Lions To Sign QB Teddy Bridgewater
AUGUST 11: Bridgewater agreed to terms with the Lions on a one-year deal that can max out at $5MM, per ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter, who adds the contract includes $2.5MM guaranteed (Twitter link). This marks a notable decrease from Bridgewater’s $6.5MM guaranteed with the Dolphins last year, but the 10th-year veteran is coming off an injury-plagued season.
AUGUST 7: After contract talks in the spring and the sides getting together for a recent meeting, the Lions and Teddy Bridgewater have a deal in place. The veteran quarterback is heading to Detroit, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo (on Twitter).
The Lions had kept in contact with the former Vikings first-round pick since making him an offer by early April, hosting him on a visit in July. Bridgewater, 30, is now in place to become Jared Goff‘s backup. This will be the Louisville alum’s seventh NFL team. Dan Campbell was on the Saints’ staff during Bridgewater’s two-year New Orleans tenure, and the former tight ends coach will bring him into the fold at a rather pivotal point on the Lions’ timeline.
Bridgewater is coming off a disappointing season with his hometown team. The Dolphins added him on a one-year deal, and with Tua Tagovailoa sustaining multiple concussions, a door opened for the backup to help an improved team. But Bridgewater could not stay on the field, either. The league’s enhanced concussion protocol led to Bridgewater leaving a game against the Jets in October, and he suffered a dislocated pinkie when replacing Tagovailoa in Week 17. Bridgewater was not available for the Dolphins’ Week 18 game or their wild-card contest in Buffalo.
While Bridgewater is attempting to bounce back, he will give the Lions more security behind Goff. Prior to this signing, Nate Sudfeld was positioned as Detroit’s top backup. Campbell had said in June the team was content at quarterback; midway through training camp, that no longer appeared the case.
Hendon Hooker should be expected to grow into the QB2 role, but there is a real possibility the Lions give the third-round pick a true redshirt year after a torn ACL ended his Tennessee career. With Bridgewater having lapped Sudfeld for experience, he will be in place as a stopgap while Hooker recovers and learns the NFL game. Hooker currently resides on the Lions’ active/NFI list.
Injuries have obviously played a big role in Bridgewater’s NFL career. A severe leg malady halted his run as the Vikings’ starter back in 2016; that setback sidelined him for nearly two seasons. But Bridgewater did enjoy the opportunity to return as a starter for multiple teams — the Panthers and Broncos — during the 2020s. Twenty-nine of Bridgewater’s 65 career starts came with Carolina and Denver. The conservative passer did not exactly provide remarkable work in those seasons, but he was plenty capable when available during the 2020 and ’21 campaigns.
The Broncos went 7-7 in Bridgewater’s starts, with the 14th start involving a Drew Lock cameo sinking Denver in a close matchup with eventual AFC champion Cincinnati. Bridgewater threw 18 touchdown passes compared to just seven interceptions during his Broncos season. His 15-TD pass showing in Carolina produced a 17th-place QBR finish. The Panthers still jettisoned Bridgewater’s three-year, $63MM deal after that season. His earning power has diminished significantly in the years since, but the former starter remains a sought-after backup.
As Drew Brees‘ backup in New Orleans, Bridgewater went 5-1 when replacing the future Hall of Famer. Granted, those Saints rosters were among the NFL’s best at the time. But Campbell having been there during the 2018 and ’19 seasons bodes well for Bridgewater’s Detroit fit. Goff did not miss any time due to injury last season, but the former No. 1 overall pick did miss three games in 2021. The Lions lost each contest.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/10/23
Today’s minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Waived/injured: WR Makai Polk
Chicago Bears
- Waived from IR: TE Chase Allen
Cleveland Browns
- Released: DT Michael Dwumfour
Denver Broncos
- Waived from IR: G Yasir Durant
Detroit Lions
- Waived: G Logan Stenberg
Indianapolis Colts
- Waived from IR: WR Ethan Fernea
Following the addition of Shelby Harris, the Browns decided to let go of another defensive lineman. Michael Dwumfour got into nine games with the Texans and 49ers last season, compiling eight tackles. He joined the Browns earlier this offseason.
