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Detroit Lions News & Rumors

Lions DE Charles Harris Agreed To Pay Cut

June 11th, 2023 at 12:04pm CST by Rory Parks

Lions defensive end Charles Harris agreed to a pay cut this offseason, as Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports (subscription required). Due to make $6MM in base pay in the second year of the two-year, $14MM contract he signed in March 2022, Harris agreed to a reduction to $3MM.

Harris, selected by the Dolphins in the first round of the 2017 draft, failed to live up to his draft status in Miami and was traded to the Falcons in exchange for a seventh-round pick in May 2020. The 2020 campaign was another nondescript one for Harris, who played in just 1/3 of Atlanta’s defensive snaps (though he did record three sacks, which was then a career-high).

The Lions took a low-cost flier on Harris in March 2021, and that move paid off in a big way, as the Missouri product led the team with 7.5 sacks and earned an excellent 78.7 pass rush grade from Pro Football Focus. Detroit rewarded Harris with the above-referenced two-year deal, but 2022 was mostly a lost year for the 28-year-old defender.

Harris recorded just one sack during the first four games of the season and suffered a groin injury near the end of a Week 4 loss to the Seahawks. He played in just two more games before landing on IR in November, and he spent this spring rehabbing from the surgery that followed his IR placement.

As such, he likely had no choice but to accept the reduction in pay. As Birkett notes, however, Harris did take first-team reps at outside linebacker during the Lions’ mandatory minicamp, and he will compete with the likes of James Houston and Julian Okwara as he seeks to reclaim a starting job.

Head coach Dan Campbell believes Harris is ready to do exactly that.

“Charles has picked up where he left off from before the injury,” Campbell said. “He has an injury. Well, he doesn’t miss a beat. He’s back at it, he’s working and to him it’s like, ‘I’m at the bottom again. I’m on my way back up.’ That’s his approach. And I mean, to last in this league and be a good player in this league and produce, like, you have to have that mindset and he’s got it.”

If Harris replicates his 2021 performance in 2023, he should be in line for another lucrative, multiyear contract next offseason.

Lions Content With QB Room; Latest On Hendon Hooker

June 9th, 2023 at 11:08am CST by Adam La Rose

The Lions are set atop the depth chart at the quarterback position for this season, but the injury to rookie Hendon Hooker could leave them thin with respect to backup options at the start of the campaign. Despite that, an addition under center should not be expected at this time.

Detroit has Goff on the books for the next two years, but he is only due guranteed money for 2023, leading to questions about his long-term future in the Motor City. The Lions have given thought to extending the former No. 1 pick, though, so attention is currently focused on the team’s backup and third-string options while Hooker recovers from ACL surgery.

The Tennessee product will occupy one of those spots on the depth chart when healthy, but for now the only other two passers in place are Nate Sudfeld and Adrian Martinez. The former was re-signed after spending last season in Detroit, while the latter joined the team as an undrafted rookie. Each have received a vote of confidence from offensive coordinator Ben Johnson.

“I love the room right now,” Johnson said, via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (subscription required). “There’s a great camaraderie in there and I think that’s really important when you define that backup quarterback position. It’s not only a guy that can go in and win games, but for the majority of the season, if all things go right, he’s there to support that starter… We have that right now, not only with Nate and Hendon and Adrian.”

Hooker’s ACL tear hurt his draft stock and helped lead to his drop to the third round in this year’s draft. Head coach Dan Campbell has already deemed 2023 a redshirt season for the 25-year-old, despite the expectation that he will be able to suit up at some point during his rookie campaign. On that point, Hooker is continuing to make progress during his rehab, and indicated that he is currently ahead of schedule.

The former Volunteer has resumed throwing, as detailed by Birkett, though it remains uncertain at this point if Hooker will be able to take part in training camp next month. Considering he suffered the injury in November, a return to full health by July would be quite impressive. Regardless of Hooker’s recovery timeline, though, the Lions are unlikely to be in the market for added depth at the QB spot in the coming weeks.

“The truth really comes out, I believe, when you have the bullets flying for real, which we can’t have right now,” Johnson added. “So, the training camp will tell us a lot about where we’re at behind Jared, but so far, [I] feel really good about that room.”

