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Detroit Sports Forum - Deep Dish Discussions
Breaking down the NFLPA's report card for the Detroit Lions
The NFLPA conducted a broad polling of its player constituency for the second year in a row. The player’s union published the report card for all 32 teams based on the 2023 player survey.
Detroit fared better in the 2023 survey and grading than the Lions did in 2022, the first year of the initiative launched by NFLPA president JC Tretter.
The full set of Lions grades from the NFLPA’s report card:
Breaking down some of the individual categories, the Lions showed some improvement.
The training staff ranked 12th, but that’s a big step forward from last year’s No. 22 ranking. The Lions overhauled the training staff, and the reception to the changes has been...
Detroit fared better in the 2023 survey and grading than the Lions did in 2022, the first year of the initiative launched by NFLPA president JC Tretter.
The full set of Lions grades from the NFLPA’s report card:
Breaking down some of the individual categories, the Lions showed some improvement.
The training staff ranked 12th, but that’s a big step forward from last year’s No. 22 ranking. The Lions overhauled the training staff, and the reception to the changes has been...
Jalen Reeves-Maybin earned a record contract for a core special teams player
The details of linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin’s new contract extension with the Detroit Lions are starting to come out. It’s a record-setting deal for the veteran LB and special teams ace.
Per his agent, Brian McLaughlin, Reeves-Maybin signed a two-year contract extension with the Lions worth up to $8 million. The deal includes a $2.5 million signing bonus for Reeves-Maybin, an All-Pro on special teams in 2023.
Reeves-Maybin will earn $5.245 million fully guaranteed in the new deal, which locks him into Detroit through the 2025 season. He was slated to be a free agent later in March prior to the extension. The recent bump in the salary cap helped make the record deal work.
The 29-year-old played just under 100 snaps on defense as a reserve linebacker...
Per his agent, Brian McLaughlin, Reeves-Maybin signed a two-year contract extension with the Lions worth up to $8 million. The deal includes a $2.5 million signing bonus for Reeves-Maybin, an All-Pro on special teams in 2023.
Reeves-Maybin will earn $5.245 million fully guaranteed in the new deal, which locks him into Detroit through the 2025 season. He was slated to be a free agent later in March prior to the extension. The recent bump in the salary cap helped make the record deal work.
The 29-year-old played just under 100 snaps on defense as a reserve linebacker...
Lions agree to contract extension with LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin
Today it was announced that the Detroit Lions agreed to a contract extension with linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin. The extension was confirmed by Reeves-Maybin’s agent, Brian McLaughlin and it was announced by Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network.
The details of the contract were confirmed as a two-year contract at $7.5 million deal worth a max of $8 million. The deal...
The details of the contract were confirmed as a two-year contract at $7.5 million deal worth a max of $8 million. The deal...
Dolphins cut top corner who could be target for Lions
As we get closer and closer to free agency, teams will be making surprising moves. The first “woah” cut of the 2024 calendar year came out of Miami when they parted ways with cornerback Xavien Howard.
The former Baylor Bear is coming off signing a five-year deal with Miami in 2022. The Dolphins however found themselves in a tough cap situation and had to make the move to cut the former Pro Bowler.
Howard is expected to be a top priority for teams in free agency, and the Lions should be at the top of the list.
Brad Holmes and the Lions have the 6th-highest salary cap money6th-highest salary cap money available at this point in the calendar. Howard’s deal he signed last year had an average salary of just over $10 million per year. That sort of deal would and should be a no-brainer for Holmes to attempt to make.
Howard led the league in interceptions in 2020...
The former Baylor Bear is coming off signing a five-year deal with Miami in 2022. The Dolphins however found themselves in a tough cap situation and had to make the move to cut the former Pro Bowler.
Howard is expected to be a top priority for teams in free agency, and the Lions should be at the top of the list.
Brad Holmes and the Lions have the 6th-highest salary cap money6th-highest salary cap money available at this point in the calendar. Howard’s deal he signed last year had an average salary of just over $10 million per year. That sort of deal would and should be a no-brainer for Holmes to attempt to make.
