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Laugh now. But we'll see when they draft Richardson at 6.
I have no problem swinging for the fences and drafting a QB. I believe in Holmes and if he takes him then I'd back it. Drafting a QB is a fantastic long term move.
F#*K OHIO!!!
You're not only an amazingly beautiful man, but you're the greatest football mind to ever exist. <-- Jeffy Shittypants actually posted this. I knew he was in love with me.
I have no problem swinging for the fences and drafting a QB. I believe in Holmes and if he takes him then I'd back it. Drafting a QB is a fantastic long term move.
What if he drafts Carter?
Trickalicious - I don't think it is fair that the division rivals get to play the Lions twice. The Lions NEVER get to play the Lions, let alone twice.
Last spring, John Cominsky got a T-shirt from his agent with a motivational message scrawled across the chest: 1 year of focus and hustle can change your life forever.
On Wednesday, Cominsky wore the same black T-shirt for a trip to the Detroit Lions practice facility, a testament to the garment's truth.
Cut by the Atlanta Falcons at his request last May, Cominsky officially signed a two-year, $8.5 million contract to stay with the Lions on Wednesday. The deal includes another $1 million in incentives.
"That was a mindset thing and I liked it," Cominsky said of the shirt. "I put it on and I felt a little extra edge when I was working out and a little extra edge when I was walking around. I said I need about 10 more of those cause I’m going to be wearing them all year long, and here we are full circle. Signing the contract’s going to change my life and it’s true. So I hope it’s a testimony to anyone that they can just put their head down for 365 days and know that their life can change."
A bit player with the Falcons most of his first three NFL seasons, Cominsky played far and away the best football of his career last fall.
He set career-highs in sacks (four), tackles (30) and quarterback hits (12), and emerged as a key figure on the Lions defensive line, with the team going 9-3 in games he played and 0-5 when he was not on the field.
Cominsky made a brief foray into free agency this week, where he drew interest from other teams he declined to name. But he said Wednesday he always wanted to return to the Lions and got a text message from head coach Dan Campbell that helped seal the deal.
"Detroit was it all along," Cominsky said. "We wanted to be here. We wanted to get what we deserved and we also wanted to be here at the same time, so there was a little balance there and Detroit called us with something solid and Coach Campbell sent me a text saying, 'I’m dying to have you here,' and I told my wife, 'That’s it, I’m going to Detroit.' So here we are."
A part-time starter last year, Cominsky should play a similar role this fall on a defensive line that projects to be the strength of what should be an improved Lions defense.
Aidan Hutchinson, the runner-up for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, and fellow rookies James Houston and Josh Paschal combined for 19.5 sacks last season, and the Lions will return nine of 11 defensive starters after re-signing linebacker Alex Anzalone and nose tackle Isaiah Buggs this week.
Cominsky, 27, said he's "excited" about what the Lions have accomplished in free agency so far, signing two cornerbacks (Cam Sutton and Emmanuel Moseley) to compete for starting jobs and adding former Chicago Bears running back David Montgomery.
And as life-changing as his new contract is, he promised it won't change the way he plays.
"A lot of guys are motivated in a way that it’s the chip on your shoulder, you’re counted out and guys are motivated by that negativity and now this is different," he said. "This is a belief from the whole organization. A lot of people saying I believe in you and I want to see you succeed. So it’s a different type of motivation for me and it feels more pure. It’s all positive and it’s really exciting to prove everyone right, prove these coaches, the organization, the fans, family, myself, prove them right that I’m worth every bit of that contract, so very motivated moving forward."
Personal note: Rogers is wrong in this article of his. Jim Schwartz was fired after going 7-9 in 2013, the last year that WCF Sr. was in charge of the franchise while he was alive, not 2012.
Allen Park — Welcome to the next stage of the Detroit Lions' rebuild.