Dolphins Inquired On RB D’Andre Swift

June 8th, 2023 at 8:42pm CST by Ben Levine

The Dolphins have been heavily connected to Dalvin Cook, but that wasn’t the first time the team considered bringing in an experienced running back. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler (and via ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques), Miami inquired about D’Andre Swift before the RB was traded from the Lions to the Eagles.

[RELATED: Vikings To Release RB Dalvin Cook]

Swift’s production in Detroit didn’t match Cook’s Pro Bowl-caliber stats in Minnesota, and the 24-year-old certainly wouldn’t match the upside of the soon-to-be free agent. Still, the running back would have provided the Dolphins with an intriguing option in the backfield. Despite finding himself in and out of the starting lineup, Swift averaged more than 900 yards from scrimmage and scored 25 touchdowns during his three seasons in Detroit.

Swift was ultimately traded to the Eagles for a fourth-round pick, and the Dolphins ended up pivoting to Texas A&M running back Devon Achane in the third round. Swift is only owed $1.7MM in the final year of his rookie contract.

It was assumed the Achane pick would be the end of the team’s major moves at the position. Both Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson Jr. seem locked into roster spots after leading Miami’s rushing attack in 2022. Former starter Myles Gaskin is also still around (albeit with a non-guaranteed contract).

Still, the team appears to be the front runner for Cook when the running back is cut by the Vikings tomorrow. The Dolphins discussed Cook with the Vikings in March, and the team was listed as a potential landing spot last week. We heard earlier today that the veteran RB was “very much intrigued” by playing for his hometown team, so it might not take long for a deal to come to fruition. Earlier today, the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson tweeted that Cook’s next deal probably won’t come close to the $10.4MM he was set to earn in Minnesota, but we can assume that the Pro Bowler will still require a heftier contract than what’s owed to Swift in 2023.

Lions G Jonah Jackson Expects Extension Talks To Start Soon

June 8th, 2023 at 1:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

A quick study with the Lions, Jonah Jackson is going into his fourth season as a starter. The young guard comprises part of one of the NFL’s top offensive lines, and an extension is now a worthwhile discussion topic.

Jackson became extension-eligible in January, and his rookie contract expires after the season. The former third-round pick has expressed a desire to stay in Detroit for the long haul, but no extension talks have begun yet. But Jackson, 26, expects that to change, indicating (via the Detroit Free Press’ Dave Birkett) contract discussions “probably” will begin after the team wraps up OTAs.

Teams often hammer out extensions between minicamp and the regular-season opener. The previous Lions front office agreed to terms with left tackle Taylor Decker in September 2020, while the Brad Holmes-led regime reupped center Frank Ragnow in May 2021. Although the current regime has authorized re-signings of Alex Anzalone and John Cominsky, the Ragnow move represents the only big-ticket extension agreed to since Holmes and Co. took over in 2021. Jackson seems poised to be another candidate.

Pro Football Focus has rated Jackson as a top-30 guard in each of the past two seasons, and he earned a Pro Bowl alternate nod in 2021. The Bob Quinn-era draftee has done well to help Detroit form a high-end offensive front. That group helped fellow extension candidate Jared Goff finish fifth in QBR last season — his highest career mark — and boosted Jamaal Williams to an NFL-most 16 rushing touchdowns in 2022.

While the Lions have Halapoulivaati Vaitai signed to a veteran contract, the former Eagles blocker accepted a pay cut after missing all of 2022. Vaitai’s restructure removed the 2024 season from his contract, giving the Lions a fairly clean investment ledger at guard. A few guards did well in free agency this year, with two — Ben Powers, Nate Davis — securing eight-figure-per-year deals. A big contract year could certainly boost Jackson’s prospects of joining the eight-figure-AAV guard club (currently 13 members), potentially giving the Rutgers product a decision ahead of the season. As he did in January, however, Jackson (via Birkett) expressed his fondness for Detroit.

It is also unknown how seriously the Lions will pursue an extension, as they also have Penei Sewell on track for a second contract in either 2024 or 2025. A big Goff raise would affect the Lions’ planning, with Amon-Ra St. Brown clearly on the extension radar as well.

The nine months between now and free agency will feature big-picture guard choices from several teams. Jackson joins Robert Hunt (Dolphins), Ezra Cleveland (Vikings), Michael Onwenu (Patriots), Damien Lewis (Seahawks), Jon Runyan Jr. (Packers) and Kevin Dotson (Steelers) as rookie-contract guards going into their walk years.

