Lions News

[Mainevent]

The Allen Robinson move is surprising - he’s looked washed the last 3 years. I would have thought Isaiah Hodgins a better roll of the dice, but maybe Robinson as a very experienced vet is easier to slot in for emergency purposes without having to give him many reps.

[froot loops]

I'm not that familiar with Hodgins but Robinson put up some stats last year. Robinson is a good run blocker.

[Mainevent]

Neither put up good stats last year (for admittedly bad offenses). Hodgins has a rep as a good blocker per the NY beat writers. Probably just an experience factor.

[Forsh]

and we chose Allen Robinson, DPJ & Tim Patrick. Seems a little underwhelming, but it is choosing from the bargain bin.

It does indeed seem underwhelming. I don't really believe this ... but it's almost like Holmes wants to force Ben Johnson to feed Jamo

[Blue Lagoon58]

It does indeed seem underwhelming. I don't really believe this ... but it's almost like Holmes wants to force Ben Johnson to feed Jamo

LOL, this is most forthcoming front office in the league and "I don't really believe this"...why? What big X was available that is better than who they brought in?

[Forsh]

LOL, this is most forthcoming front office in the league and "I don't really believe this"...why? What big X was available that is better than who they brought in?

Oh I'm just saying cuz they didn't resign Reynolds and then the allusion that all the WR wanted to come here but they signed a couple guys who are looking washed to differing degrees. I don't believe Holmes is doing that ... just wondering a bit if they could've brought in somebody who was a safer bet to warrant playing time

[El Axe]

Brad Holmes Press Conference today

The one quote that I'd highlight in particular is that they expected Antoine Green to be WR4, but he got hurt. I hadn't heard that he was hurt.

[chemiclord]

Yeah, concussion and neck injury, iirc.

[Mainevent]

Yeah, they expected if not Green then DPJ to step in and fill that X receiver role. When that didn’t happen they could have either made a trade or sift through the bin. They chose the latter.

[Iron Lion]

20240829-144928.jpg


From these crude, semi-illiterate cave writings, archaeologists have determined that Trevor Nowaske was likely from Canton, Michigan.

[whatever_gong82]

Full recap of Brad Holmes' press conference: Backup QB decisions, WR depth, McNeill contract status and more

Justin Rogers
Aug 29


Ray Agnew and Brad Holmes.jpg

Allen Park — Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes typically meets with local media fewer than 10 times each year, most of which is concentrated around the NFL draft.

Here’s his annual calendar: A season postmortem in January (or February), the combine, the league meetings in March, a pre-draft press conference and three short sessions after each night of the draft.


From the draft until the end of the following season, Holmes typically meets with the group once — between roster cuts and before Week 1.

But it's also usually one of his longest Q&A’s. On Thursday, Holmes and general manager Ray Agnew fielded questions for nearly 36 minutes, mostly discussing the team’s recent roster decisions, from quarterbacks to receivers to the recent addition of a seventh off-ball linebacker.


At my previous jobs, I’d feverishly break out each of Holmes’ answers into separate headlines across two or three days, raking in those sweet, sweet pageviews that come with volume production. Here, pageviews aren’t a priority. Instead, I want to serve the audience in a way that’s best for them, so I’m going to consolidate the GM’s comments into this single post.

Enjoy.


● Let’s start with Detroit’s quarterback decisions, because it’s the questions I used to lead off the morning press conference.

First, I wanted to know at what point did Holmes feel comfortable with Hendon Hooker as the team’s primary, and sole, backup to starter Jared Goff. More than anything, curiosity was piqued by the contrast of how Nate Sudfeld had been talked up as the leader in the clubhouse to serve as the No. 2 up to the day before he was released by the organization.

“I would say there wasn't one moment,” Holmes said. “The more reps he got, the more confident he got. And the more he played, the more confidence that we had in him as it went on. When I look back at Hendon, going back to his college career, really what he's doing right now is not a whole lot different than what his college path was. When he came out of Dudley High School, back at Virginia Tech, he didn't just become the guy; he had to work and grind. He had to work and battle and wait for his time. Eventually, it came. Then when he hit the portal and went to (Tennessee), it was the same thing. He was competing, he was battling, he had to be behind somebody, and he just kept putting the work in.

