Lions News

[Futureshock]

I appreciate the job he did while he was here. Good luck Duce, except when you're playing us...


Report: Duce Staley to join Frank Reich’s staff in Carolina

Posted by Josh Alper on February 1, 2023, 2:35 PM EST

Getty Images

Panthers head coach Frank Reich has reportedly coaxed one of his former colleagues to join him with his new team.

Dan Graziano of ESPN reports that Lions running backs coach/assistant head coach Duce Staley will be taking a job on Reich’s staff. The title and nature of his role with the Panthers is unknown.

Staley was the running backs coach for the Eagles during Reich’s two years as the offensive coordinator in Philadelphia. Staley spent 10 years on the Eagles staff overall and he also played running back for the Eagles for seven years.

He made the move to Detroit as a member of Dan Campbell’s initial staff, but now appears to be on the move again.

[Futureshock]

Notes: Top 50 NFL free agent lists feature just 1 Lions player


The Detroit Lions’ free agent class isn’t very highly thought of by national analysts.

By Jeremy Reisman

[Whitley]

I hope Duce is the OC there. Now who is on the Lions radar to be RB coach?

[Cody_Russell]

Totally understand Duce Staley’s move if it’s family related and wish him the best. Probably one of the best RB coaches in the NFL and seemed like a quality assistant head coach too.

Panthers starting to get on my nerves though. First they release Baker Mayfield. Then try to steal Ben Johnson. Now they hire away our beloved Duce Staley.

[Futureshock]

They're like that dude that keeps trying to date your ex's

[Cody_Russell]

Oh and the Panthers defeated the Lions in a key game that cost the Lions from making the playoffs. How can I forget that?

Panthers want to annoy me some more. They should:
- Sign Jamaal Williams in free agency.
- Randomly trade up to #5 in a scenario where Jalen Carter falls in the draft.

[whatever_gong82]

Why Detroit Lions window for success is open but they have entered critical QB crossroads

Jeff Seidel

Detroit Free Press


You watch these NFL playoffs and, for the first time in a long time, you think: Why can’t this be the Detroit Lions next year?

Why can’t it be the Lions in the NFC championship game?

Why can’t it be the Lions getting ready for the Super Bowl?

And I have come to a conclusion: It absolutely could be the Lions. It’s possible. The window is open to win now, and if you get into the playoffs, anything can happen. One crazy roughing-the-QB penalty can change everything.

So let’s start this discussion with that premise.

So, what should the Lions do this offseason?

How should they approach free agency and the draft? How should they build their team going forward?

It all starts with the big quarterback decision.



To draft a QB or not?



Before 2022, I thought the Lions should draft a quarterback in 2023. There was no doubt in my mind. I viewed Jared Goff as a bridge quarterback. Things seemed to fall into place perfectly, as the Los Angeles Rams fell apart.

But now, that Rams pick hangs in no-man’s land at No. 6, making things complicated.

Certainly, Alabama’s Bryce Young will be taken before the Lions use the Rams’ pick, so scratch him off the list. That leaves Kentucky’s Will Levis or Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud. It seems likely that at least one of them will probably be gone, too.

So will the Lions take the third best QB at No.6?

Could they roll the dice, wait and hope to take Florida’s Anthony Richardson at No. 18?

Possible.

But it’s scary to base the future on so many unknowns.

Because it’s such a crap shoot drafting QBs.

“I think it’s easier to get worse at quarterback than to get better at quarterback — in this League,” Lions general manager Brad Holmes said at his season-ending news conference in January.

He’s right.

On the flip side of the issue, it’s also an incredible advantage for an entire organization to have a young quarterback on a rookie deal. Ideally, you would want the Lions to build up a team, get a young quarterback and use the money you're saving on his rookie deal to pay your roster as it ages and ride that young quarterback to Super Bowl glory.

That’s far trickier said than done.

It’s also a huge advantage to take that rookie quarterback in the first round because it gives you an extra year — a fifth-year option that, if the QB is any good, is almost a guarantee the team will take.


Lions in a great position



Then, Goff started to change my mind. He went out and played fantastic, as the Lions won eight of their last 10. In short, he looked like the long-term answer.

“I never really deemed him as a bridge, I think everybody else did,” Holmes said.

Goff is under contract for the next two seasons. He has a $30.975 million cap hit in 2023, 11th highest in the NFL according to Spotrac. That’s far below Patrick Mahomes, Dak Prescott or Deshaun Watson — all of whom have cap hits north of $45 million.