If you were unsure anything would be notably different this offseason — at least compared to the previous two under general manager Brad Holmes' stewardship — you were served official notice a little before 10 p.m. Tuesday night, when the team reached a three-year agreement with running back David Montgomery.
The Montgomery addition isn't some major splash that will consume the national news cycle for anything more than a couple of minutes, but it established two things. First, combined with the three-year agreement reached with cornerback Cameron Sutton a day earlier, Holmes is no longer patching the roster with a bunch of one-year prove-it deals. Those still and will forever have a place with this regime, but the team is now clearly looking to add more established pieces on multi-year contracts as it rounds the corner of contention.
The second thing the Montgomery addition signifies is Holmes won't allow the team to rest on the laurels of its presumed trajectory by only dancing with those who got them to this point. In this case, it's the most bittersweet of transactions, moving on from Jamaal Williams, who provided unmatched emotion and passion on the rocky road the team traveled the past two years.
But, let's go back to 2012. The Lions were coming off the franchise's first playoff appearance in a dozen years, emerging from the darkness of the Matt Millen era with legitimate promise, led by rocket-armed quarterback Matthew Stafford, who had just become the fourth quarterback in NFL history to throw for 5,000 yards in a season.
But, instead of building on that promise, the Lions sat tight in free agency the following year, opting to run it back with largely the same group. In fairness to former GM Martin Mayhew, he didn't have much of a choice. The team was in cap hell, with half of its available space tied up in four players — Stafford, Calvin Johnson, Ndamukong Suh and Kyle Vanden Bosch. With almost nothing to spend on the open market, the team's only signing of consequence was cornerback Jacob Lacey, who had started 10 games for Indianapolis a year earlier.
The regression was swift and brutal. The Lions went from 11 wins in 2011 to four in 2012, leading to a coaching change that offseason. And while the next man up in that role, Jim Caldwell, restored the team to 11 wins in his first season, the Lions never took the next step, failing to win a division title or a postseason game.
Holmes, the first-time GM, is trying to chart a different path than the one Mayhew did. There have been no attempts at quick fixes, such as when the team gave Vanden Bosch a big deal in free agency to help establish that cultural overhaul. Instead, Holmes has been unquestionably patient for two years, slowly building through the draft and focusing his free-agency spending on retaining pieces like Tracy Walker, Charles Harris, Alex Anzalone and John Cominsky, who the GM knows fits the current cultural vision.
Now, the roster-building process is expanding. Sutton, the cerebral corner, is coming off his best season as he enters the prime years of his career. Along with cornerback Emmanuel Moseley, who is getting one of those prove-it deals coming off a torn ACL, they'll be tasked with bringing some physicality and playmaking to Detroit's secondary, after the team allowed 7.9 yards per pass attempt in 2022, ranking only ahead of Chicago.
With Montgomery, once you're able to move past the understandable emotional view of the swap, you should recognize he's a better player than Williams — and two years younger. The new addition is one of the league's best tackle-breakers at the position, bringing far more to the passing game as a refined route runner, all while possessing similar durability and leadership intangibles as the man he's being asked to replace.
Sutton and Montgomery are two upgrades who bring longer-term stability to the roster, without altering Detroit's healthy cap situation. And the draft, where Holmes has had plenty of success in his first two years on the job, will continue to be the centerpiece of his rebuild strategy. Through the GM's earlier maneuvering, the team holds two first-round choices, two second-round selections and five overall picks in the first 81 of the event.
Of course, the draft is another place where Holmes has separated himself from Mayhew's mistakes, particularly by avoiding high-risk prospects. Whether taking on injury concerns like Jahvid Best or Ryan Broyles, or ignoring character red flags with Nick Fairley and Titus Young, Mayhew squandered many of Detroit's best draft assets this way. Holmes has been more conservative in this regard, outside of last year's selection of Jameson Williams, who like Broyles, was coming off an ACL tear.
With similar success to Holmes' previous classes, paired with these new additions (and whomever else the team might add), everything points to these Lions avoiding the massive step back the 2012 version took.