“We have confidence in him because he's wired right to go through that,” Holmes continued. “He's already proved he can go through that. So I think he's really taken the same kinds of steps that he's always taken, but, obviously, you see the talent and ability that he has. He gave a lot of life and spark to the offense when he had his opportunities. And he's still learning and he's still growing. But that's what when into it."

Hooker capped his preseason audition by leading a come-from-behind victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Appearing in portions of all three exhibition contests, the second-year QB completed 29-of-44 throws for 300 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He also impressed with his dual-threat ability, rushing for 138 yards and a score on 19 carries, which were mostly scrambles.

● Maybe more surprising than the Lions parting with Sudfeld is the team went with Jake Fromm as a third option on its practice squad.

Fromm arrived late to camp — insurance while Hooker was briefly sidelined by a concussion — and never took a practice snap before entering the preseason finale in the fourth quarter.


Still, he was able to do enough in that brief appearance to strengthen an already favorable opinion Holmes had of the QB prior to his arrival, dating back not just to the University of Georgia, but Houston County High School in Warner Robins, Georgia.

“I guess the best thing I can say is — and I tell young kids all the time, the kids at the combine, speaking to the quarterbacks, some guys, they don't want to throw,” Holmes said. “They don't want to work out because they're not working with their guys. They want to wait until their orchestrated pro day and all that. And same with all-star games, to an extent, too. But when a quarterback can go out there and operate and be accurate for guys that he has not been working with, that's impressive. And it wasn't just that. Obviously, there's a lot of other stuff he's shown that was not seen on film. But he was impressive in a short time.”


“…I give the kid credit,” Holmes said. “His mindset wasn’t, ‘I’m coming in as insurance.’ His mindset was coming in as ‘I’m coming in to compete and do something with this opportunity.’ He did some things even before that game during practice, but in the game, when he got his opportunity, he just took full advantage of it.”

Fromm completed six-of-eight throws in that fourth quarter for 89 yards. The sample size is minuscule, but his 110.9 passer rating was the best of Detroit’s three quarterbacks this preseason.


● Moving on to wide receiver, Holmes reiterated the team pushed to bring back Josh Reynolds this offseason, but the two sides weren’t able to come together on terms.

“You can’t get everybody that you want back,” Holmes said.


The Lions reportedly offered Reynolds two years, $5.5 million, but he ended up getting a two-year, $9 million offer from Denver, with more than $4 million guaranteed. That’s a pretty easy decision for the player.

Clearly, the replacement plan hasn’t gone according to plan. The Lions are carrying just four receivers on their initial 53-man roster with a noticeable lack of size in the group. But they’ve compensated for the deficiency with the construction of their practice squad, which includes Tim Patrick, Allen Robinson and the return of Donovan Peoples-Jones. All three are at least 6-foot-2.


With newcomers Patrick and Robinson, Holmes said the team is prepared to be patient during an acclimation period.

“Look, we know those guys can play,” Holmes said. “I thought it was really cool to see Tim Patrick, after everything that he's done (torn ACL in 2022 and torn Achilles in 2023), move around the preseason: Run routes, show that he can still drop his weight, snap down, get out of breaks and still catch the football. So we were excited to add him.


“Then Allen Robinson, he was a guy that we wanted to add in free agency a couple years ago,” Holmes continued. “Obviously, a Detroit kid, from here, but that's not the reason why he's here. He's another guy who can step in and we know he can play. Right now, it's all about getting them acclimated. However fast that happens, we will see. If it's one week, two weeks, three weeks, we will see.”

Beyond being encouraged by the experience and character of those additions, Holmes said he has comfort with the current receiving setup because of the quality of talent at the top of the depth chart and across the offense.


“I’d have less confidence if we did not have an elite player (Amon-Ra St. Brown) leading that one position, if we did not have Jameson Williams, if we did not have Kalif Raymond,” Holmes said. “After those three guys I name in that one position, I’d have less confidence in the remaining people in the receiver room if we did not have a quarterback with two tackles, two guards, the center, the tight end, the two running backs. I would have less confidence, but because it’s completely team effort, I still have confidence.”