Logan Stenberg was a fourth-round pick by the Lions back in 2020. He saw a larger role in each of his three seasons with the organization, culminating in a 2022 season where he got into 16 games with four starts. The lineman also had a role on special teams in three seasons in Detroit, so there’s a chance he finds another gig elsewhere.
Players waived or released from IR often agree to an injury settlement with their team. Their previous placement on IR would have prevented them from seeing the field during the 2023 campaign; now that they’ve been released, they can sign elsewhere and play this season.
Lions Sign RB Benny Snell; Justin Jackson Retires
The Lions have made a move affecting their backfield, spurred in part by a surprise retirement decision. The team announced on Thursday that Benny Snell has been signed, and that Justin Jackson has ended his career. 
Snell worked out with the Broncos and Colts this offseason, but he will ultimately head to Detroit to fill the vacancy left by Jackson’s retirement. The 25-year-old spent his first four seasons with the Steelers, but he was primarily used on special teams. Especially with Najee Harris in the fold for the past two years, Snell has seen limited touches on offense.
A depth role will again await him in Detroit, with free agent addition David Montgomery and first-round rookie Jahmyr Gibbs set to carry the load out of the backfield. A division of rushing and pass-catching duties is in the team’s plans, and Snell should operate as a fill-in option on offense while maintaining a steady presence on special teams.
Jackson was unable to establish anything more than a complimentary role with the Chargers over the course of his four years with the team. He joined the Lions last offseason, but his playing situation remained the same. Buried behind D’Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams on the depth chart, he logged only 54 touches. The 27-year-old was a key special teamer, though, and he missed only one game in his debut Lions campaign.
That led to a new deal being worked out less than three weeks ago, making today’s news rather surprising. Jackson battled injuries in 2019 and ’20 in particular, but a healthy season last year made the decision to retain him an easy one from the Lions’ perspective. Now, the team will move forward with an significantly different RB contingent than last season.
Jackson signed for the veteran minimum on his second Lions pact, one which did not include any guaranteed money. The Northwestern alum will hang up his cleats with $3.7MM in career earnings after five seasons played.
Lions Eyeing Move To S For C.J. Gardner-Johnson; Brian Branch Receiving First-Team Reps
Expectations are high for the Lions’ defense in 2023 in large part due to the additions made in their secondary. Free agent signing C.J. Gardner-Johnson and rookie Brian Branch are among the new faces on the backend, and they could each find themselves in the starting lineup come Week 1. 
Gardner-Johnson’s status as a first-teamer has not been in question, of course, after he posted six interceptions with the Eagles last year despite missing five games. The 25-year-old surprisingly only parlayed that into a one-year deal with $6.5MM guaranteed in free agency. His move to Detroit was expected to result in a return to his more familiar slot corner role (as opposed to the safety spot, where he spent most of his time in Philadelphia).
However, a knee injury Gardner-Johnson suffered early in training camp left him sidelined for a stretch. That opened the door to Branch filling in at the nickel spot, and his performances since then have him firmly in the mix for a starting role. The second-rounder has likely played his way into a first-team position, or at least notable rotational duties, as detailed by Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Branch was lauded as one of the most versatile players in the 2023 class, but playing him at corner would open up the possibility of moving Gardner-Johnson back to safety.
Doing so would represent a change in approach compared to earlier in the offseason, but it could allow the Lions to deploy their ideal combination of defensive backs. Gardner-Johnson shifting back to safety would relegate Tracy Walker to backup duties while he rehabs the Achilles tear which ended his 2022 season. The latter had paired with 2022 third-rounder Kerby Joseph last year.
