Lions News

[Mainevent]

I agree about the blocking. My one real concern is that there’s blood in the water. Several writers have said that they’ve seen him put the ball on the turf during warmups and how scarce that generally is.

Yeah one of the beat writers was like “he dropped ball in mini-camp, he dropped balls in training camp, he drops the ball in warm-ups”. It’s definitely not a good trend.

[LightninBoy]

I think what people miss is that the Lions front office says they draft Football players.
I interpret that means they are not just going by athleticism and or position.
They draft guys who play a team game on every play. They said Jamo blocked in college also. He loves football and is willing to do anything for the team. As long as Holmes and Campbell are here there won’t be any divas or 1 dimensions players.

This is what makes the Jamo situation so odd to me. For all we've seen he's all speed and nothing else. Doesn't seem to know how to play the WR position. Has poor hands. With past regimes I'd totally chock this up to the FO being fooled by the pure athleticism and not considering the full package. But that is very out of character for this FO, so I think there is still hope.

BTW, in that video - in addition to Jamo flattening his guy on the block, note what happens after the block. He is stopped. Monty passes him going full speed. Jamo gives chase from a dead stop, and passes all the defenders and is easily catching up to Monty. Man, I hope he figures it out.

[LightninBoy]

Yeah one of the beat writers was like “he dropped ball in mini-camp, he dropped balls in training camp, he drops the ball in warm-ups”. It’s definitely not a good trend.

Was this a problem for him in college?

[whatever_gong82]

Detroit Lions mailbag: Does Brad Holmes have a deal brewing at NFL trade deadline?


Dave Birkett
Detroit Free Press


It's been a while since I've done a Detroit Lions mailbag, but the team is off to a hot start — one I absolutely think will continue — so now feels like a good time to answer some of your questions.

I'll try to do one every couple of weeks or so, mixed in with film reviews depending on the game. Today's questions come from email, X (the former Twitter) and Threads, where you can follow me @davebirkett.


Is it reasonable to think that the Lions will make a big deal at the trade deadline? If so what position might they go for? — @almightyraygolions



The NFL trade deadline is 4 p.m. on Halloween, and for the sake of my kids' trick-or-treat experience, here's hoping Brad Holmes gets any deals done before the deadline.

Holmes made a deadline deal last year, sending T.J. Hockenson to the Minnesota Vikings for draft compensation, so there's plenty of reason to believe he'll be active again this year. I don't know that a "big" deal is coming, because Holmes and Dan Campbell have been very diligent about building the roster the right way. But I've had enough conversations with Holmes to know he's willing to be aggressive if the time is right and a player warrants that type of move.


Since we're still a couple weeks from the deadline, it's a little too early to link the Lions to any player in particular, or really know who other teams will make available. But it doesn't take a genius to look at the Lions' roster and injury situation and pick out a couple areas they can upgrade. I'd start with the secondary. The Lions added three free-agent defensive backs this offseason, and two already have been lost (likely for the season) to injury. The Lions are thin at cornerback again, and are really one injury away from being in a dire spot there.


If it's not a defensive back, receiver seems like the position next in line for an upgrade, though the Lions have to be hoping Jameson Williams lessens some of their need for help at the position. Maybe a pass rusher or interior defensive lineman becomes available that would upgrade the defense, but the Lions have to like where their roster stands overall.


Who do the Lions potentially have returning from IR in the coming weeks? — @detroitstrong55


Cornerback Khalil Dorsey and defensive lineman Josh Paschal are eligible to return to practice this week, and Campbell said Monday both are "close" to coming off IR.

Dorsey, who's been sidelined for health reasons since mid-September, should be back this week or next and should add depth to the aforementioned cornerback spot. Paschal had a strong training camp and made three tackles (including one for loss) in the Lions' Week 1 win over the Kansas City Chiefs. He'll be a welcome addition up front, too, once he's cleared to return.


The Lions are still holding out hope that C.J. Gardner-Johnson can return from surgery to fix his torn pectoral muscle, but that's a couple months away still at best.


Given how good reporters and fans assess the play of the team and the play-calling of the coach, isn’t it fair to take a look at the folks who oversee injury management? IMHO, there was zero reason for Brian Branch to be reinserted into a game that, a) he’d just barely been able to limp off the field with assistance; and b) the outcome of the game was no longer in question? ... Because of that terrible decision, one of the Lions most ascendant players – and a key cog in their Defense – will miss at least one game and possibly several. Who made this decision? — Michael Kibler



Mike sent this question by email, and really put the thought of reviving the mailbag in my head, so big thanks to him for that.

