Lions News

[Futureshock]

The Ramsey shit started because of his tweets. Even a few days ago he tweeted (then deleted) about it.

https://sports.yahoo.com/jalen-ramse...192737142.html

But why here? Why are people talking about it enough where Parsens is talking crap about going to Detroit?

I don't think we have the cap to bring him here without him being resigned to a team friendly deal. AND as someone has said, it goes against how they have been building this thing (Draft and development). I really like how and what they're doing and I hope they continue to just keep adding young talent and develop said talent.

[Futureshock]

Also, not mad, but why is Detroit everyone's dumping ground. Tired of that.

[Mainevent]

A. Everybody knows the Lions need CB help

B. Brad Holmes and the connection he has with the Rams and has already made a couple of trades with his old team.

C. Ra going on a podcast and openly recruiting Ramsey.

[whatever_gong82]

A nice assessment, but I'm curious as to what Brad Holmes, John Dorsey and Assistant GM Ray Agnew are thinking what this team will need with this upcoming Draft.

Lions roster review: Which position groups are most and least stable?

By Colton Pouncy

Feb 23, 2023

This week, The Athletic has been diving into roster construction, publishing a series of articles discussing the strengths and weaknesses for teams around the league.

The Detroit Lions, fresh off their first winning season in five years, checked in at No. 12 in terms of overall roster strength. Yes, you read that right. The Lions ranked seventh on offense and 27th on defense. Given everything we know about the team, that’s not surprising. Still, though, to be ranked 12th in roster stability speaks to how far Detroit has come under Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell.

Let’s take a closer look at the position breakdowns, and how the roster could improve with the right moves this offseason.

Quarterbacks

League rank: 10th

Team priority: 2/10

Thoughts: Jared Goff is a very capable quarterback in this offense. The Athletic’s model ranks the Lions’ quarterback situation 10th in the league, which speaks to the respect Goff earned in 2022. He threw for 29 touchdowns and just seven interceptions. His ball security in the season’s second half, in particular, was remarkably impressive. For those reasons and more, Detroit also received a team priority rank of two out of 10 for the position. I’d probably raise that just a tad. It’s always wise to think about the future. We’ll see what Holmes has planned, but it wouldn’t be terrible to see a developmental QB added, even for the sake of depth.

But QB isn’t the priority some make it out to be. Not when Goff is playing like this.

Running backs

League rank: 10th

Team priority: 2/10

Thoughts: Jamaal Williams and a healthy D’Andre Swift can be a quality backfield in this league, especially when you consider the offensive line paving the way for them. That’s why Detroit running backs ranked 10th in the league. I do wonder about the future of this position, though. Even if we assume Williams (a free agent) returns, Swift’s rookie contract ends after the 2023 season. I’m not sure there’s a future between the two sides given Swift’s injury history and the money he’d likely want. Positional value might explain the low priority ranking, but I’d personally raise that number a few notches.

The Lions have a good thing going. But it could be better if they draft a young back.

Wide receivers

League rank: Third

Team priority: 1/10

Thoughts: I’ll be honest, third feels a little high, but the Lions’ wide receiver room has undoubtedly come a long way. I’m guessing Amon-Ra St. Brown has a lot to do with this. He’s one of the Lions’ most valuable players, as the offense and Goff’s production struggled when he was in and out of the lineup. His Pro Bowl nod was well-deserved. As for others, Jameson Williams is one of the fastest receivers in football and is just scratching the surface of what he could ultimately be in this league. Josh Reynolds is a serviceable starter who has good chemistry with Goff. Kalif Raymond made plays. We’ll see what happens with DJ Chark, but he provided value as a downfield threat when healthy last season.

This room is in good shape. I wonder if it’s worth looking into a young, big-bodied possession receiver at some point. Maybe in 2024.

Tight ends

League rank: 14th

Team priority: 4/10

Thoughts: The Lions traded T.J. Hockenson and their tight-end usage dropped significantly. Per TruMedia, Goff targeted tight ends 20.1 percent of the time from Weeks 1-8, but that fell to 12.7 percent from Weeks 9-18. For reference, Hockenson was traded before Week 9. Still, Lions tight ends were responsible for nine touchdowns in the team’s final 10 games. That’s solid production from an inexpensive unit.