But the Goff cap hit is well above young quarterbacks like Joe Burrow, Trevor Lawrence, Tua Tagovailoa, Justin Herbert and Jalen Hurts — all of whom are on rookie deals and have cap hits at $11.5 million or lower. That allows their teams have another $20 million to $35 million to build up their rosters, increasing their chances at sustaining success.

So, there’s the rub. For the Lions to be sustained over the long haul, it’s a huge advantage to have a quarterback on a rookie deal when building a roster. But finding that quarterback is like trying to find a needle in the haystack.

The NFL is littered with failed rookie quarterbacks.

Now, here is the other complicating factor: I firmly believe that Goff is going to have a great season in 2023. Ben Johnson will be back running the offense, Jameson Williams will have another year under his belt to get healthy and know the plays, and that offense should be humming.

Goff’s value is only going to go up.

So should the Lions extend Goff before that happens?

They have another option: the franchise tag.

The NFL informed teams of the franchise tag numbers on Monday and it is $32 million for quarterbacks.

Granted, that’s only going to go up. Two years from now, the Lions could franchise Goff at a salary that is in the neighborhood to what he is making now.

So in essence, they could have him locked in for three years.

So where does that put the Lions?

Actually, in a pretty fantastic situation.

Holmes has created a scenario that offers maximum flexibility, especially right now. He can go into this draft and evaluate the heck out of the quarterbacks. Because this is the window to take one high. The optimist in me doubts they will have this high of a draft pick again in the near future — even if the 2024 QB draft class looks a heck of a lot better.

If Holmes falls in love with a QB this year — I’m saying, love-love, like his heart is aching and going all aflutter, and he can’t stop thinking about him — go for it. Take him. Even if Holmes has to trade picks to move up.

It would actually be the best-case scenario, with a quarterback to win now and possible future starting QB on a rookie deal. But if Holmes takes this route, there is no room for error. He can’t be wrong. Because if he burns a high draft pick — or more — he will limit his ability to add a potential stud on defense, slowing both short-term and long-term growth. But if he gets a long term QB on the cheap, it would be worth it.

If the Lions waive Goff this offseason, it would cost $10 million against their salary cap in 2023. But that number goes down to $5 million in 2024.

A rookie QB could have a year (at least) to learn under Goff. Or the Lions could start saving money on that position starting this year and beyond. Which is going to be important, since you'd assume Holmes wants to keep that offensive line together and re-sign folks like Amon-Ra St. Brown.


A perfect plan?


But if they don’t take a quarterback high in this draft, the options start to get limited.

I doubt they will have a top-15 pick in 2024 — as dangerous as that assumption may sound — and they certainly won’t have this much draft capital to maneuver.

So if they don’t get one this year, Goff becomes your guy. Which is not a horrible thing. But it’s only a three-year window for certain.

“I think what Jared has done this year, he — captain of the ship of a top-three offense and I want to say he was top-10 statistically in most of the passing categories,” Holmes said. “But I do think that Jared has proven everybody that he is the starting quarterback for us.”

One tiny clarification: Having said all of that, they could still draft a quarterback in later rounds. And that seems like the smart thing to do. Take a flyer on a guy. But there is absolutely no certainty there. Just risk.

“We’re never going to turn down a good football player,” Holmes said. “So, if there’s a football player we really love, I mean we’re going to make sure every stone is unturned.”

Yes, turn over rocks. Turn over boulders.

Ideally, they find the next great franchise QB high in this draft. That would set up this franchise for long-term success. But if they don’t?

Start those extension talks.

Before Goff has another great year and his price skyrockets.

Contact Jeff Seidel: jseidel@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @seideljeff.

[edindetroit]

First Swagg Kazekage is right:


Jamaal Williams: NFL is trying to take my personality away with celebration fines

Posted by Michael David Smith on February 1, 2023, 4:34 AM EST

Getty Images

Lions running back Jamaal Williams led the NFL with 17 rushing touchdowns in 2022, but some of those touchdowns were costly, as the NFL repeatedly fined him for his favorite touchdown celebration dance. Williams isn’t happy about that.

Williams said on the podcast hosted by his teammate Amon-Ra St. Brown and Bears receiver Equanimeous St. Brown that he simply likes to express his personality and emotion on the field, and the NFL is cracking down on him.

“Now I get fined for this stuff. I just feel like they’re trying to take my personality away, my joy,” Williams said. “Because now, I literally have to stop doing it. So now, when I score, I’m literally just gonna sit down and pout like a little baby or something.”

Williams said he was fined for touchdown dances twice during the season even though he did his dance more than twice, and he was particularly disappointed that the NFL fined him and then used his touchdown celebrations in highlight videos.