Interestingly, Holmes said he believed 2023 seventh-round draft pick Antoine Green was on the verge of breaking out and claiming a fifth roster spot in the receiving room, prior to suffering a season-ending head/neck injury in the preseason opener.



● After knocking out extensions for St. Brown, Jared Goff and Penei Sewell this offseason, Holmes was asked if he ever smiles when he sees some of the contract disputes going on around the league.

While breaking out in a big smile, he said: "We just have to worry about what we have to do."

Of course, the Lions still have lingering extension negotiations with defensive tackle Alim McNeill. I asked about the status of those talks and whether they would carry into the season.


As it turns out, those conversations aren’t as far along as we might have believed.

“We haven't had anything intense going on, from a dialogue standpoint, but his camp knows that we wanna get something done,” Holmes said. “But it's in the infancy stages right now.”


The longer McNeill waits, the more expensive he’s likely to become, especially if his training camp performance ports to the 2024 season. That said, the Lions still have the franchise tag in their back pocket, assuming the sides don’t come together on terms in the next several months.

It's also worth noting, even if the talks are in their infancy now, these things often go from that stage to the finish line in a matter of days when both sides are motivated.


● For a team that pushes the concept of competition, the Lions never brought in a challenger to Jake Bates following Michael Badgley’s season-ending industry, despite multiple agents pushing their client on Holmes.

It remains one of the most interesting developments of the offseason as the former Michigan Panthers kicker wowed with his leg strength, but battled some predictable inconsistency given his lack of experience.


Holmes explained how the player’s upside and mental makeup override those concerns.

“We all crave certainty, we crave everything being coherent and all that, but there is excitement about the unknown,” Holmes said. “…I know that one thing about kickers is you have to be wired a certain way. We learned early on that he's wired right.


“I thought that's one of the smartest moves that we didn't make is that when we had Badgley go down, we did not bring another kicker in,” Holmes said. “There wasn't a whole lot available, because when Badge got his injury, I mean, every team in the league had two or three kickers on their roster. We brought a handful of guys in to work out but we said, 'Look, let's just let this kid get every rep possible.' And he did get better. And he's continued to get better.”

Even with that heaping of praise, Holmes did acknowledge he expects to add a veteran kicker to the practice squad.


● The Lions claimed linebacker Trevor Nowaske off waivers Wednesday, bringing back the former SVSU standout after he spent most of his rookie season with the team in 2023.

The move adds to an already crowded position group, so I asked what Holmes saw in Nowaske last year to justify pulling the trigger on the claim.

“You’re right, we were disappointed when we lost him last year,” Holmes said. “We were just in one of those spots where you’re trying to sneak a guy through (to the practice squad) and I don’t know if there’s any sneaking anymore in this league. …He does have a lot of upside with his size, he’s got straight-line speed, he’s tough, he’s physical, he has instincts for special teams


“I think that’s one of the things that you look at a special teams player,” Holmes continued “You look at size, speed, trying to get downfield, being able to break down in open field. But he has instincts, he’s got the spatial awareness to understand where the ball’s coming. So all those things, it makes him have a bright future at special teams, and he’s still going to be growing as a linebacker as well. I know that that’s a really deep room, but we want to continue to grow him as well.”

The comments echo something coach Dan Campbell said Monday about wanting positional upside within their group of players who primarily contribute on special teams. Nowaske fits that mold similar to undrafted rookie safety Loren Strickland.


Agnew called Strickland tough and gritty. He also praised the other two UDFAs to make Detroit’s roster: Long snapper Hogan Hatten and wide receiver Isaiah Williams.

“Hatten the long snapper, the guy’s just extremely athletic and the guy just made plays all camp,” Agnew said. “At the end of the day, that’s what it’s all about, who is productive? It’s a production business and he was productive. He made plays all day and he earned his spot.


“…Isaiah just made plays when he got the ball in his hand.”

Holmes added the team strongly considered drafting Williams, which isn’t surprising given the $240,000 they guaranteed him as an undrafted player.