Could the Lions look to target a tight in the draft or run it back with their tight-end-by-committee approach? We shall see.

Offensive line

League rank: 15th

Team priority: 5/10

Thoughts: Personally, I was a little surprised to see Detroit’s offensive line ranked middle of the pack here. Left guard Jonah Jackson, center Frank Ragnow and right tackle Penei Sewell have all made Pro Bowls. The Lions were wise to invest in their offensive line. They’re the engine that makes this offense go. The one question is probably depth and right guard, which explains the five for team priority.

The Lions don’t have to move on from Halapoulivaati Vaitai. They could try to restructure his contract. If they do, however, they’d save $6.5 million in cap space and could look to target a young lineman to plug in next to Ragnow and Sewell. There are some second-round options that would make sense.

Defensive line

League rank: 23rd

Team priority: 9/10

Thoughts: While I think Detroit’s defensive tackle situation is coming along, with guys like Alim McNeill, Isaiah Buggs and John Cominsky showing the ability to play inside, more is needed. Hence the nine on the priority scale. The Lions would love a game-wrecking three-technique to play along with McNeill. Georgia’s Jalen Carter would be an excellent fit but he likely won’t be there at No. 6. Would Bryan Bresee or Calijah Kancey fit the mold at 18? Maybe a second-rounder like Gervon Dexter Sr.? Or is there a free agent worth looking into?

Holmes will have options to add to the interior. In his short tenure, he hasn’t been afraid to address the trenches early on.

Edge

League rank: 16th

Team priority: 6/10

Thoughts: Both of these feel right. Holmes added three edge talents — Aidan Hutchinson, Josh Paschal and James Houston — in the draft last year. They made an impact. In the first half of the season, when Paschal was recovering from a groin injury and Houston had yet to crack the lineup, Detroit’s pressure rate ranked 26th in the league at 29.5 percent, per TruMedia. From Weeks 9-18, the Lions rose all the way to fifth at 38.6 percent. Their blitz rate during that span largely stayed the same — 32.3 percent in the first half versus 34.3 in the second half. Those three combined for 19 1/2 sacks in 2022. For reference, the Chicago Bears (dead last in edge rankings) recorded 20 sacks as a team this past season.

All three players should only get better with more experience and more snaps. But could Hutchinson use another running mate? The Lions have Charles Harris and Romeo Okwara, but those are veterans coming off injuries that sidelined them for long stretches this past season. The Lions could be perfectly set on bringing them back. Or there could be a cap cut in there, which would open the door for another young edge in an edge-heavy draft class.

Linebackers

League rank: 20th

Team priority: 7/10

Thoughts: The Athletic’s model ranks the Lions’ linebacker room 20th in the NFL. Hard to argue with that. Malcolm Rodriguez flashed his strong instincts and processing ability and is certainly a player worth building around as he continues to learn the league. Alex Anzalone is a great locker-room guy but he’s limited in the things he can do. Bringing him back on a cheap deal makes sense, but the team should also look to upgrade in a linebacker-heavy free-agent class. That’s probably where I’d lean for this position rather than the draft. However, there are some solid mid-round options if they choose to go that route.

Cornerbacks

League rank: 30th

Team priority: 10/10

Thoughts: I wouldn’t have been shocked to see the Lions rank 32nd in cornerback rankings. Instead, they’ll have to settle for 30th. Anyone who watched the Lions in 2022 knows the cornerback position was a roller coaster. Some days, Jeff Okudah looked like very solid cornerback. Other times, well, he was benched. Jerry Jacobs might’ve been the most trusted cornerback by the end of the year, and he has the pedigree of an undrafted free agent. With Mike Hughes, Amani Oruwariye and Will Harris all set to hit free agency, there is a serious need at cornerback, which was deemed the team’s highest priority this offseason.

With the No. 6 draft pick, the Lions have options if they decide to go corner. There’s also free agency, though Holmes might not want to add an expensive corner at the moment.