“I’m doing nothing wrong. They’re just being weenies,” Williams said. “They want to fine me, yet put all that stuff up there, brand it and put me up there and use it. They want to take my money, though.”

He can celebrate without banging the air! Good grief.

[CGVT]

I wonder with Staly going to Carolina if Williams will sign there?

[Topweasel]

He can celebrate without banging the air! Good grief.

Also there is nothing about his hip sway that is out of line that makes it something he should not only get flagged for, but fined. The cheerleaders do thing 10 times worse almost all game.

[dpatnod]

Totally agree! As a compromise solution, for all future touchdowns, I will volunteer to do untoward things with the cheerleaders in the end-zone after all touchdowns. Problem sorted. Everyone happy.

[ghandi]

Aaron Glenn getting a 2nd interview with Colts...I wonder if Hard Knocks didnt help these guys with the air time they received....Aaron Glenn hasnt really done enough as a DC to warrant a head coaching job, but you could see he is a leader and take charge kind of guy and that may weigh more heavily with some teams.

[whatever_gong82]

Ranking the Lions’ top free agents: DJ Chark, Jamaal Williams may be popular


By Colton Pouncy

3h ago


We’re still more than a month away from free agency, but it’s never too early to evaluate what the 2023 Detroit Lions could look like. Especially as the franchise enters an offseason with playoff aspirations.

Several starters and key role players are set to hit the open market this offseason. Many of them have proven to be high-character leaders who have already said they’d like to return. The feeling is likely mutual in most cases. At the same time, it’s hard to envision everyone coming back. Other teams could get in on the bidding. It’s also possible the Lions turn their attention elsewhere, looking to upgrade certain positions.

With that in mind, we put together a ranking of Detroit’s top eight free agents, in terms of potential interest they could receive from other teams in the open market.


1. WR DJ Chark


The Lions signed Chark to a one-year deal in 2022, and the deal made a ton of sense. Detroit wanted to improve its wide receiver room and add more speed, which just so happens to be Chark’s specialty. He was coming off an injury-plagued 2021 season but had a Pro Bowl nod and a 1,000-yard season during his stint with the Jaguars. With Jameson Williams added shortly thereafter and missing time due to a torn ACL, Chark was viewed as a bridge starter on a short-term deal. A very solid get.

In Detroit, injuries again hit Chark, landing him on IR with an ankle injury at midseason. But when he returned, he provided the sort of downfield value the Lions expected of him, while also proving to be an excellent locker-room addition.

Chark is only 26 and has the profile of a vertical threat. In a weak free-agent wide receiver class, he could be an attractive option to a WR-needy team with cap space. And with Williams seemingly ready for an expanded workload, Chark and the Lions could go their separate ways this offseason.



2. RB Jamaal Williams

One of the first key moves of the Brad Holmes era was signing Williams to a two-year deal in 2021. In his first season, he rushed for what was then a career-high 601 yards. Good production for an RB2. However, because of injuries to D’Andre Swift, Williams took over as Detroit’s lead back in 2022, rushing for 1,066 yards and 17 touchdowns. The latter broke Barry Sanders’ season franchise record.

Williams set the tone for the rebuild and is the heart and soul of the Lions. He has already expressed his desire to return to Detroit. But what might the Lions be willing to pay to keep him around? Many of his touchdowns were a product of Detroit’s offense — specifically, its offensive line. On the flip side, running backs have a shorter shelf life in this league, so Williams might want to cash in while he can. When you factor in his intangibles and authentic personality, he’s a perfect culture fit with just about any team. Amid reports that Lions RBs coach/assistant head coach Duce Staley is heading to Carolina to join Frank Reich’s staff, could Williams have suitors willing to pay him more? We’ll see.



3. S DeShon Elliott


Elliott was one of the more notable free-agent additions for Detroit in 2022. The safety position was in need of new blood and the Lions received just that in Elliott, who spent his first four seasons in Baltimore. Despite frequently landing on injured reserve, Elliott emerged as a starter for the Ravens in his final two years, before signing with Detroit.

For the most part, Elliott proved to be a solid addition. When fellow safety Tracy Walker went down with a torn Achilles, Elliott became the calming veteran presence among Detroit’s defensive backs. He served as a tell-it-like-it-is voice in a young locker room, whether the team was losing or winning. On the field, when he went down with a shoulder injury and was forced to miss two games down the stretch, the Lions certainly felt his absence.

Given his starting experience, a team in need of a safety could look to sign Elliott this offseason. Walker is working his way back from his injury, posting updates on his Twitter account along the way. Kerby Joseph, who filled in as a rookie for Walker next to Elliott, will be back for his second season. It’s possible the Lions proceed with those two, leaving Elliott as the odd man out.



