Lions News

[Futureshock]

Marvin Jones heading back to Lions on one-year deal

Posted by Myles Simmons on March 29, 2023, 5:00 PM EDT

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The Lions are bringing a familiar face back to the organization.

Receiver Marvin Jones is signing with Detroit, the receiver announced on social media Wednesday afternoon.

NFL Media’s Mike Garafolo reports Jones has agreed to a one-year deal with a $3 million base value that can be pushed to $5 million with incentives.

Jones spent the last two seasons with Jacksonville. Last year, he appeared in 16 games with 10 starts, catching 46 passes for 529 yards with three touchdowns.

Jones was with Detroit for five years from 2016-2020. He had the best season of his career there, catching 61 passes for 1,101 yards with nine touchdowns in 2017.

A fifth-round pick in 2012, Jones spent his first four seasons with the Bengals.

In 145 games with 114 starts, he has 542 catches for 7,386 yards and 73 touchdowns.

[Futureshock]

Does anyone know if they (Marvin's wife and himself) still have that bakery they opened in 2018?
{ Grapevine: Detroit Lions player and wife open bakery in Troy}

[Futureshock]

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/29/23


March 29th, 2023 at 6:44pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s only minor move:

Detroit Lions

• Waived from reserve/retired list: DL John Penisini

Penisini was a surprising contributor for the Lions two years ago when he started 12 games as a rookie sixth-round pick. The Utah-product didn’t give a reason for his retirement at the time, but many thought it was related to a fairly serious injury he experienced before the 2021 season that resulted in calcium deposits building up in his shoulders the size of softballs.

[Futureshock]

More on Marvin...

Lions, WR Marvin Jones Agree To Deal


March 29th, 2023 at 3:56pm CST by Adam La Rose

A reunion is in store for the Lions and a familiar face on offense. Veteran wideout Marvin Jones Jr. is signing in Detroit on a one-year deal, reports Mike Garafolo of NFL Network (Twitter link).

The contract has a base value of $3MM, while incentives could push it to $5MM. This deal will allow the 33-year-old to return to the Motor City, where he played between 2016 and 2020. It was during that span that he enjoyed the most productive campaigns of his career.

After starting his career with the Bengals, Jones established himself as one of the NFL’s top deep deep threats with the Lions. In 2017, he posted 1,101 yards and nine touchdowns on a league-leading average of 18 yards per reception. While his production dipped in the following seasons with injuries, the former fifth-rounder rebounded with 978 yards and another nine touchdowns in his final Lions term.

That helped earn Jones a two-year, $14.5MM contract with the Jaguars on the open market. The Cal product was brought in to serve as a veteran presence on an otherwise young team, and he was relied on heavily in 2021. Drawing a career-high 120 targets that year, Jones put up a 73-832-4 statline. His workload took a signficant step back this past season, after Jacksonville had made a number of investments in their pass-catching corps. As a result, Jones’ yardage total dropped to its lowest figure since 2018.

Still, he should be able to operate as a consistent secondary option amidst the Lions’ WR options. Detroit had a surprisingly efficient passing attack in 2022, but Amon-Ra St. Brown easily distanced himself from the rest of the team’s wideouts in terms of production. Especially since one-year signing DJ Chark has departed for the Panthers, Jones will be able to fill a veteran void at the position upon his return.

In addition to St. Brown, and now Jones, the Lions will of course also have 2022 first-rounder Jameson Williams in place for 2023. The latter was, as expected, limited in his game action and workload during his rookie campaign due to his recovery from a torn ACL. Now healthy, the Alabama product should give Detroit significant upside in their downfield passing game. Jones will give the team an additional boost in that regard, as he looks to regain his previous form with the team in the coming season.

[jaadam4]

Let's remember this when someone wants to trade up. You give up two for one.

Count me in on the trade up! I want to package those 2nds for an extra first. I like that 5th year option but hopefully it won’t be someone with medical concerns

[The King]

Marvin is pretty boring. I understand having the solid vet around, but he’s 33 all of a sudden. Hopefully we still draft a WR in the top 3 rounds.

I like Tillman out of TN. He was a beast two years ago, but banged up all last year. I get some Pickens vibes from him. Taking a hit with draft stock due to injury, but when healthy, he’s big time. 6’3” 215. We need a big WR.

