Detroit Lions News & Rumors

Aaron Glenn Gets Second HC Interview With Colts; Cardinals Seeking Another Meeting

February 1st, 2023 at 6:18pm CST by Ben Levine

Aaron Glenn is getting a second look in Indy. According to CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones (via Twitter), the Colts will conduct a second interview with the Lions defensive coordinator regarding their head coaching vacancy. The second interview is expected to take place tomorrow.

Glenn is also considered a finalist for the Cardinals head coaching job, and Josina Anderson of CBS Sports tweets the NFC West team would like to talk more with him ahead of its decision. While the Cards’ HC search has not received as much attention as the Colts’ expansive process, the they added some new candidates to the mix Monday. Glenn was part of the original process and went through his first interview Jan. 21.

The 50-year-old helped boost his stock following a strong second half of the season in Detroit. During the Lions’ 8-2 finish, the defense yielded 20.2 points per game, the 11th-best mark in the league. Glenn also earned praise for his development of defensive players like Aidan Hutchinson, James Houston, Jeff Okudah, and Kerby Joseph, putting the coach firmly on the HC radar.

Among all the teams with head coaching vacancies, the Colts have cast the widest net, interviewing 13 candidates for the position. We’ve heard recently that the organization had moved on to the second phase of their search. The team conducted a second interview with Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan today after having previously conducted second interviews with interim HC Jeff Saturday, Broncos defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, and Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris.

Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, Packers special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia, Giants defensive coordinator Don Martindale, Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen, and Colts special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone have also been mentioned as finalists. Considering all the names that are still in the running, Nate Akins of the Indy Star is a bit skeptical that these are indeed “finalists” and hints that the organization could require another round of interviews after this (Twitter link).

Panthers To Hire Duce Staley, Request OC Interview With Jim Bob Cooter

February 1st, 2023 at 4:01pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Lions will lose a key assistant to Frank Reich‘s new Panthers staff. Detroit running backs coach Duce Staley will rejoin Reich in Carolina, Dan Graziano of ESPN.com tweets.

Reich and Staley worked together with the Eagles from 2016-17, and while Staley was under contract with the Lions, they chose not to block the maneuver. The Lions will let Staley out of his contract, Justin Rogers of the Detroit News reports, so he can move closer to his mother. Staley’s mother, whom Rogers adds is battling health issues, lives in South Carolina. Staley grew up in Columbia, S.C.

Staley, 47, had been on Dan Campbell‘s staff for the past two years, moving to Michigan after 10 seasons in Philly, his primary team during his playing career. The former Eagles running back worked as their running backs coach from 2013-20. Staley has interviewed for the Eagles and Giants’ OC positions during the late 2010s and took over as Philly’s HC temporarily in 2020, during a Doug Pederson COVID-19 spell, but it does not appear Staley is joining Reich’s staff in a coordinator role.

Staley’s role is uncertain, but he stands to be one of Reich’s top assistants. The Lions made a surprise playoff push during the season’s second half, and Jamaal Williams provided an equally stunning performance to help drive it. Williams finished with the league lead in rushing touchdowns (17) and smashed his previous career yardage high with 1,066.

The Panthers are moving forward on their OC search, requesting to interview Jaguars passing-game coordinator Jim Bob Cooter, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. As he was with Tampa Bay, Cooter is believed to be Carolina’s first interview request for this job.

Reich has not committed to calling plays just yet. Despite David Tepper coming out against CEO-type coaches, Reich noted a recent trend of HCs not calling plays in indicating (via ESPN.com’s David Newton) he has not made that decision. The Cowboys, Eagles and Giants represent recent examples of offense-oriented HCs ceding play-calling duties to lieutenants, though Mike McCarthy will go the other way — intending to call plays after dismissing Kellen Moore — in 2023. It will be interesting if Reich, the Colts’ play-caller throughout his tenure, follows suit. That will make the OC position a more prominent role in Carolina.

Cooter, 38, also has experience in Detroit; his Lions stay doubles as his most relevant NFL work. The Lions promoted their then-31-year-old staffer to OC during the 2015 season. Cooter stayed in that role through the 2018 slate, keeping the gig for a year despite the Lions firing Jim Caldwell. Cooter and Reich were each on the Colts’ staff from 2009-11, with Reich coaching Indy’s QBs and wideouts and Cooter starting out as an offensive assistant. Cooter’s past with Pederson, who hired Reich as Eagles OC in 2016, also could check a box here.

