Lions News

[chemiclord]

I do think that Hooker at some point will get a chance to prove he can be "the guy." I'm just not sure that chance will be with the Lions.

[Mainevent]

Hooker probably needs to be one of those guys that blows up in the preseason over the next couple of years to either become a trade asset or force the Lions to consider giving him a shot. Otherwise he's a likely in for a long haul as the primary backup.

(The other scenario is that he gets a shot due to injury to Goff and looks great, but let's not talk about that).

[chemiclord]

I don't see a particularly "long haul" regardless. Guy isn't going to just accept being a permanent backup. "Worst case"(?) scenario for him is that he walks at the end of his rookie deal, where a QB starved league has plenty of teams that will give him a shot.

[Mainevent]

His rookie contract is 4 years - if he hasn’t been given a shot to be a starter before then (here or somewhere else) he’s not likely to get one at that point.

[froot loops]

Three years in the NFL is a long haul scenario.

[chemiclord]

The number of retreads at QB, the sort of names that keep getting recycled, but Hendon's never going to get a chance? Ever?

Yeah, okay.

[Sanders Fan]

I hope he is good enough to take over. I don’t get attached to players, not anymore, anyway.

[ghandi]

Hopefully sitting out a year will help him understand the NFL better and that he will be prepared to play in preseason this year.....Even with a year's experience, he is still basically a rookie but maybe his age and maturity will help with that also....it would be great if he was good right off the bat, but it will be a challenge as I am sure Ben Johnson's offense isnt that easy.

[Cody_Russell]

It’s also nice to have a backup QB on a 3 years, ~$4M contract. Hendon Hooker’s remaining deal. Beats Bob Quinn breaking the bank for Chase Daniel.

I would assume the Lions bring in a cheap veteran like Nate Sudfeld again, but we should expect Hooker to win the backup job in camp. Need another camp body at QB.

[froot loops]

McKinstry has a Jones fracture in his right foot. A fracture of the 5th metatarsal bone. If it's a true Jones fracture, he might need surgery but if it is the less severe Dancer's fracture, 6-8 weeks in a boot and he should be good to go.

[whatever_gong82]

https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2024/03/01/detroit-lions-mini-movie-2023-season-highlights/72795188007/

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2024/03/01/tight-end-prospects-inspired-by-success-of-detroit-lions-sam-laporta/72803619007/

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2024/03/01/lions-gm-holmes-scouting-staff-honored-by-peers-for-best-draft-class-in-2023/72806623007/

[whatever_gong82]

Paywall article from today's Freep.

New Lions assistant Terrell Williams 'the best D-line coach' in the NFL, scars and all


Dave Birkett
Detroit Free Press

New Detroit Lions assistant coach Terrell Williams.jpg

INDIANAPOLIS — Dan Campbell called Terrell Williams “the best D-line coach in the” NFL, and it’s a reputation the newest Detroit Lions assistant has earned as much for the bonds built with players as for the way he teaches pass rush.

Williams has a legion of high-profile defensive linemen who swear by his name, from Ndamukong Suh to Jeffery Simmons, and the connections he has made with those players form the foundation of his coaching.



“I think in order for someone to know you, they got to know your scars, like what you’ve been through in life,” Williams told a small group of reporters at the NFL combine this week. “Take away football, and then I think they can understand you and respect you.”

For Williams, the most painful scar remains one he suffered 12 years ago during his first season as an NFL assistant with the Oakland Raiders, when his 4-year-old son, Tyson, died suddenly after a brief illness.



Williams said he talks openly about that tragedy with players as a way to illustrate the resilience and brotherhood needed to succeed in football and life.

“There’s so many other things but that’s one of the things that I like to get into and explain to them that you’re able to bounce back from some of those situations,” Williams said. “Cause again it’s, they see you as a football coach and I’m talking this environment is completely different than a meeting room environment or a practice field environment, but I think that if they know you on a personal level, know who you are, what you’ve been through, your family, your background, then it’s easier to connect with those guys. Cause now they’re more comfortable sharing things with you. It’s a tough business, but I think there’s a human element to it also.”



Asked how he managed to navigate the tragedy, Williams said, “I mean, because you have to.”

“You just, you can’t stop living,” he said. “And I think that that’s a lesson that sometimes things happen in life and you can’t, you just can’t control it. We couldn’t control it. We got the best doctors in the Bay area, you got the best everything but then sometimes things just happen. And through counseling and friendships and all of those things, you’re able to deal with it up until it’s where it becomes manageable for you. Because that’s not something that goes away. It’s not — we’re still dealing with it, so that’s just life. Bad things happen to good people and you got to find a way to fight through it. That’s what makes us who we are.”


Terrell Williams when he worked for the Titans.jpg

Williams spent three seasons with the Raiders and three more as defensive line coach with the Miami Dolphins, before spending the past six years with the Tennessee Titans.

He said the friendship he built with Campbell during their one season together with the Dolphins in 2015 was a big reason he signed on as Lions defensive line coach and defensive run game coordinator.



“Dan and I have talked for years about having opportunity to work together,” Williams said. “When this opportunity came, it was an easy decision for me and I’m thankful to the Tennessee Titans for allowing me to get out of my contract.”

Along with Campbell, Williams has a previous relationship with Lions general manager Brad Holmes, who he coached in college at North Carolina A&T. He said his wife has family in Michigan. And he said the state’s youth hockey program was “a huge, huge part of me coming here to Detroit.”