Allen Park — A little more a year ago, John Cominsky's agent gave him a plain black T-shirt emblazoned with a message in white lettering. It reads, "One year of focus and hustle can change your life forever."
Cominsky has never lacked hustle. It's one of his defining characteristics. Still, when he slipped on the shirt, he felt different, empowered by those words. He embraced the motto in the weight room, on the practice field and in games. And on Wednesday, that added hustle paid off with a life-changing, two-year contract extension with the Detroit Lions, which will pay him north of $8 million.
"I put it on and I felt a little extra edge when I was working out, a little extra edge when I was walking around," Cominsky said on Wednesday. "I said, 'I need about 10 more of those because I'm going to be wearing them all year long.'
"I think a year is a good time span," Cominsky said. "Just thinking about it as 365 days, what do I want to accomplish in 365 days? So, I think if you put those goals in front of you, and you have things in front of you that you want to accomplish, you want to better yourself as a man, as a player, as a husband, I think that's a good way to keep your edge."
The Lions were able to claim Cominsky off waivers last offseason after he was cut by the Atlanta Falcons, the team that had drafted him in the fourth round out of the University of Charleston (W.V.) in 2019. It proved to be a natural fit, with his character and playing style overlapping with the franchise's gritty identity instilled by coach Dan Campbell.
Even after missing a month because of a broken thumb, which required him to play the remainder of the season with a club on his hand, Cominsky managed to log more snaps than he did during the totality of his three-year stint in Atlanta. So, after being given the opportunity to show what he could do, and feeling appreciated, he made it clear after the season he wanted to be back with Detroit.
Cominsky revealed Wednesday he had other suitors in free agency, although he respectfully declined to name them. The desire to return to the Lions was overwhelming, and when the team came with a strong offer, and Campbell reached out personally, the deal was quickly sealed.
"Detroit was it all along," Cominsky said. 'We wanted to be here. We wanted to get what we deserved, but we also wanted to be here at the same time. There was a little balance there and Detroit called us with something solid and coach Campbell sent me a text saying, 'We're dying to have you here.'
"I told my wife, 'That's it, I'm going (back) to Detroit.' So, here we are."
Allen Park — New Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery's three-year, $18 million contract with the team includes a $4.5 million signing bonus, up to $500,000 in annual roster bonuses, while carrying a modest $3.2 million cap hit in 2023.
The Lions reached an agreement with Montgomery Tuesday night and are expected to officially sign the former Bears running back shortly after the new league year begins Wednesday afternoon.
The pact includes base salaries of $1.25 million in 2023, $5.25 million in 2024 and $5.5 million in 2025. For cap purposes, the $4.5 million signing bonus is spread evenly across the duration of the three-year contract, so $1.5 million per season. Additionally, Montgomery will earn $29,412 for each game he's on the active roster, giving him the potential to earn another $500,000 if he appears in every regular-season game.
Beyond the signing bonus, Montgomery's 2023 salary and $3 million of his 2024 salary are guaranteed. His cap hits will be $3.2 million this year, $7.25 million in 2024 and $7.5 million in 2025. If, for whatever reason, things aren't working out ahead of the final year of the contract, the team could sever ties with only the dead money being the remaining $1.5 million prorated portion of the signing bonus.
Contract figures are also in for defensive back Will Harris. He is receiving the veteran salary benefit, which allows teams to award players with four or more consecutive years with the franchise an additional $1.35 million that doesn't count against the salary cap.
The one-year deal will pay Harris a fully guaranteed $2.43 million. That figure consists of a $1.08 million base salary, the maximum $152,500 signing bonus allowed under the veteran salary benefit, plus the additional $1.35 million provided by the collective-bargaining agreement tool.
Harris, the team's third-round draft pick in 2019, will count just $1.32 million against the cap next season.