[jaadam4]

Mannnnn, don’t even get me started on Pickens. That kid is really good. He’s going to have a helluva career

[The King]

Tillman had 12 TD in the SEC two years ago. You get a draft discount with this years injury, just like PIT got with Pickens last year. So many small WR in this draft. Tillman really stands out to me.

[Whitley]

Marvin is pretty boring. I understand having the solid vet around, but he’s 33 all of a sudden. Hopefully we still draft a WR in the top 3 rounds.

I like Tillman out of TN. He was a beast two years ago, but banged up all last year. I get some Pickens vibes from him. Taking a hit with draft stock due to injury, but when healthy, he’s big time. 6’3” 215. We need a big WR.

Possibly if they get more picks but I think WR is down the list a good bit.

[SnowMeiser]

More on Marvin...

Lions, WR Marvin Jones Agree To Deal


March 29th, 2023 at 3:56pm CST by Adam La Rose

A reunion is in store for the Lions and a familiar face on offense. Veteran wideout Marvin Jones Jr. is signing in Detroit on a one-year deal, reports Mike Garafolo of NFL Network (Twitter link).

The contract has a base value of $3MM, while incentives could push it to $5MM. This deal will allow the 33-year-old to return to the Motor City, where he played between 2016 and 2020. It was during that span that he enjoyed the most productive campaigns of his career.

After starting his career with the Bengals, Jones established himself as one of the NFL’s top deep deep threats with the Lions. In 2017, he posted 1,101 yards and nine touchdowns on a league-leading average of 18 yards per reception. While his production dipped in the following seasons with injuries, the former fifth-rounder rebounded with 978 yards and another nine touchdowns in his final Lions term.

That helped earn Jones a two-year, $14.5MM contract with the Jaguars on the open market. The Cal product was brought in to serve as a veteran presence on an otherwise young team, and he was relied on heavily in 2021. Drawing a career-high 120 targets that year, Jones put up a 73-832-4 statline. His workload took a signficant step back this past season, after Jacksonville had made a number of investments in their pass-catching corps. As a result, Jones’ yardage total dropped to its lowest figure since 2018.

Still, he should be able to operate as a consistent secondary option amidst the Lions’ WR options. Detroit had a surprisingly efficient passing attack in 2022, but Amon-Ra St. Brown easily distanced himself from the rest of the team’s wideouts in terms of production. Especially since one-year signing DJ Chark has departed for the Panthers, Jones will be able to fill a veteran void at the position upon his return.

In addition to St. Brown, and now Jones, the Lions will of course also have 2022 first-rounder Jameson Williams in place for 2023. The latter was, as expected, limited in his game action and workload during his rookie campaign due to his recovery from a torn ACL. Now healthy, the Alabama product should give Detroit significant upside in their downfield passing game. Jones will give the team an additional boost in that regard, as he looks to regain his previous form with the team in the coming season.

Now all we need is a quarterback to get him the ball 🙄

[whatever_gong82]

Hal Vaitai in 'a really good place' after back surgery; Detroit Lions RG spot wide open

Dave Birkett

Detroit Free Press


PHOENIX — The Detroit Lions are optimistic Halapoulivaati Vaitai will have a prominent role on their offensive line this fall after missing all of last season with back surgery, but are preparing for his absence just in case.

Lions coach Dan Campbell and general manager Brad Holmes gave favorable updates on Vaitai’s recovery at the NFL’s annual spring meeting this week, with both indicating Vaitai will compete with Graham Glasgow for the starting right guard job in 2023.

“That's exactly what (this is, a competition),” Campbell said. “This is my new term, that you're raising the floor. A guy like Graham raises the floor again. He's been a starter in this league. He's been a pretty good center. He's got guard flex, obviously. And so he's a guy that we know can go in there and compete to start. And let's see where Big V's at coming off of this back.”




Vaitai, who signed a five-year, $45 million deal with the Lions in 2020 as a replacement for Glasgow, started 15 games at right guard in 2021 but has dealt with injuries throughout his Lions career.

He missed six games with a broken foot his first season in Detroit and was lost for the year to a back injury last preseason.




