Lions Cut Christian Jones, Russell Bodine
The Lions have released center Russell Bodine and linebacker Christian Jones, per a club announcement. In a related move, the Lions have also re-signed defensive back Mike Ford. 
The Lions will save just over $3.5MM between the two moves. Jones, the more expensive of the two, was set to earn $3.17MM this year — instead, Detroit will gain $2.55MM in additional flexibility. Jones hooked on with the Lions before the 2018 season and wound up starting all 16 games in Matt Patricia’s first year as coach. Then, midway through the 2019 season, he was re-upped on a two-year extension. He now exits with 177 tackles and three sacks across three seasons as a Lion.
Bodine, 29, opted out of the 2020 season at a time when he could have competed for a reserve spot behind interior linemen Joe Dahl, Frank Ragnow, and Jonah Jackson. A 2014 fourth-round pick by the Bengals, Bodine started 64 consecutive games for Cincinnati . He went on to appear in ten games for the Bills in 2018, but didn’t play an NFL snap in 2019, so he’s two years removed from live action.
Lions’ Russell Bodine Opts Out
Lions center Russell Bodine has become the 60th NFL player to opt out of the 2020 campaign, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (Twitter link).
Bodine, 28, signed a futures deal with Detroit during the offseason and could have competed for a reserve interior line spot behind starters Joe Dahl, Frank Ragnow, and Jonah Jackson. Instead, he’ll sit out the season due to COVID-19.
If Bodine has an existing condition that places him in a high-risk category, he’ll receive a $350K stipend that won’t need to be returned. If he’s simply opting out voluntarily, Bodine will get a $150K advance that would be recouped in 2021.
A fourth-round pick by the Bengals in 2014, Bodine started 64 consecutive games for Cincinnati before entering free agency in 2018. He appeared in 10 games for the Bills in 2018, but didn’t play an NFL snap last year.
2020 NFL Opt Out Tracker
Per an agreement between the NFL and the NFLPA, players with COVID-19 health concerns can opt out of the 2020 season. Initially, the deadline was believed to be Tuesday, August 4. Talks between the league and the union have pushed it to August 6.
Chiefs guard and medical school graduate Laurent Duvernay-Tardif was the first player to officially opt out. Scores of players followed.
Here’s the rundown, so far:
Baltimore Ravens
- OT Andre Smith (story)
- WR De’Anthony Thomas (story)
Buffalo Bills
- CB E.J. Gaines (story)
- DT Star Lotulelei (story)
Carolina Panthers
- LB Jordan Mack
- LB Christian Miller
Chicago Bears
- DT Eddie Goldman (story)
- S Jordan Lucas
Cincinnati Bengals
- T Isaiah Prince (story)
- DT Josh Tupou (story)
Cleveland Browns
- DT Andrew Billings
- T Drake Dorbeck
- G Colby Gossett
- G Drew Forbes
- G Malcolm Pridgedon
Dallas Cowboys
- CB Maurice Canady (story)
- WR Stephen Guidry
- FB Jamize Olawale
Denver Broncos
- DT Joel Heath
- DT Kyle Peko
Detroit Lions
- WR Geronimo Allison (story)
- DT John Atkins
- C Russell Bodine (story)
Green Bay Packers
- WR Devin Funchess (story)
Houston Texans
Indianapolis Colts
- DB Rolan Milligan
- LB Skai Moore
- DB Marvell Tell
Jacksonville Jaguars
- DE Lerentee McCray
- CB Rashaan Melvin (story)
- DT Al Woods (story)
Kansas City Chiefs
- G Laurent Duvernay-Tardif (story)
- T Lucas Niang (story)
- RB Damien Williams (story)
Las Vegas Raiders
- LB Ukeme Eligwe
- CB D.J. Killings
- DE Jeremiah Valoaga
Los Angeles Rams
Miami Dolphins
- WR Allen Hurns (story)
- WR Albert Wilson (story)
Minnesota Vikings
- NT Michael Pierce (story)
New England Patriots
- RB Brandon Bolden (story)
- T Marcus Cannon (story)
- S Patrick Chung (story)
- LB Dont’a Hightower (story)
- WR Marqise Lee (story)
- OL Najee Toran
- FB Danny Vitale (story)
New Orleans Saints
- TE Jason Vander Laan
- TE Cole Wick
New York Giants
- CB Sam Beal
- WR Da’Mari Scott
- T Nate Solder (story)
- CB Shakial Taylor
New York Jets
- WR Josh Doctson
- OL Leo Koloamatangi
- LB C.J. Mosley (story)
Philadelphia Eagles
San Francisco 49ers
- WR Travis Benjamin (story)
- OL Jake Brendel
- T Shon Coleman
Seattle Seahawks
- G Chance Warmack (story)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- T Brad Seaton
Tennessee Titans
- OL Anthony McKinney
Washington Football Team
Free agents
- G Larry Warford (story)
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 12/31/19
Here are the reserve/futures deals handed out on New Year’s Eve:
Cincinnati Bengals
- CB Winston Rose
Detroit Lions
- C Russell Bodine, TE Paul Butler, TE Matt Sokol
Miami Dolphins
- LB Jake Carlock, LB Terrill Hanks, WR Andy Jones, TE Chris Myarick, T Chidi Okeke, DT Durval Queiroz Neto, WR T.J. Rahming, WR Terry Wright
New York Jets
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
NFL Workout Updates: 12/23/19
Passing along some notable names from today’s workout circuit:
Detroit Lions
- CB Ken Crawley
Houston Texans
- RB Jeremy Cox, QB Nick Fitzgerald, TE Matt Flanagan, TE Cole Herdman, RB William Stanback
Jacksonville Jaguars
Seattle Seahawks
- DT Mike Hughes, DT Tomasi Laulile, DT Chris Nelson, DT Shakir Soto, DT Andrew Williams
Vikings Work Out OLs Russell Bodine, Marcus Martin
The Vikings are eyeing some offensive line reinforcement. ESPN’s Courtney Cronin reports (via Twitter) that the team worked out offensive linemen Russell Bodine and Marcus Martin.