Given Trevor Lawrence‘s second-year production, teams have wanted to speak with Cooter. The Buccaneers have not made a decision about their OC yet, so Cooter is now in play for two positions. He has not been a coordinator since the Lions let him go four years ago.

Lions LB Alex Anzalone Seeking Multi-Year Deal?

January 31st, 2023 at 9:57am CST by Adam La Rose

The Lions’ late push for a playoff spot was driven in part by the team’s defensive turnaround to close out the regular season. One veteran member of the unit would be open to another contract keeping him in the Motor City, though another one-year pact may not be an option this year.

Linebacker Alex Anzalone signed a one-year deal in the 2021 offseason to join the Lions after starting his career in New Orleans. His level of play during that campaign earned him another one-year pact, this time at a value of $2.25MM, a slight raise from the previous contract. After a career-year in terms of production, he is now set to hit the free agent market.

The 28-year-old started all 17 games in 2022, seeing the field for over 1,000 snaps for the first time in his career. He comfortably set a new personal mark in terms of tackles with 125, adding 1.5 sacks, one interception and six pass breakups. While those totals didn’t yield a particularly glowing evaluation in terms of PFF grade, it still made him a valuable member of Detroit’s defense. When speaking about his future, the former third-rounder left the door open to once again re-upping with the Lions.

“I feel like obviously it’s a fit, but there are multiple layers to that,” Anzalone said, via the team’s website. “I’m going into Year 7 and you have to take care of your family, but I love [head coach] Dan [Campbell] and AG [defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn] and love what they are doing here.”

Anzalone’s production in 2022 has led to a sense that he will look for a longer-term deal this March after consecutive one-year stints. Given the valuation of his position, a significant raise compared to his previous deals would be unlikely at his age, however. If he were to move on in free agency, the Lions could turn to the likes of Derrick Barnes and Josh Woods at the second level of their defense.

That area is likely to be a key focus of theirs during the offseason, as they look to improve on the defensive side of the ball in particular. The Lions are currently in better shape than most teams with respect to cap space, though much will surely change between now and the onset of free agency, including their valuation of Anzalone and several other veteran defenders.

NFC North Rumors: Bears, Bradbury, Lions

January 28th, 2023 at 4:36pm CST by Ely Allen

The Bears made waves recently when they announced the addition of Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren as the new president and CEO in Chicago. The addition resulted in a number of questions about Warren’s responsibilities and how they will compare to those of general manager Ryan Poles. While Poles will report to Warren in the grand scheme of things, the Bears will leave the football aspect of the team to Poles, allowing Warren to focus on business, according to Adam Jahns of The Athletic.

This is similar to Warren’s past roles in the NFL, specifically his time in Minnesota as chief operating officer. Warren worked hand-in-hand with former Vikings general manager Rick Spielman for several years before Warren moved on to the Big Ten. Spielman told Jahns that he operated with Warren in a similar manner to how the Bears plan to operate, with Spielman focused on football and Warren on business. The only difference in Chicago is that, while Spielman and Warren both reported to Vikings’ ownership, Poles is now reporting directly to Warren.

Here are a few other rumors from around the NFC North concerning some likely offseason transactions:

Vikings center Garrett Bradbury struggled as a first-round selection up until this season. In his first three years of NFL football, Bradbury’s best season in 2020 saw him rank 25th out of 36 graded centers, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). The other two years saw Bradbury rank 28th in 2019 and 29th in 2021, leading to Minnesota declining his fifth-year option heading into this season. After a hot start to the season that considerably raised his stock as a pending free agent, Bradbury iterated that he loved his team and preferred to stay in Minnesota. Three and a half months later and Bradbury finished off his hot season for a career year that saw him rank 11th out of 38 graded centers. With free agency on the horizon, Bradbury was asked again and, according to Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, he reiterated his desires to re-sign with the team that drafted him.
Unlike Bradbury, Lions guard Jonah Jackson is fully locked into his starting position at left guard heading into his contract year. If he has his way, though, the 25-year-old won’t even sniff free agency. Jackson told Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press that he is fully open to remaining with the Lions long-term. “I would retire in Detroit,” Jackson said. “I would love to be a Lion forever. I love the city.” Jackson isn’t expected to earn a top guard contract but still may fetch a significant deal worth $13-15MM. He made sure to clarify that if it doesn’t happen, he doesn’t intend to hold out. “If it doesn’t (happen), I’m the same guy, the same 73 who showed up for work every day from COVID Year 1 to now…If it happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t.”
Another player who is getting ahead of free agency, Bears wide receiver Darnell Mooney signed with a new agency in advance of potential contract extension negotiations, according to the official Twitter account of Athletes First sports agency. Mooney came back down to reality this year after a stellar 2021 season, partially due to injuries that kept him out of the final five games of the season. Mooney still has the ability to be a 1,000-yard receiver like he was a year ago and should benefit from another year of experience and improvement for quarterback Justin Fields. Taking action with his representation could indicate that Mooney is ready to start working towards a long-term extension before a contract year next season.