Campbell said “we have some optimism in the building” about Vaitai’s health, but acknowledged, “we won’t know” how Vaitai’s back will hold up until he returns to live action.


“He’s in a good place,” Holmes said. “We actually got some recent reports back that he’s in a really good place. And we felt confident about doing the deal and glad to have him back.”

The Lions return four starters on their offensive line and added Glasgow to replace Evan Brown, their do-it-all interior lineman who made 24 starts the past two seasons between center and guard.




A third-round pick by the Lions in 2016, Glasgow offers similar position versatility. He played all three interior line positions during his first tour with the Lions and saw extensive action at center and right guard the past three seasons with the Denver Broncos.

Glasgow said last week his expectation is “to come in and compete for a (starting) job.”



“Really, that's what Graham gives you, man,” Campbell said. “He gives you ability, he can step in and he can hold the fort down. And, man, if you need him at either of the positions, left guard, right guard or center, you got a guy. So it's good to get him."



The Lions likely are not done addressing their interior line.

Already, they’ve hosted two late-round guard prospects, North Carolina State’s Chandler Zavala and UCLA’s Antonio Mafi, on pre-draft visits, and they reportedly will bring TCU guard Steve Avila, a potential Day 2 pick, in for a top-30 visit as well.


Currently, the Lions do not have any guards under contract beyond 2023, though left guard Jonah Jackson is a candidate for a contract extension this summer.



“Vaitai, man, he’s a good player. He’s a starting-level guard who fits what we’re about along the offensive line,” Holmes said. “But obviously there are question marks, or were question marks about his health and all of that. To get Glasgow in the fold — and Glasgow is a guy that’s got positional versatility as well. Obviously, we all know about his ability at guard, but the stuff that he did at center on tape last year was really exciting.

“It’s good to have that competition and it should be good.”


Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.

[Futureshock]

Dan Campbell recaps free agency & looks to 2023 at Annual Meetings | Twentyman in the Huddle Ep. 43

[Futureshock]

Lions feel Halapoulivaati Vaitai “in a good place” after back surgery

Posted by Josh Alper on March 31, 2023, 8:42 AM EDT

Getty Images

When the Lions signed Graham Glasgow as a free agent earlier this month, one response was that the move didn’t seem to bode well for Halapoulivaati Vaitai‘s future with the team.

Vaitai missed all of last season because of a back injury that required surgery and there was a chance to save some money by parting ways with the right guard, but the Lions were able to address the financial issue without losing Vaitai. Vaitai agreed to a pay cut in 2023 and he’ll be in line to hit free agency after the season rather than having to wait until after the 2024 campaign.

At the league meetings this week, Holmes said the team has heard good things about Vaitai’s recovery and that all of the developments have them feeling good about the state of the offensive line.

“He’s in a good place,” Holmes said, via Kyle Meinke of MLive.com. “We actually got some recent re-reports back that he’s in a really good place. And we felt confident about doing the deal and glad to have him back. Yeah, and Vaitai, man, he’s a good player. He’s a starting-level guard who fits what we’re about along the offensive line. But obviously, there are question marks or were question marks about his health and all of that. To get Glasgow in the fold — and Glasgow is a guy that’s got positional versatility, as well. Obviously, we all know about his ability at guard, but the stuff that he did at center on tape last year was really exciting. It’s good to have that competition, and it should be good.”

The Lions have starters back at the other four spots on the offensive line and that unit should be a strength for Detroit in their bid for a postseason berth in 2023.

[Futureshock]

Scott Daly signs exclusive rights tender

Posted by Charean Williams on March 30, 2023, 4:49 PM EDT

Getty Images

Lions long snapper Scott Daly has signed his exclusive rights tender, Aaron Wilson of KPRC reports.

Daly, 29, has spent the past two seasons in Detroit, playing all 34 games.

He signed with the Cowboys in 2018 but didn’t make their roster.

The Lions finally gave him a chance in 2021, and he took advantage by making the roster.

Daley has played 266 special teams snaps in his career.

[ghandi]

Maybe someday centers can specialize even more:

A) Snaps when QB under center
B) Snaps when in shotgun
C) Snaps on FG attempts
D) Long snapper snaps on punts

That would only be 4 centers the team would need to carry....who is with me on this one!