Safeties

League rank: 20th

Team priority: 7/10

Thoughts: Safety is another position that feels like it’s trending up. Rookie Kerby Joseph flashed his ball skills in 2022, recording four interceptions (three off Aaron Rodgers alone) and forcing two fumbles. Tracy Walker is working his way back from a torn Achilles and has been making steady progress. We’ll see how soon he’s cleared to practice. When healthy, those are your starting safeties. Beyond those two, though? DeShon Elliott is a free agent and could be on the move. Ifeatu Melifonwu switched positions and is still coming along.

It might make sense to look into safety via the draft or free agency — if nothing else, as insurance and depth in case Walker needs more time.

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

[ghandi]

Interesting read...it pretty much summed up what we already knew

[whatever_gong82]

Detroit Lions sign CB Mac McClain off Philadelphia Eagles' Super Bowl roster

Dave Birkett

Detroit Free Press

The Detroit Lions signed former Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Mac McClain III to their 90-man roster Thursday.

McClain spent most of last season on the Eagles practice squad and was with the team for its Super Bowl loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. He appeared in one game in 2021, making three tackles in the Eagles' Week 18 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

The grandson of civil rights activist Franklin McCain, who was a part of the "Greensboro Four," a group of North Carolina A&T students who organized a sit-in protest at a Woolworth's counter in Greensboro in February 1960, McClain originally signed with the Denver Broncos as an undrafted rookie out of North Carolina A&T in 2021.

The Lions finished 30th in the NFL against the pass last season and are expected to make significant changes to their secondary this spring.

Starters Jeff Okudah and Jerry Jacobs are under contract for 2023, but the Lions could add a starter via free agency or the draft. Cornerbacks Will Harris, Mike Hughes and Amani Oruwariye and starting safety DeShon Elliott are free agents.

The Lions also signed cornerbacks Jarren Williams and Khalil Dorsey to futures contracts earlier this offseason.

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




Lions add secondary depth, sign cornerback Mac McCain

Justin Rogers

The Detroit News

The Detroit Lions added some depth at cornerback on Thursday, three weeks ahead of free agency, signing Mac McCain.

Most recently with the Philadelphia Eagles, McCain has split his brief, two-year professional career between there and Denver, where he initially signed as an undrafted free agent out of North Carolina A&T in 2021.

McCain spent most of last season on the Eagles practice squad, but didn't appear in a regular season game. He played in two the previous season, logging three tackles in 31 combined defensive and special teams snaps in the team's season finale against Dallas.

Listed at six-foot, 185 pounds, McCain showed a knack for making a play on the ball in college, recording eight interceptions his first two seasons, prior to suffering a torn ACL in 2019 and having his 2020 season cancelled by the COVID-19 pandemic.

McCain attended the same university as Lions general manager Brad Holmes, who played football for the school and graduated in 2002.

McCain is notably the grandson of Franklin McCain, one of the Greensboro Four, who took part in a sit-in 1960 protest at a lunch counter, sparking large scale demonstrations throughout the area and paving the way for desegregation in the state of North Carolina.

jdrogers@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @Justin_Rogers

[whatever_gong82]

Mr. Holmes and Company aren't fooling around. I like that this move will give the team more $$ to sign some Free Agents or their own players if they need to.

Detroit Lions cut DL Michael Brockers, free up $10 million in cap space

Dave Birkett

Detroit Free Press

Two years after acquiring Michael Brockers in a trade with the Los Angeles Rams, the Detroit Lions are releasing the veteran defensive lineman in a cost-cutting move that creates $10 million in cap space.

The Lions and Brockers amicably agreed to part ways Thursday, 20 days before the start of the 2023 league year.

Voted a captain by his teammates, Brockers, 32 and the oldest player on the Lions roster, played sparingly last season as the Lions ushered in a youth movement on their defensive line.

Brockers finished with four tackles in six games and appeared in just one game after the Lions’ Week 6 bye. He maintained his leadership role even after his benching, leading Saturday player’s-only meetings to go over the opponent’s projected opening game play script, though he conceded in January his diminished play time was “rough” on him mentally and he had a decision to make about whether to continue playing in 2023 and beyond.