As for injury management, it's a fair question and one I planned on asking Campbell at some point this week. Branch, of course, sprained his ankle in the third quarter of the Packers game, returned briefly in the fourth, then missed last week's win over the Carolina Panthers and sounds doubtful to play this week against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Putting Branch back in the game seemed reactionary at the time, since it happened right after Will Harris got beat on a long pass at the end of the third quarter. But coaches only put players on the field once they've been cleared by the medical staff to return, so Lions trainers were clearly comfortable with Branch's injury.

I think the Lions have been good about seeing the big picture when it comes to holding players out of games, but they have had several players finish games only to miss the next week with injuries, including Gardner-Johnson, Taylor Decker and Amon-Ra St. Brown. How much those injuries were aggravated by staying in, I can't say. But in the self-evaluation process, that's a question Campbell should be asking himself.



I'm 60. I loved Barry. I loved Calvin. But in my lifetime Brad Holmes/Dan Campbell is the best thing that has ever happened for this franchise. Am I right? — @SteveElsey2



Steve, I think a lot of people are feeling that way these days, and I get it. This is the best Lions team since at least 1991 and Holmes and Campbell have done a great job making this franchise relevant on a national basis. It's a deep and well-balanced roster, it's a fun team to watch and it's a bandwagon everyone is clamoring to be a part of.

I'll say that Holmes and Campbell will lead this franchise to more success than Calvin Johnson (zero playoff wins) or Barry Sanders (one), but those two were first-ballot Hall-of-Famers and two of the best to ever do it at their positions in the NFL. These Lions haven't accomplished anything yet, and there are some challenges ahead — paying players in free agency; not having high draft picks to replenish the roster; potential injuries and defections — to sustaining success.

Let's talk again in a couple years about legacies. We should have a lot more clarity then.


Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn are definitely getting some head coaching interviews next season do you think the lions already have an idea on who they will use to replace them 2? I'm assuming it will be In house hires ( my money is on shep for defense) but what do you think? — @Bigg_Play


As I wrote the other day, the way things are going, the Lions will be looking for two new coordinators after the season because both Johnson and Glenn will be hot commodities on the coaching circuit.

Campbell has done a great job filling his staff with bright, young, ascending coaches and there are several in-house candidates for the job. Kelvin Sheppard is probably next in line to be defensive coordinator. He played in the league, he coached linebackers, he's coordinating the pass rush now and he has the demeanor and leadership qualities to run a defense.

I know assistant head coach/running backs coach Scottie Montgomery has a desire to be an NFL play-caller, too, so he's probably next in line on the offensive staff. Montgomery has been a head coach and offensive coordinator in college, but he's never called plays in the NFL.

As good as both those candidates are, Campbell would be doing a disservice to the team if he didn't open both searches up to outside candidates. The jobs are good enough to attract top coaches from all over football, and it still may turn out that Sheppard and Montgomery or someone else on staff are the best fits for the jobs.



Where do you rank the Lions in the NFC? And how far off the Eagles/49ers do you think they are? — @LionsDraftWatch


Great question to end the mailbag with, because this is ultimately what it's about: Can the Lions beat the Eagles or 49ers and make the Super Bowl?

I don't know how anyone can watch games right now and not come to the conclusion the 49ers are the best team in the NFL. They do everything well: Stop the run, rush the passer, run the football, throw it around, and they've got a veteran team and an excellent coach.

The Eagles haven't been quite as dominant, and I don't think they're as good defensively as San Francisco. But they're the second-best team in the league right now, and a couple of their close early-season calls might be hangover from last year's Super Bowl.

I'd put the Lions third in the NFC pecking order, just ahead of the Dallas Cowboys and Seattle Seahawks. It's not a distant third, and it's not a huge lead over four and five, either.

Injuries are the great equalizer in the NFL, so we'll see where everyone stands come January. If the Lions get home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, I could see them running the table, even if the 49ers and Eagles have slightly better rosters.


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


Next up: Buccaneers

Matchup: Lions (4-1) at Tampa Bay (3-1).

Kickoff: 4:25 p.m. Sunday; Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida.