Cardinals Hire Lions’ Dave Sears As Assistant GM

January 21st, 2023 at 4:16pm CST by Ely Allen

The Cardinals decided to go outside the building when choosing new general manager Monti Ossenfort‘s assistant general manager, hiring Lions director of college scouting Dave Sears, as reported by Ian Rapoport of NFL Network this morning. The move will be a reunion for Ossenfort and Sears who worked together for the Texans as college scouts.

Sears left Houston for Detroit in 2007 and has been with the Lions ever since working his way up from regional scout to his current role, which he’s held since 2019. Sears has been integral in the team’s draft process, serving as the intermediary between area scouts and the decision-makers of the draft.

Sears will become the No. 2 behind Ossenfort, who was hired as the Cardinals’ general manager earlier this week. The move to bring Ossenfort and Sears in from outside the building is an interesting one considering the Cardinals had two capable candidates for both positions in vice president of pro personnel Adrian Wilson and vice president of player personnel Quentin Harris, who served together filling the interim duties of general manager during Steve Keim‘s leave of absence.

Both Wilson and Harris interviewed for the open general manager position, and both are more than qualified for the assistant role. If the franchise is adamant on bring in new blood to the front office, it may be spelling the end for Wilson and Harris’s time in Arizona. The team had also interviewed Bears assistant general manager Ian Cunningham, who reportedly turned down the job after receiving an offer, according to Jay Glazer of FOX Sports. Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports echoes Glazer’s report, saying that Cunningham was Arizona’s first choice and that Cunningham declined the position because the “fit” was not right.

The Cardinals are now set moving forward with Ossenfort and Sears leading in the front office. They currently also still have Wilson and Harris in their current positions creating a strong group of top executives in the player personnel office.

OC Ben Johnson To Stay With Lions

January 19th, 2023 at 11:44am CST by Sam Robinson

JANUARY 19: As could be expected, the Lions will reward Johnson for staying. The second-year Detroit OC will receive a large pay raise, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). While the Byron Leftwich development shows the risk of coordinators bypassing potential opportunities, Johnson will be attached a higher salary ahead of a potential 2024 HC bid.

JANUARY 17: Part of multiple teams’ HC searches during this year’s cycle, Ben Johnson is bowing out. The young offensive coordinator is opting to stay with the Lions, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.

Despite entering this season having not called plays before, Johnson became a hot name. The Colts, Panthers and Texans requested interviews with him. Carolina’s meeting was to take place Wednesday, but that will no longer come to pass.

Johnson, 36, had already interviewed virtually with the Colts and Texans. But he was viewed as a frontrunner for the Panthers job. Assistants’ stocks can change quickly, making Johnson’s decision somewhat risky, but the Detroit play-caller views the Detroit situation as promising enough to pass on this year’s lot of available jobs.

Dan Campbell promoted Johnson to OC last year, after the team moved on from Anthony Lynn after one season. The Lions’ offense led the way to the team becoming one of the season’s biggest surprises. Jared Goff delivered a bounce-back showing, ranking fifth in QBR and going from bridge starter to a player the Lions believe they can use as a long-term option. Jamaal Williams also led the NFL in rushing touchdowns. The former Packers draftee finished the season with 17, breaking Barry Sanders‘ record during the Lions’ upset win in Green Bay that prevented a Pack playoff appearance.