“I know I can still play," Brockers told the Free Press. "I know I can still play in this league physically. Mentally, it’s a thing that I’m kind of thinking about, but other than that, not really. I’m just finishing this year out strong and get into the offseason and see what happens after that."

The Lions entered Thusday with about $16 million in available cap space.

Brockers’ release, which should become official Friday, affords the Lions more room to re-sign their own free agents and be active addressing their defensive needs in free agency, while maintaining room to sign their draft class.

The Lions have 15 unrestricted free agents, including eight starters: Receiver DJ Chark, running back Jamaal Williams, guard Evan Brown, linebacker Alex Anzalone, safety DeShon Elliott, cornerback Will Harris and defensive linemen Isaiah Buggs and John Cominsky.

Buggs and Cominsky were among the linemen who played in front of Brockers as the Lions rebounded from a 1-6 start to finish 9-8, their first winning record since 2017.

Rookies Aidan Hutchinson and James Houston played as the Lions’ primary edge rushers in the second half of the season, and fellow rookie Josh Paschal joined Buggs, Cominsky, second-year tackle Alim McNeill and veteran Romeo Okwara in rotational roles on the line.

The Lions have expressed interest in re-signing Buggs and Cominsky this spring, and could use one of their five early-round draft picks to add additional muscle to their defensive front.

They could create additional cap room before the start of free agency March 15 through additional releases or by restructuring the contract of select veterans.

In March of 2021, the Lions traded a 2023 seventh-round pick to the Rams for Brockers, who was on the verge of becoming a cap casualty. Days later, they signed him to a two-year, $24 million extension that lowered his cap hit for 2021.

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

[Sanders Fan]

[edindetroit]

They need to do that with Ben Johnson too.

[Futureshock]

Defensive line

League rank: 23rd

Team priority: 9/10

Thoughts: While I think Detroit’s defensive tackle situation is coming along, with guys like Alim McNeill, Isaiah Buggs and John Cominsky showing the ability to play inside, more is needed. Hence the nine on the priority scale. The Lions would love a game-wrecking three-technique to play along with McNeill. Georgia’s Jalen Carter would be an excellent fit but he likely won’t be there at No. 6. Would Bryan Bresee or Calijah Kancey fit the mold at 18? Maybe a second-rounder like Gervon Dexter Sr.? Or is there a free agent worth looking into?

Holmes will have options to add to the interior. In his short tenure, he hasn’t been afraid to address the trenches early on.

Edge

League rank: 16th

Team priority: 6/10

Thoughts: Both of these feel right. Holmes added three edge talents — Aidan Hutchinson, Josh Paschal and James Houston — in the draft last year. They made an impact. In the first half of the season, when Paschal was recovering from a groin injury and Houston had yet to crack the lineup, Detroit’s pressure rate ranked 26th in the league at 29.5 percent, per TruMedia. From Weeks 9-18, the Lions rose all the way to fifth at 38.6 percent. Their blitz rate during that span largely stayed the same — 32.3 percent in the first half versus 34.3 in the second half. Those three combined for 19 1/2 sacks in 2022. For reference, the Chicago Bears (dead last in edge rankings) recorded 20 sacks as a team this past season.

All three players should only get better with more experience and more snaps. But could Hutchinson use another running mate? The Lions have Charles Harris and Romeo Okwara, but those are veterans coming off injuries that sidelined them for long stretches this past season. The Lions could be perfectly set on bringing them back. Or there could be a cap cut in there, which would open the door for another young edge in an edge-heavy draft class.

Linebackers

League rank: 20th

Team priority: 7/10

Thoughts: The Athletic’s model ranks the Lions’ linebacker room 20th in the NFL. Hard to argue with that. Malcolm Rodriguez flashed his strong instincts and processing ability and is certainly a player worth building around as he continues to learn the league. Alex Anzalone is a great locker-room guy but he’s limited in the things he can do. Bringing him back on a cheap deal makes sense, but the team should also look to upgrade in a linebacker-heavy free-agent class. That’s probably where I’d lean for this position rather than the draft. However, there are some solid mid-round options if they choose to go that route.