Lions Rumors: Gambling, Joseph, Gibbs

June 4th, 2023 at 7:53pm CST by Ely Allen

After the Lions were hit with multiple suspensions in April for player gambling violations and the announcement that the NFL was still investigating for further violations, Detroit has decided to take matters into its own hands, according to Kyle Meinke of MLive. The Lions are working to provide their players with a self-imposed supplemental education into the league’s policies on gambling.

The team’s violations led to the release of the players involved, except for former first-round pick Jameson Williams, who received a six-game suspension for making bets on non-NFL games while at the Lions’ facility. With so much damage done, head coach Dan Campbell gave some words on the team’s decision to implement further instruction.

“It’s much more an emphasis from us, as opposed to just leaving it to the league,” Campbell said. “Like, we need to make sure that we really hit this ourselves and make a point of it. We did, but obviously not enough. The proof’s in the pudding. So, for us, let’s take it out of their hands. They will have what they do every year, but now we need to put our own emphasis on it. And I think that is the best way to do it, is to highlight it.”

Here are a few other rumors coming out of the Motor City:

Lions Aiming To Have DL Levi Onwuzurike Healthy By Training Camp

June 3rd, 2023 at 6:55pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Lions have made a number of moves on the defensive side of the ball this offseason, but they could receive a boost if Levi Onwuzurike were able to return to the field. The defensive tackle is rehabbing a back injury which cost him the entire 2022 season.

The 25-year-old entered the league with health concerns related to his back dating to his college career. He was nevertheless able to suit up for 16 games as a rookie, totaling 35 tackles and one sack along the way. Expectations were relatively high for the former second-rounder entering heading into 2023, but an aggravation of his existing issue in the summer forced him onto IR.

Unable to rehab the injury to the point where he would be able to play again that year, Onwuzurike underwent surgery in October. That procedure was aimed at giving him the best chance of recovering and extending his career in the long term, but doubts understandably persist with respect to his playing future. When head coach Dan Campbell spoke about the situation in April, he left it up in the air whether Onwuzurike would be able to continue his time in the NFL. His most recent remarks paint a more optimistic picture, though.

“I would say he’s probably about right on schedule for what we thought,” Campbell said, via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “He just got on the grass, really about a week ago, to where he can begin to run… how fast can his body come back? We don’t entirely have that answer.”

Campbell left the door open to Onwuzurike having a notable role if he were able to return to full health in 2023. The Lions did little to address their defensive front during free agency, releasing veteran Michael Brockers while retaining a number of less expensive in-house options. They spent one of their two third-round picks in this year’s draft on Brodric Martin, who will look to earn a role during training camp in July. That is also roughly the point at which Detroit is aiming to have Onwuzurike back in the fold.

“Certainly, we’re hoping that we get him in camp at some point,” Campbell added. “But I can’t give you a timeline of that right now.”

2023 NFL Cap Space, By Team

June 2nd, 2023 at 3:33pm CST by Sam Robinson

The start of June has served as a key NFL financial period for decades. While teams no longer have to wait until after June 1 to make that cost-splitting cut designation, teams pick up the savings from those transactions today. With a handful of teams making post-June 1 cuts this year, here is how each team’s cap space (courtesy of OverTheCap) looks as of Friday:

  1. Chicago Bears: $32.58MM
  2. Carolina Panthers: $27.25MM
  3. Arizona Cardinals: $26.68MM
  4. New York Jets: $24.79MM
  5. Detroit Lions: $23.72MM
  6. Indianapolis Colts: $23.39MM
  7. Dallas Cowboys: $20.48MM
  8. Houston Texans: $16.81MM
  9. Green Bay Packers: $16.57MM
  10. Pittsburgh Steelers: $15.73MM
  11. Cincinnati Bengals: $14.92MM
  12. New Orleans Saints: $14.27MM
  13. New England Patriots: $14.12MM
  14. Miami Dolphins: $13.9MM
  15. Cleveland Browns: $13.86MM
  16. Philadelphia Eagles: $13.85MM
  17. Los Angeles Chargers: $12.61MM
  18. Jacksonville Jaguars: $12MM
  19. Washington Commanders: $11.57MM
  20. Baltimore Ravens: $11.54MM
  21. San Francisco 49ers: $10.72MM
  22. Atlanta Falcons: $10.7MM
  23. Denver Broncos: $10.13MM
  24. Minnesota Vikings: $9.75MM
  25. Tennessee Titans: $7.99MM
  26. Seattle Seahawks: $7.94MM
  27. New York Giants: $3.82MM
  28. Las Vegas Raiders: $3.37MM
  29. Los Angeles Rams: $1.49MM
  30. Buffalo Bills: $1.4MM
  31. Kansas City Chiefs: $653K
  32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $402K