The Lions also have Amon-Ra St. Brown signed through 2024 and Jameson Williams inked through 2025. Williams stands to be available for all of 2023, after his January ACL tear shelved him for much of this season. The team wants to bring back DJ Chark, and the former Jaguars second-round pick said recently (via the Detroit News’ Justin Rogers) he wants to stay in Detroit. D’Andre Swift battled injuries this season, and Williams’ rise impeded the 2020 second-rounder’s role. But he remains under contract. Although Williams is a free agent, his Hard Knocks performance and season-wrapping NBC interview certainly point to an interest in sticking around. The Lions also have four starting offensive linemen from this season under contract for 2023.

This would set up Johnson to draw interest again in 2024, though he is passing on parlaying his first Detroit OC season — which produced top-five rankings in scoring, yardage and DVOA — into a gig this year. But Johnson has been with the Lions since 2019, moving from the quality control level to tight ends coach to OC. While Matt Patricia hired Johnson, he had worked with Campbell in Miami. Johnson will bet on his value remaining high at this time next year.

Cardinals To Interview Lions DC Aaron Glenn For HC Job

January 18th, 2023 at 6:15pm CST by Ben Levine

Day by day, the Cardinals continue to add names to their head coaching search. The latest candidate is Aaron Glenn, with NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reporting (via Twitter) that the Cardinals have requested permission to interview the Lions defensive coordinator for their head coaching vacancy. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport tweets that Glenn will meet with the organization on Saturday.

It was only a few months ago that Glenn was rumored to be on the hot seat following Detroit’s 1-6 start to the 2022 campaign. The Lions managed to turn around their season with an 8-2 finish, putting Glenn back on the coaching radar. A year after having interviewed for the Saints’ head coaching position, Glenn got an interview with the Colts for their current vacancy. Ben Johnson was also a popular coaching candidate following the Lions’ season, but the offensive coordinator ultimately decided to stick in Detroit.

Glenn made a name for himself as the Saints defensive backs coach, a role he held for five years. He took over the Lions gig in 2021, and while the defense still allowed the most yards and the fifth-most points in the NFL in 2022, he earned praise for his development of defensive players like Aidan Hutchinson, James Houston, Jeff Okudah and Kerby Joseph.

We heard last night that the Cardinals had requested permission to interview Broncos defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero. He was added to a growing list of candidates that also includes Steelers linebackers coach Brian Flores (who was also mentioned as a potential favorite), Cardinals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, former Saints head coach Sean Payton, former Colts head coach Frank Reich, and 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans. Besides Payton and Reich, the coaching candidates all come with a defensive pedigree, which is perhaps a hint that the Cardinals are looking to pivot from the offensive-focus of former head coach Kliff Kingsbury.

Lions GM Brad Holmes Backs Jared Goff As Starting QB

January 15th, 2023 at 4:57pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Lions engineered a remarkable turnaround late in the season, and nearly managed to clinch the NFC’s final playoff spot on the back of their offensive efficiency in particular. Detroit’s play under center is now likely to lead to continuity at the position into 2023.

Lions general manager Brad Holmes endorsed Jared Goff as the team’s top signal-caller when speaking to the media in his season-ending news conference. That would have come as a surprise not long ago, as their acquisition of the 28-year-old was widely thought to simply make him a ‘bridge’ starter likely resulting in a younger option being drafted not long after.

That sentiment remained true well into the start of the 2022 season, when the Lions sat at 1-5 and they appeared to be destined for one of the top spots (if not the No. 1 slot) in this spring’s draft. However, Goff helped guide the team to a 5-1 record to close out the season as they continued to showcase their surprising production both in the passing game and on the ground.

Goff himself was efficient in the process, going nine straight games without throwing an interception to finish the season. The former Ram added 15 touchdowns and averaged over 266 yards per game during that span, adding to his chances of his new team committing to him for the long haul. He is under contract for two more years with cap hits of $30.9MM and $31.9MM, but there is no guaranteed money remaining on his deal.

“I think it’s a lot easier to get worse at quarterback than to get better at quarterback, in this league,” Holmes said, via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (subscription required). “And so, I think what Jared has done this year, he captained the ship of a top-three offense, and I want to say he was top-10 statistically in most of the passing categories. And again, you know how we approach the draft like we’re never going to turn down a good football player, so if there’s a football player we really love, we’re going to make sure every stone is unturned. But I do think that Jared has proven everybody that he is the starting quarterback for us.”