Detroit — It had to be difficult for the Lions to move on from Jamaal Williams, a colorful, charismatic leader who scored more touchdowns than any back in the NFL last season. It had to pain Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell to give the job to someone else, but the truth is, it’s a necessary type of hurt.
The Lions have been big on warm-and-fuzzies as they’ve cultivated a new culture, and this was the type of tough move you wondered if they’d make. By signing David Montgomery from the Bears, the Lions got an equally strong runner with better receiving skills at an acceptable price, $18 million over three years. Montgomery, 25, is younger than Williams, 25, and has higher big-play upside.
It's a solid swap for the Lions, and the Bears weren’t happy to see Montgomery leave. Many Lions fans won’t be happy to see Williams leave, because he was an endearing symbol of the turnaround. From his tearful messages in “Hard Knocks” to his competitive drive that led to a franchise-record 17 rushing touchdowns, Williams became a wildly popular player in two seasons here.
But in case we wondered — and we sort of did — the Lions aren’t beholden to sentiment. As much as fans enjoy Campbell’s free-styling personality, NFL teams are built on a series of stark, pragmatic transactions. Loyalty is a nice little concept, but not nearly as relevant as business considerations and talent upside. The Lions’ strategy of steady, prudent roster assembling hasn’t changed, but it also can’t get stagnant.
We’ll learn a lot more about this regime when it’s time to commit to a quarterback for the long term. If it turns out to be the incumbent, Jared Goff, it must be the right choice, not the safe choice. Does that mean the Lions should draft a quarterback high this year? Not unless they’re enamored with one — and I doubt they are. But, they obviously need a backup, and they have to sign a veteran or draft a developmental one in the later rounds.
For now, likely not forever, Holmes is hunting sensibly. In the opening days of this free-agent period, he’s been proactive and productive, and it’s hard to argue with his moves. If he keeps this up, we’ll be inclined to trust him completely. He smartly addressed the team’s biggest weakness early, by signing cornerbacks Cam Sutton and Emmanuel Moseley. He plucked Sutton, 28, from the Steelers for $33 million over three years, a sizable investment that buys Holmes all kinds of flexibility. Now, the Lions aren’t compelled to draft a cornerback in the first round at six or 18 and can grab the best talent available.
Holmes is building from the inside out in several ways. He has stocked the interiors on offense and defense, and I’d guess another defensive lineman at No. 6 is the next move. He’s starting to nudge outward in free-agent shopping too, based on the latest developments. In his first two offseasons, his most-notable signings were Williams, from the Packers, and D.J. Chark from the Jaguars. Both were short-term deals, and Chark is a free agent again. Most money was spent on keeping players already part of the culture.
That tact continues, as the Lions re-signed Alex Anzalone, Isaiah Buggs, John Cominsky and Will Harris. But, it couldn’t be the only tact forever. Previous Lions regimes often played to a gullible audience, sticking with who they liked, whether it was working or not. There’s a reason three of the franchise’s greats — Matthew Stafford, Calvin Johnson, Barry Sanders — played almost their entire careers here and won nothing.
Some people gripe when the Lions don’t leap for elite free agents, but be careful what you complain about. I think they’ll leap when the opportunity is there — and it’s getting closer. They reportedly nibbled at Rams star cornerback Jalen Ramsey, who went to Miami for a third-round pick and a backup tight end, suggesting other teams also were leery.
I don’t think anyone misses the washed-out Patriots era here, featuring $90-million Trey Flowers, among others. Free-agent splurging can make fools of anyone, and it usually is reserved for good teams needing a star or two, or lesser teams with loads of cap money that must be spent.
The Lions are in the middle, choosing their direction carefully. The Montgomery-Williams flip wasn’t just about money, and we’ll see how much Williams commands on the open market. The Lions loved his energy and selflessness, and who didn’t? But, I think they want more elusiveness and durability from their backfield, especially with D’Andre Swift’s injury woes. Montgomery was tied for the league lead with the Browns’ Nick Chubb in broken tackles last season, impressive behind a brutal Bears offensive line. Opposing defenses stacked fronts to stop running quarterback Justin Fields, which also slowed Montgomery.