The Dolphins gained the most from a post-June 1 cut (Byron Jones) this year, creating $13.6MM in cap space from a deal that will spread out the cornerback’s dead money through 2024. But the Browns (John Johnson, Jadeveon Clowney) and Cowboys (Ezekiel Elliott) created more than $10MM in space as well.

The Jets’ number is a bit deceiving. They are still working on a restructure with Aaron Rodgers, as the trade acquisition’s cap number — after a Packers restructure — sits at just $1.22MM. In 2024, that number skyrockets to $107.6MM. Rodgers’ cap hit will almost definitely will climb before Week 1, so viewing the Jets along with the other teams north of $20MM in space is not entirely accurate.

Minnesota is moving closer to separating from its $12.6MM-per-year Dalvin Cook contract. The team already created some space by trading Za’Darius Smith to the Browns. Cleveland, which is one of the teams connected to DeAndre Hopkins, added Smith and did so with help from its Deshaun Watson restructure. Watson was set to count $54.9MM against the Browns’ 2023 cap. That number is down to $19.1MM, though the Browns’ restructure both ballooned Watson’s mid-2020s cap figures to $63.9MM — which would shatter the NFL record — and added a 2027 void year.

Tampa Bay and Los Angeles sit atop the league in dead money, with the Bucs — largely from their April 2022 Tom Brady restructure — checking in at $75.3MM here. That total comprises nearly 33% of the Bucs’ 2023 cap sheet. The Rams, at more than $74MM, are not far behind. Despite the Bills and Chiefs — the teams most frequently tied to Hopkins — joining the Bucs and Rams near the bottom of the league in cap space, both AFC contenders also sit in the bottom five in dead money.

Each NFL Franchise’s Richest QB Contract

May 29th, 2023 at 9:15pm CST by Sam Robinson

The quarterback market has moved again this offseason. A year after Aaron Rodgers raised the average annual value bar past $50MM, Jalen Hurts and Lamar Jackson did so on long-term extensions. Overall, four teams have authorized the most lucrative QB deal in their respective histories this offseason. Two more — the Bengals and Chargers — are in talks about record-setting extensions as well.

On that note, here is the richest quarterback contract each team has authorized. Although teams like the Jets and Lions have acquired big-ticket contracts via trade, only teams’ extensions or free agency agreements will qualify here.

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

  • Jay Cutler, January 2014. Seven years, $126.7MM. $38MM fully guaranteed

Cincinnati Bengals

  • Carson Palmer, December 2005. Six years, $97MM. $30.8MM fully guaranteed

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

In trading this contract to the Jets in April, the Packers restructured the deal. Rodgers’ exit will still tag the Pack with $40.3MM in 2023 dead money.

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Carr’s second Raiders deal — agreed to in April 2022 — was worth $40.5MM per year. The full guarantee, thanks to the February escape hatch the team built into the contract, checked in lower than Carr’s initial Raiders extension.

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

Cousins’ 2020 extension checked in with a higher AAV ($33MM) but did not approach his initial Minnesota pact for guarantees.

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

  • Chad Pennington, September 2004. Seven years, $64MM. $23MM guaranteed.

The Jets have signed three quarterbacks to deals involving more guaranteed money, but each of those contracts — for Mark Sanchez (2009), Sam Darnold (2018) and Zach Wilson (2021) — was a rookie pact.

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Lions S Tracy Walker Eyeing Training Camp Return

May 29th, 2023 at 8:53pm CST by Adam La Rose

One of the early developments so far from Lions OTAs has been the sight of Tracy Walker with the team. The veteran safety is taking part in on-field work during his ongoing recovery from an Achilles tear.

“It feels great to be back,” Walker said, via Tim Twentyman of the team’s website. “I can’t hide the emotions, you know? It’s a blessing. I’m very excited. Honestly, I missed it. It’s hard to explain. It was cool I got time to spend at home with my family but at the end of the day I missed ball.”