Head coach Dan Campbell recently noted that Walker is still in consideration for a starting position, however, so plenty is yet to be determined (aside from Joseph’s first-team certainty) as the preseason approaches. Branch will be a key player to watch during exhibition season as he looks to win a starting gig right away, something which would put the versatility of Detroit’s new and highly regarded secondary to the test early in the campaign.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/9/23
Here are the minor transactions from around the league as we wrap up training camp and officially head into the preseason:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: RB Stevie Scott
Carolina Panthers
- Reverted to reserve/PUP: DE Jalen Redmond
- Waived from PUP: DL John Penisini
Chicago Bears
- Activated from NFI: WR Dante Pettis
Denver Broncos
- Signed: WR Ra’Shaun Henry, WR JJ Koski
Detroit Lions
- Signed: RB Devine Ozigbo
- Waived: WR Avery Davis
Las Vegas Raiders
- Activated from NFI: DL Neil Farrell
Los Angeles Chargers
- Waived/injured: T Nicolas Melsop
New England Patriots
- Signed: LB Joe Giles-Harris
New Orleans Saints
- Waived/injured: G Koda Martin
New York Jets
- Reverted to IR: T Yodny Cajuste
San Francisco 49ers
- Released from IR with injury settlement: CB Terrance Mitchell
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: DT Anthony Montalvo
- Reverted to IR: CB Andrew Whitaker
- Waived/injured: OLB Josh Onujiogu
CB Rumors: Jackson, Lions, Jaguars, Apple
Adoree’ Jackson served as the Giants‘ No. 1 cornerback last season, his second with the team. Despite coming off injury, Jackson fared well against Justin Jefferson in the Giants’ wild-card win. But the team is experimenting on a potential shift in the veteran’s role during training camp. Jackson has seen extensive time in the slot in camp, and Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News notes the prospect of Jackson in the slot and Deonte Banks and Tre Hawkins outside is viable.
The Titans used Jackson as an outside corner during his Tennessee tenure, and the Giants stationed Darnay Holmes in the slot last year. They also drafted Cor’Dale Flott as a slot option in last year’s third round. But Holmes has struggled during camp, per Leonard. Hawkins, chosen in the sixth round out of Old Dominion, does not have slot experience. Jackson’s willingness as a tackler would benefit the Giants if they followed through on this, though the move is not set in stone. Holmes still operated as the team’s lead slot defender in a joint practice against the Lions on Wednesday, Dan Duggan of The Athletic tweets. Hawkins being in consideration for a regular role would be notable for a Giants team that struggled for CB depth last year.
Here is the latest from NFL secondaries:
- Emmanuel Moseley‘s cleanup procedure on the ACL he tore last year has led to an unexpected delay in his return. Moseley reported to camp late due to the surgery, and the Lions placed the free agent signing on the active/PUP list. While Dan Campbell said last week the team expected Moseley back soon, the Detroit Free Press’ Dave Birkett notes no timetable exists for the ex-49er’s return, adding that he may not be a lock to start the season on time. This surgery has provided another delay for Moseley, who signed a one-year, $6MM deal that came with $2MM guaranteed. Campbell confirmed Moseley’s absence to start camp was excused.
- Fellow UFA addition Cameron Sutton and Jerry Jacobs have worked as Detroit’s starting cornerbacks in camp, and while the return of Moseley will give the Lions another starter-level corner, rookie UDFA Starling Thomas has made enough of an impression that Birkett added he is a good bet to make the 53-man roster. He of a 4.28-second 40-yard dash at UAB’s pro day, Thomas has been running with the Lions’ second-stringers at corner alongside Will Harris.
- Few battles for starting spots are transpiring in Jacksonville, but the Jaguars are holding one at nickel corner. Despite bringing back Tre Herndon on another one-year deal, the Jags are pitting the sixth-year veteran against several players for the slot role. Second-year players Gregory Junior (Round 6) and Montaric Brown (Round 7) join sixth- and seventh-round rookies Erick Hallett and Christian Braswell in vying for this job, per Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com. Fifth-round safety Antonio Johnson has mixed in here as well. Herndon re-signed on a fully guaranteed $2.58MM deal. Formerly surpassing 900 defensive snaps in back-to-back years, Herndon finished with just 416 last season.
