Lions News

[Futureshock]

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2023/04/10/nfl-draft-2023-1984-peter-king-fmia/

Buddy Parker coached the Lions the last time they were championship good. He won two titles in Detroit in the fifties and was the nemesis to the greatest coach of his day and perhaps the greatest of all time, Paul Brown. Parker was 112-76 with two NFL championships (1952, 1953) against Brown’s Browns, and Parker made formerly moribund Pittsburgh respectable with a 51-47-6 record in eight years. Against Paul Brown, Parker’s Detroit teams were 4-1, and he won five games against the Jim Brown/Paul Browns in the fifties and sixties. I’ve always found it ridiculous Parker has been victimized by stats because he coached in an era with 12-game seasons, when coaches didn’t hang around long. He deserves it, and the 2020 Centennial Class did him wrong.
Photo Credit: Bettmann

[Futureshock]

Report: Lions have offered Teddy Bridgewater a contract

Posted by Mike Florio on April 8, 2023, 8:58 AM EDT

Getty Images

Multiple veteran quarterbacks remain available in free agency, including former first-rounders like Carson Wentz, Matt Ryan, Blaine Gabbert, and Joe Flacco.

The last player selected in round one nine years ago also is available, and he’s reportedly holding a contract offer.

Via Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com, Teddy Bridgewater has a deal on the table from the Lions. He also reportedly has interest from several teams.

Per Fowler, Bridgewater has decided to take his time. Per common sense, if there was a great offer available currently, Bridgewater would be more likely to take it than to wait for the draft, when an interested team might end up filling the QB2 spot with a rookie.

The Lions have two quarterbacks on the roster — Jared Goff and Nate Sudfeld. In Detroit, Bridgewater would be reunited with head coach Dan Campbell, who was an assistant during Bridgewater’s time with the Saints.

Bridgewater, a Pro Bowler in his second year, suffered a catastrophic knee injury in practice just before the start of the 2016 season in Minnesota. He spent 2018 and 2019 with the Saints, 2020 as the starter with the Panthers, 2021 as the starter with the Broncos, and 2022 as the primary backup to Tua Tagovailoa in Miami.

Last year, Bridgewater completed 49 of 79 passes (62 percent) for 683 yards, four touchdowns, and four interceptions. The Dolphins opted to add Mike White for 2023, in addition to 2022 draft pick Skylar Thompson.

[Futureshock]

Aidan Hutchinson on Jameson Williams: We were all stargazing, getting excited for next year

Posted by Josh Alper on April 7, 2023, 12:24 PM EDT

Getty Images

Defensive end Aidan Hutchinson turned in one of the best rookie seasons in the NFL after the Lions selected him with the second overall pick last April, but the team didn’t get as much out of their other first-round pick.

Wide receiver Jameson Williams‘ recovery from a torn ACL limited him to six games during the 2022 season and he only had two touches in those games. Those touches were enough to whet appetites for what’s to come in Detroit, however.

Williams had a 40-yard run and a 41-yard touchdown catch during his limited time on the field. During an appearance on the Green Light podcast, Hutchinson recalled the reaction he and his teammates had to seeing Williams in action.

“I mean it happened right as he scored that touchdown,” Hutchinson said, via SI.com. “We’re all sitting there on the sideline, because we know how fast he is. And I mean, he was still not 100 percent coming off that knee. I mean, those those guys are not 100 percent until a year and a half after. We were all sitting there on the sideline just stargazing and really excited about next year.”

The prospect of Williams being at full strength for an entire season is one of many reasons why Hutchinson and the rest of the Lions have plenty of company when it comes to being excited about what’s to come in 2023.

[Futureshock]

Lions “just don’t know” if Levi Onwuzurike will overcome back injury

Posted by Josh Alper on April 10, 2023, 10:48 AM EDT

Getty Images

Lions defensive tackle Levi Onwuzurike didn’t play at all during the 2022 season and the team isn’t taking his return to action for granted in 2023.

Onwuzurike has dealt with back issues for several years, but the 2021 second-round pick was able to play in 16 games as a rookie. Any hope that he’d progress into a bigger role in his second season were dashed when he was injured during training camp and had October surgery that ended his season.

When asked about Onwuzurike’s outlook recently, Lions head coach Dan Campbell said that it remains uncertain.

“We just need to see how it is,” Campbell said, via Kyle Meinke of MLive.com. “We talked to him a couple of weeks ago, he was doing good. The rehab has gone well, but you just don’t know. You don’t know with a back. But I mean certainly, he’s going to get an opportunity if the body will allow it.”

The Lions have drafted a number of strong contributors the last couple of years and adding Onwuzurike to that list would boost their hopes of making it to the playoffs, but it will be some time before anyone knows if that’s going to be a possibility.

[whatever_gong82]

Lions “just don’t know” if Levi Onwuzurike will overcome back injury

Posted by Josh Alper on April 10, 2023, 10:48 AM EDT

Getty Images

Lions defensive tackle Levi Onwuzurike didn’t play at all during the 2022 season and the team isn’t taking his return to action for granted in 2023.

Onwuzurike has dealt with back issues for several years, but the 2021 second-round pick was able to play in 16 games as a rookie. Any hope that he’d progress into a bigger role in his second season were dashed when he was injured during training camp and had October surgery that ended his season.