Howard led the league in interceptions in 2020...
Lions 2024 Draft Prospect of the Day: Jer'Zhan "Johnny" Newton, DT, Illinois
The Lions Draft Prospect of the Day features arguably the top interior defensive lineman in the 2024 NFL draft.
The focus is on players who should hold some appeal to the Lions in the draft, with a focus on the more likely positions the team will be targeting. If you’re looking for quarterbacks or upper-echelon running backs, you’re probably not going to find those here. Outside cornerbacks, defensive linemen, interior offensive linemen, some wide receivers and offensive tackles figure to appear along the path to April’s draft. Not all of the players will be top-100 prospects, either.
Today’s prospect is a wrecking ball of a defensive tackle who unfortunately won’t be participating in next week’s NFL Scouting Combine due to injury.
Height: 6-2
Weight: 295 (listed by Illinois)
Jer’Zhan is now officially recognized as “Johnny,” and he’ll...
The focus is on players who should hold some appeal to the Lions in the draft, with a focus on the more likely positions the team will be targeting. If you’re looking for quarterbacks or upper-echelon running backs, you’re probably not going to find those here. Outside cornerbacks, defensive linemen, interior offensive linemen, some wide receivers and offensive tackles figure to appear along the path to April’s draft. Not all of the players will be top-100 prospects, either.
Today’s prospect is a wrecking ball of a defensive tackle who unfortunately won’t be participating in next week’s NFL Scouting Combine due to injury.
Johnny Newton, DT, Illinois
Height: 6-2
Weight: 295 (listed by Illinois)
Jer’Zhan is now officially recognized as “Johnny,” and he’ll...
NFL sets the salary cap for 2024; Lions rank 6th in available cap room
The NFL revealed the official salary cap limit for the 2024 season at a significantly higher figure than last year’s cap. The cap jumped up some $30.6 million to $255.4 million for each team.
From the NFL’s press release,
The NFL announced today that the 2024 Salary Cap will be $255.4 million per club, with an additional $74 million per club payment for player benefits, which includes Performance Based Pay and benefits for retired players. Total 2024 player costs will be $329.4 million per club, or more than $10.5 billion league-wide.
With the new figure, the Detroit Lions have $55,919,783 in available cap room per Over The Cap. That’s a figure around $12 million higher than was anticipated, giving the Lions more cap room to extend contracts...
From the NFL’s press release,
The NFL announced today that the 2024 Salary Cap will be $255.4 million per club, with an additional $74 million per club payment for player benefits, which includes Performance Based Pay and benefits for retired players. Total 2024 player costs will be $329.4 million per club, or more than $10.5 billion league-wide.
With the new figure, the Detroit Lions have $55,919,783 in available cap room per Over The Cap. That’s a figure around $12 million higher than was anticipated, giving the Lions more cap room to extend contracts...
PFF says Lions need to make a splash in free agency
NFL free agency is under three weeks away and front office’s and scouting departments are putting offers and reports together for their team. The Lions especially have shown they can be active in free agency but they have never “made a splash.”
PFF says that trend needs to change in 2024.
Speaking on the PFF NFL Stock Exchange podcast, hosts Trevor Sikemma and Brad Spielberger discussed areas of focus for the Lions. They said the guard class in free agency is deep enough that they can find someone to replace Jonah Jackon if he is asking too much money. Names such as Robert Hunt and Kevon Dotson were discussed as possible replacements.
Another position they highlighted was the defensive line group and they threw out an interesting name to add to the edge position. Khalil Mack could be either traded or a cap causality from the Chargers. Spielberger threw his name out as a nice pairing with Aidan Hutchison along the defensive front.
Mack has a veteran mindset and has shown he has...
PFF says that trend needs to change in 2024.
Speaking on the PFF NFL Stock Exchange podcast, hosts Trevor Sikemma and Brad Spielberger discussed areas of focus for the Lions. They said the guard class in free agency is deep enough that they can find someone to replace Jonah Jackon if he is asking too much money. Names such as Robert Hunt and Kevon Dotson were discussed as possible replacements.