4. LB Alex Anzalone

Aaron Glenn puts a lot on Anzalone’s shoulders, and it makes sense given their history. The Saints drafted Anzalone out of Florida in 2017, when Glenn served as DBs coach in New Orleans. The Lions signed Anzalone when Glenn became defensive coordinator two years ago. Anzalone is a veteran with meaningful game experience and is also a leader. Anzalone has had his ups and downs in Detroit, but he’s coming off a career year in which he recorded 125 tackles (tied for 21st overall) and showed improvement.

Because of that, Anzalone is probably due for a raise. Last offseason, he signed a one-year deal worth $2.25 million to return to Detroit. Coming off a career year, it’s possible his market grows. It’s also possible the Lions look to upgrade themselves. They’ll have options in the draft and in free agency, should they go that route.


5. DL John Cominsky


A fourth-round pick out of Division II Charleston in 2019, Cominsky was waived by the Falcons last summer and had no shortage of suitors. He had the profile of an athletic defensive lineman who could provide reps at end or tackle. The Lions were one of eight teams to put in a claim for Cominsky and were awarded his rights. What a value addition Cominsky proved to be this season.

One of the most underrated players on this defense, Cominsky did a lot of the dirty work. Stunts, double teams, a few heroic open-field plays a guy his size should have no business making — his presence was felt. So was his absence when he went down with a wrist injury. By the end of the year, he was playing like one of Detroit’s best defenders. He told The Athletic he’d like to return to the team.

Considering seven other teams were in on him before his breakout year with the Lions, Cominsky could have more suitors this offseason. However, the coaching staff clearly values his contributions. He’s certainly an ideal candidate to bring back.

6. C/G Evan Brown

Brown has enough positional versatility to start in a pinch at center or guard, making him an ideal reserve as an interior lineman. That has been his role on the Lions. He’s proven to be Detroit’s best backup lineman, and a player who can hold his own in the starting lineup.

We’ll have to see what the market for Brown looks like this offseason, though. The Lions signed him to a one-year, $2.025 million contract last offseason, coming off a year in which he filled in admirably at center for Frank Ragnow. He has since added extended tape at right guard, which might be enough to entice another team to sign him to a multiyear deal.


7. DB Will Harris

Harris was drafted in 2019 by the Quinntricia regime and just finished the final year of his rookie contract, making him a free agent. It hasn’t always been pretty in Detroit. He struggled at safety in 2021 before moving to cornerback. In training camp last year, he was beaten out by Jeff Okudah for a starting job at corner, before settling into the nickel position in Detroit’s defense. All things considered, that was probably his best fit.

Harris’ value across the league probably lies in his versatility. Harris having experience at safety, outside corner and nickel makes him a potential plug-and-play reserve. It probably wouldn’t take much to bring him back into the mix. However, as the Lions look to improve a roster that was 32nd in yards allowed, they could have other options for their nickel position.

8. DT Isaiah Buggs


Buggs was a bit of an unknown before this season. He had spent three years with the Steelers, mostly working as a reserve. Buggs started a total of seven games before getting released by Pittsburgh in January 2022.

After a brief stint on the Raiders’ practice squad, Buggs signed with the Lions in July. He made the 53-man roster out of the preseason, came off the bench for the first four games of the year and started the final 13 — nearly doubling his three-year total in Pittsburgh. By the end of the season, Buggs had provided stability as a nose tackle and a veteran voice in the locker room. It didn’t take long for him to publicly state his desire to return.

Buggs might not have much of a free-agent market, considering he wasn’t in-demand previously. That’s good for the Lions, who could look to upgrade at defensive tackle while also keeping Buggs around as veteran depth. He should be an inexpensive option.


Colton Pouncy is a staff writer for The Athletic covering the Detroit Lions. He previously covered Michigan State football and basketball for the company, and covered sports for The Tennessean in Nashville prior to joining The Athletic. Follow Colton on Twitter @colton_pouncy

[Futureshock]

Also there is nothing about his hip sway that is out of line that makes it something he should not only get flagged for, but fined. The cheerleaders do thing 10 times worse almost all game.

He did it in GB and never got whistled or fined. For years!

[Futureshock]

Aaron Glenn getting a 2nd interview with Colts...I wonder if Hard Knocks didnt help these guys with the air time they received....Aaron Glenn hasnt really done enough as a DC to warrant a head coaching job, but you could see he is a leader and take charge kind of guy and that may weigh more heavily with some teams.

I was watching a podcast and they intimated that it may be a good psition to bring Steve Wilkes in. Make him DC and Ast Head Coach. He certainly has the same mindset as DC.