- Eli Apple‘s Dolphins deal is worth $1.6MM over one season, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald notes. Incentives could take the veteran corner’s contract up to $2.28MM. While the $1.6MM is not entirely guaranteed, the former top-10 pick received a $250K signing bonus.
Lions Release LS Jake McQuaide, Sign OL Bobby Hart
Jake McQuaide‘s effort to land the Lions’ long snapping job looks to have ended. The team released the 12-year veteran Monday, leaving Scott Daly on track to keep his position.
The Lions also signed veteran tackle Bobby Hart and removed wide receiver Tom Kennedy from their IR list with an injury settlement. These transactions did not register on the same level as Detroit’s Teddy Bridgewater addition, but they will affect the team’s depth chart.
A former snapper with the Rams and Cowboys, McQuaide signed with the Lions in March. The Dan Campbell–Brad Holmes era had featured Daly — a 2018 UDFA who did not debut until 2021 — as the snapper for all 34 games, but the team brought in the 35-year-old free agent as competition. McQuaide has snapped in 181 career games. While long snappers generally bring durability due to the nature of their position, McQuaide is coming off a season in which a triceps tear sidelined him after four games.
Hart, who will turn 29 this month, operated as a Bills backup throughout the 2022 season. After bouncing around in 2021, Hart stayed on Buffalo’s active roster last year and played 125 offensive snaps. A suspension knocked Hart out of a September game, but he returned to work as a backup the rest of the way.
A former Giants seventh-round pick, Hart has done well to extend his career toward the 10-year mark. This will be Year 9 for the Florida State alum, who has started 67 games over the course of his career. The Giants made Hart a rookie-year starter, but after Dave Gettleman took over as GM in December 2017, the team cut bait immediately. The Bengals gave Hart a chance soon after and then re-signed him to a three-year, $16.2MM deal in March 2019. Hart played two seasons on that contract, working as Cincinnati’s primary right tackle in that span. The Bengals cut him in 2021.
The Lions have no questions about starting tackle roles, with Taylor Decker and Penei Sewell locked into their respective spots. Hart offers depth alongside fellow free agency addition Germain Ifedi, who has played both tackle and guard as a pro. The Lions also brought back Graham Glasgow, who has started 91 career games, this offseason. Detroit has done well to stockpile experienced depth behind its upper-echelon front five.
Dan Campbell Addresses Lions’ RB Tandem
The Lions used both of their first-round picks in the 2023 draft on positions deemed less valuable than others in recent years. That included the selection of running back Jahmyr Gibbs 12th overall, something which led to expectations of immediate playing time. 
The Alabama product was in consideration for the Lions at their original No. 6 position, illustrating how high the team was on him. Gibbs’ draft stock surged as a result of his pass-catching abilities, and that skillset should see him on the field plenty as a rookie. With free agent signing David Montgomery in place as well, however, a division of labor is likely in the backfield this season.
The latter inked a three-year, $18MM deal to head to Detroit after four years in Chicago. That represented one of the most lucrative commitments made at the running back position this offseason, and gave the Lions an effective Jamaal Williams replacement. Having both Montgomery and Gibbs in the fold allowed Detroit to move on from former second-rounder D’Andre Swift, who had expressed frustration with his usage and faced an uncertain future in the Motor City beyond 2023.
In the early part of training camp, Montgomery and Gibbs split first-team reps, as detailed by Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. The former received between 201 and 247 carries in each of his Bears campaign, operating as the focal point of the team’s offense on the ground. With Gibbs, by contrast, set to contribute through the air, especially early in his career, a clear usage plan is in place for head coach Dan Campbell.
“Man, I think you need a back that, push comes to shove, he can carry a load,” Campbell said when asked about his new RB tandem (Twitter link via Sirius XM Radio). “Somebody you feel like you can give the ball to 20, 25 times a game, potentially. And then you need that specialty guy. He’s much more – he carries the scalpel and he can slice you up. He can hurt you in the pass game, potentially. I’m talking about Gibbs obviously. Get him out there and do a few more things, because that’s kind of what I know.”