Cornerbacks

League rank: 30th

Team priority: 10/10

Thoughts: I wouldn’t have been shocked to see the Lions rank 32nd in cornerback rankings. Instead, they’ll have to settle for 30th. Anyone who watched the Lions in 2022 knows the cornerback position was a roller coaster. Some days, Jeff Okudah looked like very solid cornerback. Other times, well, he was benched. Jerry Jacobs might’ve been the most trusted cornerback by the end of the year, and he has the pedigree of an undrafted free agent. With Mike Hughes, Amani Oruwariye and Will Harris all set to hit free agency, there is a serious need at cornerback, which was deemed the team’s highest priority this offseason.

With the No. 6 draft pick, the Lions have options if they decide to go corner. There’s also free agency, though Holmes might not want to add an expensive corner at the moment.

Good article. Though DT is as dire as Cornerback and if they jettison Harris and Romeo, Edge needs to be a 7 or 8 too.

[Futureshock]

They need to do that with Ben Johnson too.

Already done weeks ago.

[whatever_gong82]

Brad Holmes, John Dorsey, and Ray Agnew in the house!!



2022 NFL rookie grades: Ranking the classes, 1 to 32


With the 2022 NFL season now officially in the books, all eyes turn toward the 2023 NFL Draft. But before a new wave of talent hits the league, NFL.com rolled out division-by-division files featuring grades for each team's rookie class, with Eric Edholm and Nick Shook providing the evaluations. Upon the completion of this series, Edholm and Shook collaborated to officially rank every group, from 1 to 32. Here's the pecking order.



Rank 2
Detroit Lions

Class grade: A-
Round 1

(No. 2) Aidan Hutchinson, DE, 17 games/17 starts
(12) Jameson Williams, WR, 6 games/0 starts
Round 2

(46) Josh Paschal, DE, 10 games/4 starts
Round 3

(97) Kerby Joseph, S, 17 games/14 starts
Round 5

(177) James Mitchell, TE, 14 games/0 starts
Round 6

(188) Malcolm Rodriguez, LB, 16 games/15 starts
(217) James Houston, OLB, 7 games/2 starts
Round 7

(237) Chase Lucas, DB, 6 games/0 starts


EDHOLM: In some respects, this was a wait-and-see draft for the Lions, but they also started putting together a foundation on defense, improving on all three levels with this rookie haul. When it's all said and done, we might look back at this class as a huge bedrock for a team that appears to be on the right track.



Aidan Hutchinson, the Defensive Rookie of the Year runner-up, was pretty terrific. Outside of a few quiet stretches, Hutchinson made his impact in multiple ways -- as a pass rusher (9.5 sacks), run defender (nine TFLs) and takeaway artist (three INTs, two fumble recoveries). His hustle, versatility and Michigan roots made him an easy fan favorite in Year 1.



Two more rookies instantly endeared themselves to the Detroit faithful. Kerby Joseph intercepted four passes (three via Aaron Rodgers) and forced two fumbles, showing an innate nose for the ball. Malcolm Rodriguez also displayed terrific instincts and timing and looked like a pro from jump street, ranking third on the team in tackles in 15 starts.



Sidelined by a torn ACL most of the season, Jameson Williams saw action down the stretch and had two touches -- a 40-yard run and a 41-yard TD catch -- in 78 offensive snaps. The Lions know they have a racehorse in the slim receiver, and he could break out next season. James Houston came on like gangbusters late, profiling as a prolific pass-rush specialist.

[The King]

The wild thing is Williams could easily be the best player out of all of them. Easily. He’s that good.

[DanO]

Can't wait for Williams to have a full training camp and year this year.

[Tom]

So I saw a headline for the Freep that Carlos Monnarez says giving Glenn an extension is a mistake. But this is the guy that said firing Patricia was a bad move too so I’m okay with it…

I know the Lions defense was statistically bad this past season but I think they showed a lot of improvement in the second half of the season. I’m assuming they will upgrade via the draft and free agency so I think they’ll be even better next season.