The 28-year-old went down with the Achilles injury in Week 3, which marked a major blow to the Lions’ secondary. Walker had led the team in tackles early in the campaign, as he did the previous season. 2021 marked the second time in which he eclipsed 100 tackles, and he added one interception and six pass deflections, confirming his status as a key member of the team’s defense. Two years remain on his current contract, a $25MM extension signed last March.

In Walker’s absence, Detroit struggled mightily on that side of the ball for much of the season, one in which a late playoff push fell just short. If the former third-rounder can return to form, though, he should be counted on to play a signficant role alongside Kerby Joseph, who saw a large uptick in usage as a rookie with Walker sidelined last season.

Walker indicated that he expects to return in full during training camp in July, barring any setbacks. Presuming he is healed by that point, he will join Joseph, free agent addition C.J. Gardner-Johnson and second-round rookie Brian Branch as a contributor on the backend facing considerable expectations. Improved play on defense would go a long way towards Detroit securing a postseason berth in 2023, and a healthy Walker could play a large role in achieving that goal.

DB Notes: Lions, Joseph, Oliver, Cardinals

May 29th, 2023 at 12:43pm CST by Sam Robinson

A scary scene transpired during the Lions‘ Week 5 matchup with the Patriots. An ambulance transported Saivion Smith off the field, and the Lions defensive back said he feared paralysis following a collision with Patriots running back Damien Harris. Smith left the game after the next play, after falling to the turf after a routine tackle attempt on Hunter Henry. The backup DB, however, said (via the Detroit Free Press’ Jeff Seidel) he made a failed attempt to return to the stadium from the ambulance and regained arm and leg movement at the hospital. The neck injury he suffered ended up requiring spinal fusion surgery.

Smith received full Lions clearance in April, re-signing with the team that month. The 25-year-old cover man’s deal is worth $940K and contains no guaranteed money, giving the Lions — who overhauled their secondary this offseason — flexibility to move on free of charge. The Lions moved Smith to safety last season, but he offers versatility. With the Lions adding two other DBs with extensive backgrounds at both safety and corner — C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Brian Branch — Smith stands to compete for a backup role.

Here is the latest news from NFL secondaries:

  • After years of shuttling Jimmie Ward between safety and the nickel role, the 49ers let the veteran defender walk (to the Texans) this offseason. They will use free agency addition Isaiah Oliver to replace Ward in the slot, per new DC Steve Wilks. “When [another Ward deal] didn’t happen, we wanted to make sure that we sort of got the best nickel in free agency, and that’s what we went out and did,” Wilks said, via The Athletic’s Matt Barrows (subscription required). “So I’m excited about Oliver. He’s long; he’s physical, can tackle, can cover. He’s going to be a good blitzer for us, everything that we do within this defense.” A former second-round pick, Oliver spent the past five seasons with the Falcons. The 210-pound defender is ticketed to work alongside outside corners Charvarius Ward and Deommodore Lenoir.
  • Kelvin Joseph may be in the Cowboys‘ nickel plans. After acquiring Stephon Gilmore via trade, the Cowboys are trying Joseph in the slot at OTAs, Jon Machota of The Athletic notes. The former second-round pick has worked as an outside corner over his first two seasons, though he has only played 330 career defensive snaps. The Cowboys lost both Jourdan Lewis and Anthony Brown to season-ending injuries last year. While Lewis remains on the roster, Brown, a longtime slot player, is unsigned.
  • Third-round Cardinals cornerback Garrett Williams received slightly more than the rookie-scale minimum to sign, per GOPHNX.com’s Howard Balzer, who notes the bumps come in Years 2-4 of his contract (Twitter link). This year’s No. 72 overall pick will earn between $1MM and $1.5MM from 2024-26. Third-rounders’ four-year deals are only partially guaranteed. Williams, a Syracuse alum, received a $1.1MM guarantee.
  • The Panthers brought back safety Sam Franklin earlier this offseason, tendering him as an RFA. But the fourth-year defender agreed to sign for slightly less than the low-end tender price. Rather than signing for $2.627MM (the tender number), Franklin is back in Carolina on a one-year, $2.51MM deal, Balzer adds (on Twitter). The Panthers gave the 27-year-old DB a $1.5MM signing bonus, which is spread through 2027 via void years. Franklin has been a core special-teamer in Carolina while working as a defensive backup.
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