Another position they highlighted was the defensive line group and they threw out an interesting name to add to the edge position. Khalil Mack could be either traded or a cap causality from the Chargers. Spielberger threw his name out as a nice pairing with Aidan Hutchison along the defensive front.
Mack has a veteran mindset and has shown he has...
Lions re-sign K Michael Badgley
Cross one name off the lost of pending free agents for the Detroit Lions. The team announced on Thursday that it has re-signed kicker Michael Badgley.
Badgley was set to be a free agent after his one-year deal in Detroit expired, but the Lions are bringing him back for a potential third season. He was Detroit’s kicker in 2022 and returned to replace Riley Patterson midway through 2023.
The veteran set a Lions playoff record with a 54-yard field goal in the wild card win over the Rams.
Terms of the deal are not yet publicly available.
Continue reading...
Badgley was set to be a free agent after his one-year deal in Detroit expired, but the Lions are bringing him back for a potential third season. He was Detroit’s kicker in 2022 and returned to replace Riley Patterson midway through 2023.
The veteran set a Lions playoff record with a 54-yard field goal in the wild card win over the Rams.
Terms of the deal are not yet publicly available.
Continue reading...
Dre Bly, John Fox among the coaches moving on from the Lions
In light of the official hiring of three new defensive coaches, the Detroit Lions also had to subtract a few coaches from the team.
A couple of the departures were already known. Defensive line coach John Scott was replaced during Senior Bowl week by new DL coach and run game coordinator Terrell Williams. DBs coach Brian Duker left for the Miami Dolphins last week.
One more positional coach has also been let go. Cornerbacks coach Dre Bly no longer appears on the team’s coaching roster. Like Scott, Bly was brought in from the college ranks for the 2023 season. His group didn’t show a lot of progress, and his departure is not exactly a surprise.
Defensive quality control coach Wayne Blair is also no longer with the team. His contract...
A couple of the departures were already known. Defensive line coach John Scott was replaced during Senior Bowl week by new DL coach and run game coordinator Terrell Williams. DBs coach Brian Duker left for the Miami Dolphins last week.
One more positional coach has also been let go. Cornerbacks coach Dre Bly no longer appears on the team’s coaching roster. Like Scott, Bly was brought in from the college ranks for the 2023 season. His group didn’t show a lot of progress, and his departure is not exactly a surprise.
Defensive quality control coach Wayne Blair is also no longer with the team. His contract...
Former Lions QB David Blough joins Washington Commanders coaching staff
Turns out someone is joining the Washington Commanders coaching staff from the Lions after all. After Ben Johnson decided to stay in Detroit instead of taking the Commanders head coach position they hired Dan Quinn from the Dallas Cowboys. Quinn has been building up his staff and his new assistant quarterbacks coach is former Lions quarterback David Blough.
Blough finished the 2023 season on the Lions practice squad while also serving as the third quarterback for the team.
Blough had previously been on the Lions from 2019 to 2021. His cutting from the roster was filmed on Hard Knocks, from there he would bounce around on the Minnesota Vikings and Arizona Cardinals rosters.
Outside of football, Blough also had his wife, Melissa Gonzalez, compete in trials for the Olympics on the show with his reaction going viral in the process.
Lions coach...
Blough finished the 2023 season on the Lions practice squad while also serving as the third quarterback for the team.
Blough had previously been on the Lions from 2019 to 2021. His cutting from the roster was filmed on Hard Knocks, from there he would bounce around on the Minnesota Vikings and Arizona Cardinals rosters.
Outside of football, Blough also had his wife, Melissa Gonzalez, compete in trials for the Olympics on the show with his reaction going viral in the process.
Lions coach...
Report: Lions and Amon-Ra St. Brown working toward huge contract extension
The Detroit Lions and star wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown are in progressive talks toward a contract extension that will make No. 14 one of the highest-paid wideouts in the NFL. A report from Cam Marino indicates the two sides are working on a multi-year deal that would pay St. Brown in the $25 million per season range.