● With wide receiver Jameson Williams, both Holmes and Agnew praised the maturation of the young receiver, on and off the field.

“When we drafted him, we said, ‘He’s going to need to grow up a little bit.’ And he did, so it’s been right on pace,” Holmes said. “You can clearly tell he’s put the work in and he’s been working even harder. It means something to him. This kid loves football. I mean he loves football, and I think it’s very evident in the results that you saw this training camp that the work that he’s put in, just like Ray was saying, the route running, everything, just him working with (wide receivers coach Antwaan Randle) El, working with Goff, just doing all those things in the offseason in preparation.

“And he’s got some good guys in that room,” Holmes said. “Obviously, you have an elite player like St. Brown. And forget the performance, but how his intangibles are (with) Kalif Raymond. He’s got really good guys to look upon and follow. He’s seen how they work, but you can see the results that’s shown in camp.”


● John Cominsky was officially moved to injured reserve shortly after the press conference. That open roster spot wasn’t immediately filled.

The team also has an open spot on the practice squad after releasing veteran C.J. Moore on Thursday.


● Not that it’s going to surprise anyone, but Holmes had a succinct answer on his expectations for the 2024 season: “Win the Super Bowl.”



Email: jrogers@detroitfootball.net

X: Justin_Rogers

[whatever_gong82]

https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2024/08/29/detroit-lions-alim-mcneill-extension-talks/74993628007/

https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2024/08/29/detroit-lions-gm-general-mamager-brad-holmes-press-conference-jake-fromm-wrs-super-bowl/74993650007/

[whatever_gong82]

DFN Mailbag: Jamo's ceiling, Bates' range, the risk-reward with Joseph and best press box dining

Justin Rogers
Aug 30


DFN_Mailbag image.jpg

Welcome to the first of hopefully many Detroit Football Network mailbags. For this debut edition, I pulled questions from both the chat for subscribers as well as Twitter/X. For those familiar with the concept, I've never liked wasting much energy on an introduction, so let’s get right to your questions.


Q: What do you believe is Jameson Williams’ ceiling after this training camp? Who historically does he remind you of? — Justin Newberry/@Jnoobs


Justin: Ceiling? Oh man, it’s not even that outlandish to suggest Williams could have a 1,000-yard season if everything falls right. Hell, he's the type of explosive weapon who could rack up 150 yards in a game with just three catches.

If we assume Jared Goff throws for around 4,500 yards, and Amon-Ra St. Brown is responsible for a third of that like he was a year ago, it leaves 3,000 for the rest of the roster. With no clearly defined No. 3 receiver, there’s a need for Williams to step up.


But again, that’s the ceiling. Everything I’ve seen from Williams suggests there are going to be peaks and valleys with his game-by-game production. A more reasonable benchmark is probably between 700-800 yards.

As far as a comparison, there just aren’t many tall, lanky options with Williams' rare speed. He wasn’t as tall, but I used to frequently reference Desean Jackson until Lions special teams coordinator Dave Fipp pointed out the difference in the receivers’ stride length.


Another comp I like is a less-polished Jaylen Waddle, who Williams helped replace at Alabama. Again, shorter, but possessing the same lethal speed that rattles opposing secondaries. To be clear, Waddle is a superior route runner and has more reliable hands.

If you want to go back a little further, maybe Willie Gault, who had Olympic speed, could score a touchdown on any play, but had maddening inconsistencies and was never considered one of the league’s top receivers.



Q: My presumption is the mass of receivers on our roster and practice squad are participating in an extended tryout. Can we presume that come Week 4, the PS is more equitable across positions? — @Hermaphro


Justin: No, I would not make that assumption. Look no further than last season, when the Lions had at least five receivers on the main roster and three on the practice squad much of the year.

Heck, some teams kept seven receivers on their initial 53-man rosters this week. The Lions having eight in the building is a standard amount.


Q: Can the Lions be considered legitimate SB contenders with concerns at the WR and K positions? — Tim Harding/@TBoneBarrie


Justin: Yes, because every team has weaknesses. Now, if the team were to lose Amon-Ra St. Brown to a season-ending injury, that's a different conversation. But there are enough weapons between him, Williams, Sam LaPorta, Jahmyr Gibbs, David Montgomery and Kalif Raymond for the offense to continue to function at a high level.