Bodine, 27, has generally played center throughout his career. The 2014 fourth-rounder spent the first four seasons of his career with the Bengals, starting all 64 of his appearances. He signed a two-year deal with the Bills during the 2018 offseason, and he proceeded to appear in 10 games (10 starts) for Buffalo. He was traded to the Patriots back in August, but he was released a week later.
Martin, a 2014 third-round pick, has bounced around the league a bit since his three-year stint with the 49ers. The 25-year-old has 26 career games (24 starts) under his belt, but he hasn’t seen the field since the 2016 campaign. The offensive guard signed with the Seahawks this past offseason, but he was released by the team at the end of the preseason.
The Vikings recently placed Brett Jones on the injured reserve, but the center had only played a limited role with the organization. The Vikings didn’t play this past weekend, but Josh Kline was forced out of the lineup for Week 11 as he recovered from a concussion.
The Vikings also worked out a pair of running backs in Johnny Stanton and Ryan Yurachek. Stanton had a previous stint with the organization, with the collegiate quarterback trying his luck at fullback. Yurachek spent this past preseason with the Cowboys.
NFL Workout Updates: 11/18/19
Today’s updates from the workout circuit:
Cleveland Browns
- LB B.J. Blunt, Tank Carradine, WR Jawill Davis, S A.J. Howard, WR Damion Jeanpiere, WR Tyron Johnson, WR J’Mon Moore, S Jacob Thieneman, RB Roc Thomas, OL Leonard Wester
Houston Texans
- OL John Wetzel
Jacksonville Jaguars
- FB George Aston, TE Drew Belcher, TE Matt Flanagan, FB Ryan Yurachek
New York Jets
Oakland Raiders
- LB Malik Jefferson, RB Rod Smith, RB Mark Thompson
NFL Workout Updates: 9/24/19
Here is the latest from the workout circuit:
Arizona Cardinals
- S Chris Banjo (Twitter link via the Houston Chronicle’s Aaron Wilson)
Atlanta Falcons
- DE Jonathan Bonner, DE Hunter Dimick (Twitter link via Howard Balzer of BalzerFootball.com)
Buffalo Bills
- WR Quincy Adeboyejo, WR Reggie Davis, WR J.J. Jones, WR Darvin Kidsy, WR J’Mon Moore (Twitter link via Wilson)
Detroit Lions
- C Russell Bodine, OL Tyler Gauthier, DL Joel Heath, DL Frank Herron, DL Zach Kerr, DL Mike Pennel (Twitter link via Wilson)
Indianapolis Colts
- S Kentrell Brice, S Deiondre’ Hall, S A.J. Hendy, S Shalom Luani, DB Lafayette Pitts (per Wilson, on Twitter)
Miami Dolphins
- WR Emanuel Hall, WR Andy Jones, WR Damoun Patterson, WR DeAndre Thompkins (per Balzer, on Twitter)
New York Jets
- DB Blake Countess (per Wilson, on Twitter)
Oakland Raiders
- LB Reshard Cliett, LB Quentin Poling, LB Tegray Scales (Twitter link via Wilson)
Seattle Seahawks
- OL Brandon Hitner (via Wilson, on Twitter)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- QB Taryn Christion, RB Quinton Flowers, DB John Franklin, WR Ishmael Hyman, WR Marcus Johnson, WR Codey McElroy, WR Jaydon Mickens, QB Phillip Walker (via Balzer, on Twitter)
Tennessee Titans
- LB Davin Bellamy, LB Tre’ Crawford, DT Lyndon Johnson, LB Ahmad Thomas, DE Kevin Wilkins, LB Trevon Young (per Balzer, on Twitter)
Patriots Cut Russell Bodine
The Patriots are releasing newly acquired center Russell Bodine, according to Jim McBride of the Boston Globe (on Twitter). To take his place, they’ll re-sign center/guard James Ferentz.
The Pats shipped a sixth-round pick to the Bills for Bodine on August 30th. Apparently, in the last week or so, Bodine didn’t show enough to stick on the roster.
The Patriots initially carried Bodine on the 53-man squad, but he’s out of a job with just two days to go before the first Sunday of the NFL calendar. Ferentz, meanwhile, is back in the mix to help on the interior line, along with fellow new OLs Korey Cunningham and Jermaine Eluemunor.
Bills Trade C Russell Bodine To Patriots
The Patriots can’t stop trading. On Friday, they acquired center Russell Bodine from the Bills in exchange for a sixth-round pick, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter).
Specifically, the Patriots have been trading for offensive linemen all week long. This marks the third OL acquired by the Pats in trades in the past few days.
The Patriots’ offensive line depth has been hit hard in the wake of injuries to David Andrews and Hjalte Froholdt. Bodine can offer help on the interior, along with fellow new OLs Korey Cunningham and Jermaine Eluemunor.
For the Bills, it’s a low-cost acquisition of a late-round draft choice. They liked Bodine, but his presence was not required given the recovery of center Mitch Morse.