The idea of the Lions prioritizing an extension to lock up St. Brown is well speculated already. In his year-ending press conferenceyear-ending press conference, GM Brad Holmes alluded to the prospect of signing the Lions’ own players. St. Brown would be at the top of that list as an All-Pro entering the final year of his contract.
The idea of the Lions prioritizing an extension to lock up St. Brown is well speculated already. In his year-ending press conferenceyear-ending press conference, GM Brad Holmes alluded to the prospect of signing the Lions’ own players. St. Brown would be at the top of that list as an All-Pro entering the final year of his contract.
Related
...Get ready for more void years in Lions contracts
It’s still a little early to know which players the Lions will be chasing in free agency. However, it’s a pretty safe bet that some of the free agent signings, and also contract extensions, will include a void year or two in their contracts.
The automatic void year is a tool that COO Mike Disner and GM Brad Holmes have repeatedly used in managing the Lions salary cap. The void years spread out the cap hit of a new contract, intentionally amortizing the value over a longer period than the player will actually play for Detroit.
The Lions have been very good about avoiding unintentional dead money. Void years are a little different, even though the accounting ledger shifts the void years to dead money once the contract expires. The void years are a deliberate, intentional creation of dead cap obligations in order to make the contract more affordable at the time of...
The automatic void year is a tool that COO Mike Disner and GM Brad Holmes have repeatedly used in managing the Lions salary cap. The void years spread out the cap hit of a new contract, intentionally amortizing the value over a longer period than the player will actually play for Detroit.
The Lions have been very good about avoiding unintentional dead money. Void years are a little different, even though the accounting ledger shifts the void years to dead money once the contract expires. The void years are a deliberate, intentional creation of dead cap obligations in order to make the contract more affordable at the time of...
Lions to sign top CFL pass rusher as a free agent
The Detroit Lions are looking for some potential pass rush help from a more northerly Lion. According to TSN’s Farhan Lalji, Detroit is signing CFL standout Mathieu Betts from the British Columbia Lions.
Betts, 28, set the Canadian Football League record for sacks in a season with his 18 in 2023. That earned Betts the Most Outstanding Defensive Player in 2023. He racked up 25 total sacks in two seasons for the BC Lions.
He is a product of Laval and participated in the 2019 Shrine Game, earning an undrafted rookie shot with the Chicago Bears. After being cut that summer, he went back home to Canada.
It took some time for Betts to blossom. He had just two sacks in his first two seasons in the CFL with the Edmonton Elks before moving onto the Lions.
Betts, 28, set the Canadian Football League record for sacks in a season with his 18 in 2023. That earned Betts the Most Outstanding Defensive Player in 2023. He racked up 25 total sacks in two seasons for the BC Lions.
He is a product of Laval and participated in the 2019 Shrine Game, earning an undrafted rookie shot with the Chicago Bears. After being cut that summer, he went back home to Canada.
It took some time for Betts to blossom. He had just two sacks in his first two seasons in the CFL with the Edmonton Elks before moving onto the Lions.
Lions DB coach Brian Duker hired by the Dolphins
The first offseason position coaching change has struck the Detroit Lions. Secondary coach Brian Duker is leaving Drtroit to join the Miami Dolphins in a similar capacity.
Duker has been with the Lions for the entire Dan Campbell tenure. He was the safeties coach before being promoted to defensive backs coach in the 2022 season. He will be the defensive backs coach and defensive passing game coordinator for the Dolphins.
The Lions hired Deshea Tonwsend into that role during the week, so Duker’s replacement is already hires. Townsend’s hiring is expected to be made official soon, along with new defensive line coach and defensive run game coordinator Terrell Williams.defensive run game coordinator Terrell Williams....
Duker has been with the Lions for the entire Dan Campbell tenure. He was the safeties coach before being promoted to defensive backs coach in the 2022 season. He will be the defensive backs coach and defensive passing game coordinator for the Dolphins.
The Lions hired Deshea Tonwsend into that role during the week, so Duker’s replacement is already hires. Townsend’s hiring is expected to be made official soon, along with new defensive line coach and defensive run game coordinator Terrell Williams.defensive run game coordinator Terrell Williams....
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