Williams’ 12-year-old son, Tahj, recently joined Compuware.

“The hockey part is bigger than you think,” Williams said.


As for what he wants the Lions’ defensive line to be under his watch, Williams, who oversaw one of the NFL’s best run defenses the past three seasons in Tennessee, said he’s looking for physical, violent players who play with effort.

“I haven’t seen very many high-level starters that aren’t violent players,” Williams said. “That just doesn’t work, it doesn’t go hand in hand. And I’ve coached some of the most violent on-the-field players, had Simmons, had Suh in Miami, had Richard Seymour in Oakland and even some of the undersized, like Cam Wake in Miami who was 260, (2)50 pounds, he’s one of the most violent football players. People look at him as a pass rusher, but he rushed violently.

“So I don’t know any other way to explain it other than we’re looking for violent players. That’s just what it has to be.”



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

[El Axe]

Via Jeremy Fowler: I don't know that he knows that the Lions are after Sneed specifically, but he seems convinced that the Lions are going after a high end CB.

image.png

[El Axe]

Paywall article from today's Freep.

New Lions assistant Terrell Williams 'the best D-line coach' in the NFL, scars and all


Dave Birkett
Detroit Free Press

New Detroit Lions assistant coach Terrell Williams.jpg

INDIANAPOLIS — Dan Campbell called Terrell Williams “the best D-line coach in the” NFL, and it’s a reputation the newest Detroit Lions assistant has earned as much for the bonds built with players as for the way he teaches pass rush.

Williams has a legion of high-profile defensive linemen who swear by his name, from Ndamukong Suh to Jeffery Simmons, and the connections he has made with those players form the foundation of his coaching.



“I think in order for someone to know you, they got to know your scars, like what you’ve been through in life,” Williams told a small group of reporters at the NFL combine this week. “Take away football, and then I think they can understand you and respect you.”

For Williams, the most painful scar remains one he suffered 12 years ago during his first season as an NFL assistant with the Oakland Raiders, when his 4-year-old son, Tyson, died suddenly after a brief illness.



Williams said he talks openly about that tragedy with players as a way to illustrate the resilience and brotherhood needed to succeed in football and life.

“There’s so many other things but that’s one of the things that I like to get into and explain to them that you’re able to bounce back from some of those situations,” Williams said. “Cause again it’s, they see you as a football coach and I’m talking this environment is completely different than a meeting room environment or a practice field environment, but I think that if they know you on a personal level, know who you are, what you’ve been through, your family, your background, then it’s easier to connect with those guys. Cause now they’re more comfortable sharing things with you. It’s a tough business, but I think there’s a human element to it also.”



Asked how he managed to navigate the tragedy, Williams said, “I mean, because you have to.”

“You just, you can’t stop living,” he said. “And I think that that’s a lesson that sometimes things happen in life and you can’t, you just can’t control it. We couldn’t control it. We got the best doctors in the Bay area, you got the best everything but then sometimes things just happen. And through counseling and friendships and all of those things, you’re able to deal with it up until it’s where it becomes manageable for you. Because that’s not something that goes away. It’s not — we’re still dealing with it, so that’s just life. Bad things happen to good people and you got to find a way to fight through it. That’s what makes us who we are.”


Terrell Williams when he worked for the Titans.jpg

Williams spent three seasons with the Raiders and three more as defensive line coach with the Miami Dolphins, before spending the past six years with the Tennessee Titans.

He said the friendship he built with Campbell during their one season together with the Dolphins in 2015 was a big reason he signed on as Lions defensive line coach and defensive run game coordinator.



“Dan and I have talked for years about having opportunity to work together,” Williams said. “When this opportunity came, it was an easy decision for me and I’m thankful to the Tennessee Titans for allowing me to get out of my contract.”

Along with Campbell, Williams has a previous relationship with Lions general manager Brad Holmes, who he coached in college at North Carolina A&T. He said his wife has family in Michigan. And he said the state’s youth hockey program was “a huge, huge part of me coming here to Detroit.”



Williams’ 12-year-old son, Tahj, recently joined Compuware.

“The hockey part is bigger than you think,” Williams said.


As for what he wants the Lions’ defensive line to be under his watch, Williams, who oversaw one of the NFL’s best run defenses the past three seasons in Tennessee, said he’s looking for physical, violent players who play with effort.

“I haven’t seen very many high-level starters that aren’t violent players,” Williams said. “That just doesn’t work, it doesn’t go hand in hand. And I’ve coached some of the most violent on-the-field players, had Simmons, had Suh in Miami, had Richard Seymour in Oakland and even some of the undersized, like Cam Wake in Miami who was 260, (2)50 pounds, he’s one of the most violent football players. People look at him as a pass rusher, but he rushed violently.

“So I don’t know any other way to explain it other than we’re looking for violent players. That’s just what it has to be.”



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

They let their first year DL coach go this year. IMO, the unit underperformed this year. Players with a history of productivity were not productive and that can be indicative of poor coaching. We might see the whole unit improve this year.

Also cool that our hockey culture basically got us a prime football coach :-)

[jaadam4]

Via Jeremy Fowler: I don't know that he knows that the Lions are after Sneed specifically, but he seems convinced that the Lions are going after a high end CB.

image.png

That's fantastic news. Holmes knows that its not time to wait. Lets do this shit