When asked about Onwuzurike’s outlook recently, Lions head coach Dan Campbell said that it remains uncertain.

“We just need to see how it is,” Campbell said, via Kyle Meinke of MLive.com. “We talked to him a couple of weeks ago, he was doing good. The rehab has gone well, but you just don’t know. You don’t know with a back. But I mean certainly, he’s going to get an opportunity if the body will allow it.”

The Lions have drafted a number of strong contributors the last couple of years and adding Onwuzurike to that list would boost their hopes of making it to the playoffs, but it will be some time before anyone knows if that’s going to be a possibility.

One of the few misses (so far) for Brad Holmes in the NFL Draft as the General Manager of the Detroit Lions. Mr. Holmes needs to draft Levi O's replacement in this upcoming draft.

[ghandi]

Of his sixth highest draft picks, Holmes has taken 4 defensive linemen.....It doesnt look like Levi will work out, McNeil is pretty much just a run stuffer, Paschal doesnt seem to have a role but is in the rotation, and Aidan is a star....He may take another one at pick 6 and/or 18.

[jaadam4]

I think you're selling McNeil short. He can be way more than a run stuffer.

[whatever_gong82]

Lions continue training staff overall, hiring Mike Sundeen as head athletic trainer

Justin Rogers

The Detroit News


Allen Park — The Detroit Lions continued the team's offseason overhaul of its training staff, hiring Mike Sundeen to serve as the team's new head athletic trainer.

Sundeen comes to Detroit after spending the past nine years as the assistant athletic trainer for the Denver Broncos. He replaces Kevin Bastin, who returned to serve a second stint as the team's head trainer in 2021.


"Stepping away from the NFL again," Bastin posted on LinkedIn earlier this month. "Many thanks to my fellow staff athletic trainers, equipment managers, ground crews, finance staff, team physicians and most of all my wife and family for letting me serve in this profession."



Sundeen is the second major addition to Detroit's training staff this offseason. He's scheduled to serve under director of player health and performance Brett Fischer. He joined the Lions in February after serving as a physical therapist consultant for the Arizona Cardinals since 2007.



Additionally, the Fischer Institute, which Fischer founded in Arizona, provides performance training and rehab for professional athletes across several major sports leagues.


"He's going to be a big part of our medical performance and medical advancement going forward," general manager Brad Holmes said in February. "He came highly recommended. Just getting to know him through the process, we're always looking to get better in all areas of our organization, and going through this process and getting to know Brett, I quickly saw what everybody was saying about him. He's a forward thinker, he's a collaborator and he's going to head our medical process, working in conjunction with (director of sports performance) Mike Clark. We just want to get better with our medical performance in general, but most importantly, just our player well-being. I think Brett Fischer is going to be a huge cog in that."


Sundeen earned his master’s degree in athletic training from the University of Connecticut and his bachelor’s degree in athletic training from the University of Northern Colorado. Sundeen also serves on the Professional Football Athletic Trainers Society Educational Committee.

jdrogers@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @Justin_Rogers

[Futureshock]

Lions hire new athletic trainer

Posted by Charean Williams on April 10, 2023, 5:10 PM EDT

Getty Images

The Lions announced Monday that they have hired Mike Sundeen as head athletic trainer.

Sundeen replaces Kevin Bastin, who is stepping away after fulfilling his two-year commitment when he rejoined the organization following the hirings of Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell in 2021.

Sundeen will work under Brett Fischer, the team’s director of player health and performance, in leading the athletic training staff in Detroit. He arrives in Detroit after serving as an assistant athletic trainer for the Broncos from 2014-22.

He originally joined the Broncos as a seasonal athletic training intern for two years before earning a full-time role.

Sundeen earned his master’s degree in athletic training from the University of Connecticut after receiving his bachelor’s degree in athletic training from the University of Northern Colorado. Sundeen also serves on the Professional Football Athletic Trainers Society Educational Committee.

[Cody_Russell]

Okudah traded. I feel sad. Guessing it’s pick #159? More thoughts:
- Makes me want CB more in the 1st RD.
- Thanks, Bob Quinn. #3 overall pick didn’t pay out.
- Achilles injuries suck for certain positions…
- Best of luck to Okudah.

[El Axe]

That doesn't seem like good value for him, but it is a very deep CB draft. Almost guarantees multiple CBs in the draft.

edit: I bet it also means they're really confident in Mosely's health, which is a good thing.

[Mainevent]

Who knows if he would have panned out, but Okudah did not get many good breaks. Really wish the would they could have gotten a 4th, but guessing they use those 5ths. package them to move up at some point.

[Cody_Russell]

I was thinking 4th RD pick for Okudah too when the rumors popped up a few days ago. However, it’s probably nitpicky of me to be disappointed when the return is a 5th. That’s fine.

Outside of being good at drafting OLine and the remains there … the Quinntricia days are almost completely over. Swift could be next to go in 9 months with his injury history.

[ghandi]

With the injury history and almost past his rookie contract, the Lions werent going to get much for him....It does bring DB into play more now in the draft, especially with two of the FAs being on one year deals and most likely gone after next season.

[jaadam4]

That’s a terrible trade from where I was at with Okudah this year. I wouldn’t say the #6 pick has to be a CB but this is the right draft to load up on young corners