Indeed, the Rams’ collapse this season leaves Detroit with the No. 6 pick in this year’s draft owing to the Goff-Matthew Stafford swap from last year. The Lions’ own pick sits at 18, so they will have multiple opportunities to draft someone to compete with Goff in the near term or succeed him down the road. Regardless of what this offseason brings, though, the matter of the Lions’ 2023 QB situation appears to be far more certain now than it was in the fall.

Lions Interested In Re-Signing WR DJ Chark, DL John Cominsky

January 12th, 2023 at 9:30pm CST by Ben Levine

The Lions have interest in retaining free agents on both sides of the ball. When asked about the impending free agencies of wide receiver DJ Chark and defensive lineman John Cominsky, Lions GM Brad Holmes made it clear that he’d like to re-sign the two players.

“Those guys had good years and, look, as long as their fits for our culture and what we’re trying to build and where we’re going, yeah, absolutely [we’d like to re-sign them],” Holmes said (via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press).

After starting his career with the Jaguars, Chark inked a one-year, $10MM deal with the Lions last offseason. The wideout ended up starting 10 of his 11 games, hauling in 30 receptions for 502 yards and three touchdowns. Chark suffered an ankle injury in Week 3 that kept him off the field until the middle of November.

Following three forgettable seasons in Atlanta to start his career, Cominsky was claimed by the Lions in May. He ended up starting eight of his 14 games in 2022, ranking second on the team in QB pressures and hits. For his efforts, Pro Football Focus ranked Cominsky 47th among 119 qualifying edge defenders, including one of the best grades at the position for coverage. The defensive end seems to share his GM’s sentiment, telling Kyle Meinke of MLive that he’d like to stick around Detroit.

“I do want to be here,” Cominksy said. “I’ve told all the coaches. I’ve told players. I want to be here. I want to be with these guys. We have a young room (and) I would love to be that veteran in that room. (Josh) Paschal, Demetrius Taylor, Aidan Hutchinson and James Houston. I love all those guys. To be here and to be a leader and mentor for them, I would love that.”

NFC Injury Rumors: Rams, Commanders, Penning, Swift

January 11th, 2023 at 9:10pm CST by Ely Allen

Rams rookie safety Russ Yeast endured a scary moment on Sunday in the team’s loss to the Seahawks, according to Sarah Barshop of ESPN. The seventh-round pick earned the first start of his career in place of Nick Scott, who was placed on injured reserve last week.

In the game, Yeast suffered a pulmonary contusion and needed to be taken to the hospital via ambulance. Head coach Sean McVay told reporters that Yeast was in stable condition but would stay in the hospital overnight. Yeast was reportedly scheduled to return to Los Angeles on Monday, according to The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue.

Following the dramatic events around Bills safety Damar Hamlin, another cardiac event requiring a hospital visit was the last thing the NFL wanted to see in Week 18.

Here are a few other injury rumors from around the NFC:

As the Commanders‘ season came to an end, Washington decided to address some players’ injuries, according to Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post. Head coach Ron Rivera informed the media before their final regular season matchup that running back Antonio Gibson underwent surgery to repair a fracture in his foot. Additionally, defensive tackle John Ridgeway tore a pectoral muscle in the team’s season finale against the Cowboys. He’ll have the full offseason to recover.
Saints first round rookie tackle Trevor Penning missed much of his first NFL season with a foot injury. What was initially thought to be a “bad case of turf toe” ended up being a torn ligament in his foot, resulting in him missing the first 11 games of his debut season. Penning would eventually work his way back and earn some snaps as a backup lineman before earning the first start of his career in Week 18. Unfortunately, a rough start for the Northern Iowa product has gotten even tougher as he suffered a Lisfranc injury in the season finale against the Panthers, according to Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football. Penning faces a long recovery of approximately five to six months, but if he can come back by June, he should be able to make it back for part of the offseason training program in New Orleans.
Early in the season, Lions running back D’Andre Swift suffered a high ankle sprain and a separated shoulder that would dog him for the rest of the year. Despite playing through those ailments for much of the season, there doesn’t appear to be any need for surgery in the offseason, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Swift will reportedly meet with medical professionals in the next few weeks but is under the impression that, come next season, he will be fully healthy and ready to go.

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