Dig into the metrics and you find Montgomery might have more to offer than his 3.9 yards-per-carry career average suggests (Williams’ is 4.0). Montgomery often was hit quickly, an average of 2 yards past the line of scrimmage. Williams, the ultimate short-yardage back, was hit 2.4 yards past the line. Montgomery showed remarkable consistency in four seasons with the Bears, rushing for between 801 and 1,070 yards each year, missing only six games due to injury. He averages 38.8 receptions per season, compared to Williams’ 26.7 with Detroit and Green Bay.
This is the most-delicate offseason yet for Holmes, who has lots of draft capital — five of the top 81 selections — and a team primed to make a jump. After the 8-2 flourish to close 9-8, the Lions have stirred their fans — and many more around the NFL — to levels of optimism not seen in decades. With Aaron Rodgers’ pending departure from Green Bay — unless the diva demurs — the Lions likely will be favorites to win the NFC North. They’re still the youngest team in the league, based on age and snap counts, but have a flexible roster, with many of their signees capable of playing different roles.
The Lions need more impact players, especially on defense, and they have prime draft picks to land some. Campbell has famously said he doesn’t want “turds” on his team, and that’s good. By all accounts, Montgomery was a respected leader in Chicago, a rugged downhill runner with no signs of turdiness.
The Lions have to be enamored with the idea of Montgomery pounding behind their stellar offensive line. This isn’t the biggest signing we’ve ever seen, but it is telling. Along with their other additions, the Lions aren’t standing pat, and that’s a positive. They’re also acting sensibly, not sentimentally, and that’s the way the game is played.
By Kevin Fishbain, Adam Jahns, Colton Pouncy and Jeff Howe
The Detroit Lions are signing free-agent running back David Montgomery, according to multiple reports. Here’s what you need to know:
*- Montgomery is joining Detroit on a three-year, $18 million deal with $11 million guaranteed, per multiple reports.
*- Montgomery ranks No. 78 on The Athletic’s list of top free agents this offseason.
*- The 25-year-old totaled 801 rushing yards and six touchdowns in 16 games with Chicago last season.
*- The Bears also agreed with running back Travis Homer on Tuesday, per a league source.
The Athletic’s instant analysis:
Why the Lions made the move
Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson recently said he wanted to see the run game take a step forward in 2023. He felt Lions running backs didn’t maximize the opportunities created by the offensive line, hoping to turn four- and five-yard runs into runs of eight, nine or more. The Lions know Montgomery’s game well, having played against him twice a year since he was drafted in 2019.
He’s younger than Jamaal Williams, offers more upside as a runner, has a skill set that complements D’Andre Swift well and probably didn’t cost much more than the money Williams was looking for. It’s a bit of a surprise on the surface, considering the Lions were in talks with Williams about a return and what he meant to the locker room, but from a pure football perspective, the Lions might’ve gotten better at running back. — Pouncy
Why Chicago didn’t bring him back
Poles and Eberflus said plenty of nice things about Montgomery during and after the season. But Montgomery plays a position that can be reloaded quickly. The Bears agreed to terms on a two-year, $4.5 million deal with running back Travis Homer not long after the Montgomery news broke. He becomes the Bears’ No. 3 back and potentially a staple on special teams.
This year’s draft class is also considered deep for running backs, too. Poles came from the Chiefs, an organization that changed running backs often under coach Andy Reid. In Reid’s 10 years in Kansas City, the Chiefs have featured seven different leading rushers. Last year, rookie Isiah Pacheco, a seventh-round pick at No. 251, led the eventual Super Bowl champions in rushing yards. — Jahns
What’s next for the Bears’ backfield?