TV/radio: Fox; WXYT-FM (97.1), WTKA-AM (1050).

Line: Lions by 3.

[Cody_Russell]

Was this a problem for him in college?

PFF had Jameson Williams at 6 drops in his 1 season at Alabama. For a heavy volume WR, seems average maybe?

Unclear for his 2 years at THE university. Of course there were stud WRs ahead of Jamo on the depth chart with their 5 stars and coaching (Brian Hartline).

https://www.pff.com/news/draft-jameson-williams-alabama-crimson-tide-next-great-deep-threat

[whatever_gong82]

As Jared Goff continues to excel for Lions, is a contract extension the next step?



By Colton Pouncy
Oct 11, 2023


DETROIT — Jared Goff is playing some of the best football of his career. He’s quarterbacking the Detroit Lions, leaders of the NFC North and owners of one of the league’s best offenses, and finding ways to keep getting better.

It begged a simple question in the locker room last week: Does Goff feel like he’s finally silenced his critics?


“Don’t care,” he said.

Don’t care?


“Don’t care,” he reiterated. “There’s still gonna be some, and there will always be. Even if I’m playing great, if I’m playing poorly, there will always be haters and lovers. Ignore ’em all and keep trying to get better.”

A 2016 No. 1 pick of the Los Angeles Rams, cast aside and questioned by many throughout his career, Goff carries a reputation for never being good enough. Not good enough for his previous coaching staff, not good enough for national media, not good enough to ultimately win with.


Just don’t tell the Lions that.

Detroit is 4-1 this season, and 12-3 in its last 15 games with Goff under center. He’s tasked with running one of the league’s best offenses, and thriving in his role. The Lions look like a contender in the NFC because of Goff — not in spite of him. He’s even been mentioned in the MVP conversation. But questions will persist until Goff’s long-term future with the team is resolved.


As quarterbacks around the league sign new deals with their respective teams, it’s fair to wonder what the future holds for Goff, who turns 29 on Saturday, with the Lions. General manager Brad Holmes acknowledged in August the team had been keeping an “open dialogue” in training camp with Goff’s agent about a contract extension.


“I think the transparency has been good, so we’ll see how it goes,” Holmes said when asked then about potential extensions for Goff and left guard Jonah Jackson. “Good dialogue.”

Holmes and coach Dan Campbell’s trust in Goff has been rewarded over the last two seasons. Goff was one of the better quarterbacks in the league last year, throwing for 4,438 yards and 29 touchdowns and earning a Pro Bowl nod in the process. This season, Goff has picked up where he left off, playing like one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, per just about every metric.


Goff’s off-target rate of 8.8 percent is the sixth-lowest in the NFL. His adjusted completion percentage of 82.9 leads the NFL. Among QBs with at least 80 pass attempts, he has the fewest turnover-worthy plays with three and the sixth-most big-time throws with nine, per Pro Football Focus. He’s fourth in passing touchdowns (nine) and has two more on the ground. He’s sixth in passer rating (104.4), seventh in EPA per dropback (0.12) and ninth in yards per game (253.0). He’s PFF’s No. 1 overall quarterback through five weeks with an offensive grade of 90.6.

“It’s beautiful,” Lions defensive back Will Harris said of Goff after Sunday’s 42-24 win over the Carolina Panthers. “It’s crazy. The defense, we’re always sitting on the sidelines, we’re like, ‘Whoa, what?’ It’s crazy, (the) guy’s a baller. He’s competitive. He don’t take nothing either, man. He’s a real leader. Definitely a blessing to have him out there.”

So what might a contract extension for the quarterback look like? Goff’s current contract expires after the 2024 season. A new deal isn’t likely to reset the market the way Jalen Hurts (average annual value of $51 million), Lamar Jackson ($52 million), Justin Herbert ($52.5 million) and Joe Burrow ($55 million) and others have in recent years. But he’s clearly due for a raise. The question will be for how many years and at what cost.

As the cap grows, the percentage of cap space the Lions are willing to invest in Goff might be a better tool than AAV, but for now, AAV provides a reasonable floor. The key will be finding a happy medium. Goff’s current contract, signed in 2019 as a member of the Rams, pays him an AAV of $33.5 million. The New Orleans Saints signed Derek Carr to a deal this offseason that pays him an AAV of $37.5 million. The New York Giants signed Daniel Jones to a deal with an AAV of $40 million. That may be the baseline for any Goff extension, with his camp likely wanting more since Goff’s production far exceeds that of Carr and Jones.


