
  • As they did a year ago, the Eagles could strike quickly in free agency today, writes Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Joique Bell, Lions Close To Long-Term Deal

March 11th, 2014 at 8:47am CST by Luke Adams

The Lions have placed a second-round tender on running back Joique Bell, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com, meaning the potential restricted free agent could accept the offer and return to Detroit on a one-year, $2.187MM contract. However, it looks like the two sides will reach a longer-term agreement. According to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, Bell and the Lions are close to working out a multiyear deal.

Bell, 27, said back in January that he hoped to bypass the restricted free agency process and negotiate a long-term contract that would keep him in Detroit. The undrafted running back was one of the team’s most dynamic offensive weapons in 2013, racking up nearly 1,200 combined rushing and receiving yards to go along with eight touchdowns. While Bell was only a part-time player, playing behind starter Reggie Bush, he ranked as the NFL’s ninth-best running back, according to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required).

While it’s not clear if the Lions will finalize a deal for Bell before free agency gets underway this afternoon, doing so could reduce his 2014 cap hit, giving the team a little more flexibility to spend on other players.

T.J. Ward Drawing Interest From Lions, Others

March 11th, 2014 at 7:59am CST by Luke Adams

7:59am: Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) downplays the Eagles’ interest in Ward, suggesting Philadelphia is “not in the mix.” However, he names the Dolphins and Redskins as a couple other clubs that could be involved.

7:42am: With free agency now just a few hours away, safety T.J. Ward is drawing “strong interest” from the Lions and Eagles, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter). Ward, who has also been linked to the Jets, is said to be seeking an annual salary in the neighborhood of $7MM.

The Eagles, who still have some cap flexibility after working out new deals and extensions with several of their own players, have been mentioned as suitors for nearly every top safety on the market, including Jairus Byrd, Chris Clemons, and Mike Mitchell. As for the Lions, they’re on the lookout for someone to replace Louis Delmas, but likely won’t have quite as much cap room to work with as other clubs in on Ward.

WR Rumors: Britt, Hawkins, Edelman, Jones

March 10th, 2014 at 10:29pm CST by Dallas Robinson

With about 17 hours left to go until the official start of free agency, here’s a look at some of the rumors regarding receivers:

  • The Redskins have interest in both Kenny Britt and Andrew Hawkins, writes Mike Jones of the Washington Post. Britt is an unrestricted free agent who has had his share of struggles both on and off the field, but he can still be a playmaker. Hawkins is a restricted free agent who was tendered at the original-pick level; because he was an undrafted free agent, the Redskins would not have to sacrifice a draft pick to sign him. Hawkins played under Redskins head coach Jay Gruden the past three seasons with the Bengals.
  • The Patriots are heavily engaged in contract talks with Julian Edelman, reports Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald. Edelman was on the free agent market for over a month last offseason before re-upping with the Pats, but that would assuredly not happen were he to reach free agency tomorrow.
  • James Jones is receiving interest from both the Lions and the Jets, but a return to the Packers is not out of the question, tweets Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net.
  • The 49ers could be interested in Dexter McCluster, says ESPN.com’s Bill Williamson (via Twitter).

Contract Tenders: Monday

March 10th, 2014 at 5:59pm CST by Zachary Links

Cowboys punter Chris Jones signed his exclusive rights tender of $645K, writes Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com. The move locks down Dallas’ punter situation but eats up about $150K of the ~$2MM salary cap space the club had to work with. Jones averaged 45 yards per punt in his first full season with the Cowboys. The latest contract tenders from around the NFL..

  • Restricted free agent tackle Byron Bell has received a second-round tender worth $2.187MM from the Panthers, according to Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer (via Twitter). The club also tendered exclusive rights free agent Chris Scott, tweets ESPN.com’s David Newton.
  • The Chargers have only two exclusive rights free agents in linebacker Bront Bird and guard Stephen Schilling and they won’t be tendering either one, tweets Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego.
  • Jets linebacker Nick Bellore got the low restricted free agent tender, a source tells ESPN’s Adam Caplan (on Twitter). Bellore led Gang Green in special teams kickoff tackles last season.
  • The Ravens won’t extend an RFA tender to wide receiver Tandon Doss, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. The team could still bring Doss back on a smaller deal though.
  • Lions wide receiver Kris Durham confirmed via Twitter that he inked his tender with the club. Durham, a fourth-round pick in 2011, became a more significant part of the Lions’ offense in 2013, racking up 38 receptions, 490 receiving yards, and a pair of touchdowns while starting 13 games. He didn’t perform well based on Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required), which ranked him 109th out of 111 qualified receivers, but he’s still just 25 years old, and may not be relied upon for quite as large a role in 2014 if the team adds a receiver or two.
  • Joe Morgan and Jed Collins won’t receive RFA tenders from the Saints, but the club still has interest in re-signing the two free agents, says Larry Holder of the Times-Picayune.
  • The Rams won’t tender tight end Mike McNeill, who was eligible for restricted free agency, tweets Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
  • Linebacker Justin Hickman has signed his ERFA tender from the Colts, according to Craig Kelley of Colts.com (via Twitter).

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

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