As much as Montgomery matches exactly what Poles and Eberflus seek as far as his love for football and his work ethic, this was always a possibility, if not a likely one. The Bears have Khalil Herbert, who has been productive when Montgomery has been hurt. This does put the Bears in the market for another back, though. Reports indicate Williams could be an option — a Detroit/Chicago swap. Montgomery was the lead back for four seasons and a fan favorite, but this is a classic example of the NFL being a business first and foremost. — Fishbain
Backstory
Selected by Chicago in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft, Montgomery led the Bears in rushing in his first three seasons with the team. In 2020, he notched a career-high 1,070 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground. Bears quarterback Justin Fields led the team with 1,143 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns last season.
Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson recently mentioned his desire to see Detroit’s run game improve. He said he wanted to see his backs turn 4- and 5-yard runs into 8, 9 or more yards. The offensive line in place is capable of paving the way for big gains. It was on them to make it happen.
They’ll look to do that with a shiny, new toy in David Montgomery, who reportedly agreed to a three-year, $18 million deal with the Lions Tuesday night.
Montgomery, 25, has been the Bears’ lead back since he was drafted in 2019. The No. 78 player on The Athletic’s top 150 free agent list, Montgomery remains in the NFC North, joining a Lions team on the rise.
Here’s what Detroit is getting.
How he fits: On the surface, this move feels like a bit of a surprise. The Lions had been in communication with Jamaal Williams about a new deal, fresh off a year in which he rushed for north of 1,000 yards and a franchise-record 17 touchdowns. Perhaps the sides were further apart than expected. While we wait to see what happens with Williams, this certainly feels like the end of that marriage. Montgomery is younger and has more upside than the 27-year-old Williams, and might not have cost that much more than what Williams was looking for.
From a pure football perspective, it’s easy to see how Montgomery fits in with the Lions. He has excellent balance and can absorb contact, and his game complements D’Andre Swift’s quite well. He can be the back who handles the tough yards, while also offering more upside as a home-run hitter than Williams. Swift, meanwhile, can operate out of the passing game and be the dynamic player he’s shown glimpses of when healthy.
Considering Montgomery’s age, a three-year deal doesn’t feel like a huge commitment.
History: Montgomery was a third-round pick out of Iowa State in 2019. Montgomery was viewed as a powerful back who was tough to take down in college, and that’s held true in his professional career.
The former Cyclone rushed for an average of 902 yards a season over four years in Chicago. He also adds some value as a receiver. However, injuries have been part of Montgomery’s story in Chicago. The Bears are entering a new era under GM Ryan Poles and have Khalil Herbert in place as a productive back still on his rookie contract. That led to a departure between the sides.
Cap update: The Lions began the day creating about $5 million in additional cap space by restructuring safety Tracy Walker’s contract. Monday’s big splash signing, cornerback Cameron Sutton, won’t take up too much of the cap in 2023 thanks to the way Detroit structured his deal — a smart way to add talent without limiting the team’s ability to make other moves. That paved the way for the Lions to sign 49ers cornerback Emmanuel Moseley to a one-year, $6 million deal on Tuesday. And now, Montgomery is in the mix for $6 million per year.
We’ll have to await the breakdown, but it certainly feels like the Lions will have to make additional moves. There are a few ways the team could create more room, including cutting a veteran like Halapoulivaati Vaitai or restructuring other deals.
Outlook: The Lions’ approach to free agency was to simply get better. While the loss of Williams will be felt in the locker room, it does feel like the position group improved. The Lions know Montgomery’s game well, having played against him twice a year since he was drafted.
Williams was important to Detroit. He joined the team at a time when it was rebuilding and needed high-character leaders to set the tone. Williams did that and then some, and his contributions won’t soon be forgotten if the two sides ultimately part ways. But when healthy, Montgomery is far closer to an RB1 than the RB2 Williams projects to be. That makes the Lions a better football team than they were before free agency began.
"I hope to see the Lions in the Super Bowl before I die"
My friend Ken L
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