Clearly, the Lions are thinking about it. But there are other factors to consider.

Goff isn’t the only player in line for a potential extension. Jackson, a 2020 draft pick, is a free agent this offseason. The Lions will certainly want to keep offensive lineman Penei Sewell, a 2021 first-round draft pick, for the long term. Wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown becomes an unrestricted free agent after the 2024 season. Others will follow.


How will Goff perform if offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, credited with much of his success in Detroit, leaves for a head coaching job this offseason? Do the Lions feel they have enough in place to keep the wheels turning if Johnson were to leave? Will there be a drop-off in play, or is the Goff we’ve seen here to stay?

What should we make of Hendon Hooker? He was viewed as one of the better quarterbacks in the 2023 draft but fell to the third round as he recovers from a torn ACL. Did the Lions draft Hooker to eventually replace Goff as a starter or is he merely a high-level backup? It’s early for that conversation, but worth monitoring.


From the get-go, though, Holmes and Campbell have quietly built the Lions around Goff.

When Holmes traded Matthew Stafford to the Rams in January 2021 for Goff and a bevy of draft picks, the belief by outsiders at the time was that Goff was the bridge to a younger quarterback who could revive the franchise and turn it into a winner. Instead, they took a franchise tackle — Sewell — in the first round that year. In the 2022 draft, they strengthened their defense by selecting a franchise edge in Aidan Hutchinson, and took a swing at game-changing speed in wide receiver Jameson Williams.


This April, the Lions entered the draft with two first-rounders and five of the top 81 picks. They had the capital to trade up for a shot at Anthony Richardson. They passed and loaded up with running back Jahmyr Gibbs, linebacker Jack Campbell, tight end Sam LaPorta and defensive back Brian Branch instead — all of whom have contributed to the Lions’ success this season.


Their actions, and words, suggest a front office comfortable with Goff running the show. All the while, Goff was quietly getting better, focused on helping his team develop into a winner.

“At this point in my career, it’s winning, that’s the only thing that drives me,” Goff said before the 2022 season. “Winning with this group of guys, there would be nothing more special. I think that’s what we see as such a great opportunity with what happened last year. … The opportunity in front of us with what we think we can do is special. Maybe once in a career to turn it around this quickly.”


The way Goff is playing, the way his teammates talk about him, the way he’s adopted the mentality of this team, it’s becoming increasingly hard to imagine a world in which he and the Lions don’t eventually agree on an extension. Detroit appears to be built for sustained success, with a young, talented roster surrounding him. How far these Lions will ultimately go with Goff as QB1 has yet to be determined, but what a story it would be for him to be the guy who leads this franchise to postseason success. This season should tell us quite a bit.

In the meantime, don’t expect him to care about anything other than helping his team win games.


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

[whatever_gong82]

[whatever_gong82]

[whatever_gong82]

[whatever_gong82]

I had to post this just to remind Lions fans that we'll soon be off this sad list:

[wcfwtf]

The media is in the drama business. They no longer report news they have to creatively it because of the 24/7 all the time blitz.

[Mainevent]

Not to harsh all the good feels around here because they have obviously done a shit ton right, but if you are planning Monty to be a bell cow back, you don't pick a gadget player at #12.

https://www.mlive.com/lions/2023/10/detroit-lions-always-envisioned-bell-cow-status-for-surging-rb-david-montgomery.html

[Cody_Russell]

I had to post this just to remind Lions fans that we'll soon be off this sad list:

Well, it being 1 playoff win in 65 seasons. Most people alive have seen 1 or zero Lions playoff wins!
That’s the sad part that might be corrected this season.

[whatever_gong82]

Well, it being 1 playoff win in 65 seasons. Most people alive have seen 1 or zero Lions playoff wins!
That’s the sad part that might be corrected this season.

Amen, brother.



I was in my mid 20's when Barry Sanders and Company beat the Dallas Cowboys 38-6.

Now, I'm approaching 60 in 2 1/2 years.

All I really want is at a few Super Bowl championships before I take the dirt nap.

Man, I wish Future would be here to watch this current Detroit Lions team. He'd be having a ball.

[whatever_gong82]