Campbell named the highly-productive former Saints tandem of Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara as a blueprint for the Lions to follow with Montgomery and Gibbs. Even with quarterback Jared Goff having impressed in Detroit last season, the backfield will no doubt play a central role in the team’s offensive success in 2023 and thus their ability to meet expectations. A two-pronged approach at the RB spot will prove to be effective if both Montgomery and Gibbs fit their respective billings.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/5/23
Saturday’s minor moves:
Carolina Panthers
- Activated from PUP list: G Chandler Zavala
Chicago Bears
- Waived (injury designation): TE Chase Allen
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: CB Gavin Heslop, T Derrick Kelly
Denver Broncos
- Signed: DT Forrest Merrill
- Waived (injury designation): OL Yasir Durant
Detroit Lions
- Waived: DL Zach Morton
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: TE Nick Eubanks, TE Michael Jacobson
- Placed on IR: WR Ethan Fernea, OL Jake Witt
- Waived: RB Toriano Clinton
Los Angeles Rams
Minnesota Vikings
- Activated from PUP list: OLB Andre Carter II
New Orleans Saints
Signed: WR Jontre Kirklin
New York Jets
- Signed: LB Nick Vigil, LB Samuel Eguavoen
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: DE Daelin Hayes
- Placed on IR: DE Darryl Johnson
Washington Commanders
- Signed: CB Jace Whittaker
The Browns waived receiver Daylen Baldwin yesterday, and more details on his situation have emerged today courtesy of NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (Twitter link). Baldwin tore a tendon behind his knee, and he will undergo surgery as a result. After his recovery (which is expected to take roughly six to eight weeks), Pelissero notes that a return is the Browns’ preference.
Vigil will add considerable experience to the middle of the Jets’ defense. The 29-year-old has started 53 of his 89 career games, though he has not operated as a full-time starter in recent years as he once did. Vigil spent the 2022 season in Arizona, where he was limited to only eight games played and logged a defensive snap share of 35%. Both Vigil and Eguavoen worked out with the Giants last month, but they will instead head to New York’s other franchise for the 2023 season.
Kirklin played four games with the XFL’s Houston Roughnecks, and he scored four touchdowns in the process. He will look to carry over that production at the NFL level as part of a Saints receiving corps which has plenty of uncertainty amongst its depth options.
Whittaker spent the past three seasons in Arizona, coming on and off the Cardinals’ practice squad a number of times. He was a key member of the team’s secondary last year, however, starting four of his six games played and logging a snap share of 74%. The 28-year-old will compete for a depth role behind the established starters at the CB spot in Washington.
Lions Add CB Tae Hayes, Waive LB Zach Morton
The Lions have started the weekend by reworking the bottom of their roster. The team announced that they’ve signed cornerback Tae Hayes and wide receiver Avery Davis. To make room on the roster, the Lions have waived linebacker Zach Morton.
Hayes has the most experience of the bunch, with the defensive back bouncing around the NFL since going undrafted out of Appalachian State in 2019. Since then, Hayes has spent time with the Jaguars, Dolphins, Vikings, Cardinals, Panthers, and Patriots. The defensive back also had a stint with the Birmingham Stallions of the USFL.
In total, the soon-to-be 26-year-old has appeared in 13 career games, collecting 16 tackles and a pair of passes defended. He got into seven games with the Panthers and Patriots in 2022, finishing with six stops. He’ll provide some depth to a Lions secondary that is currently dealing with a number of injuries. Jarren Williams was carted off the field with a leg injury the other day and was ultimately waived/injured. Safety Ifeatu Melifonwu is also sidelined while dealing with his own knee injury.
Davis spent four years at Notre Dame, with the prospect listed as a quarterback, cornerback, and wide receiver during his four years at the school. He took on a larger role in the offense in 2021 and 2022, compiling 784 yards from scrimmage and six total touchdowns.
Morton joined the Lions as an undrafted free agent earlier this offseason. The Syracuse and Akron product finished his collegiate career with 24 tackles, 5.5 sacks, and a pair of interceptions.