The kicker situation remains interesting, but even if the Jake Bates experiment ends up being a flop, I’m confident the Lions could find a decent kicker off the street, much like they did with Michael Badgley a couple of years back.


Q: What do you see Isiah Williams role being this year? — Cup of Joe


Justin: As it currently stands, he’s almost certainly going to see some playing time, even if it's not a lot. Yes, Raymond is penciled in as the No. 3, but he’s not going to be the No. 3 in every three-receiver package. Assuming Williams is not a health scratch, he will likely see some slot snaps on game days, while potentially also serving as one of Detroit’s two kick returners.


What impressed me most about Williams in the preseason, and something I think will translate as he matches up against higher-quality defenders, is his ability to create separation because of his impressive short-area quickness.

Is he going to catch more than 20 or 30 balls? Probably not as a rookie. Still, it feels like he has a legitimate future as an NFL slot receiver.


Q: How you holding up with the new gig? — @MMoneynva


Justin: Really well, actually. Of course, it’s a lot of work, but this job has always been a lot of work. As I’ve mentioned a few times in some of the other places where I communicate with readers, I’ve always written this much, you just didn’t notice because now you get an email, an alert or both every time I post something new.

Some business elements add to the workload, such as navigating a podcast partnership and working with a designer on a new logo, but I've always been good at managing my time.


Q: Why are the Lions playing at Dallas again this year, why not at Ford Field? — @craigjoseph22


Justin: Here’s how it works. The Lions play the entire NFC East division once every three years. The home-and-away element rotates with that. In 2019, the Lions hosted the Cowboys, in 2022 they traveled to Dallas, and in 2025 the game will be back at Ford Field.


The years the Lions don’t play the entire NFC East, like 2024, they play the correlating finisher in the division standings the previous season. First place plays first place, last place plays last place. And again, those matchups rotate: Two at home, two on the road.

There’s not a conspiracy that keeps sending Detroit to Dallas, it’s just the way the schedule rotation has been lining up. As noted, the ‘Boys will be here next year. And the Lions’ correlating NFC East matchups in 2026 and 2027 are both home games, so it could end up being three in a row.


Q: With your recent endeavors, have you experienced any change in access to players/staff/team info not working under a flagship entity, for better or worse? — @MarkVanBuren


Justin: No, the access has remained the same. If anything, I found some people are more eager to be helpful, just because they respect my bet on myself.


Q: What do the next few years of contracts look like? How do we resign Hutchinson, Jamo, Hooker, LaPorta, etc.? Seems like we can't afford everyone. How do perpetually good teams do it year after year? — @jmwhitejmwhite


Justin: Where there’s a will, there’s accounting wizardry when it comes to the salary cap. The nice thing about new contracts is the cap hits are often lowest at the beginning, so as big numbers start to hit for Jared Goff, Penei Sewell and Amon-Ra St. Brown, new deals for LaPorta and Williams, if the Lions go that direction, will be easier to initially absorb.


And, in two or three years, what deals will be coming off Detroit’s books? Understand, I’m not trying to run anybody out of town, but there’s no guarantee Alex Anzalone, Taylor Decker, David Montgomery or even Frank Ragnow will still be with the Lions in 2027. That’s just the cruel nature of the business.

The Lions will continue to pay the young components of their core, while eventually phasing out some of their older veterans with draft picks. In the NFL, sustained success often comes at the cost of sentimentality.

Sam LaPorta catching a football in Detroit_A.jpg

Q: What’s with all the hamstring injuries? Is the training staff trying to sort out whether there is an issue with the training regimen? — @jftripp


Justin: It’s just the nature of the sport. What I can tell you is the team actually goes through specific hamstring stretches with a machine after practices. The training staff maintains a list and requires every player to participate.


Q: Kerby Joseph, by most metrics, has been a bad safety. Why are the Lions so stuck on him as a starter and why aren’t they bringing in competition for him like other positions? — @jimTHEsim24


Justin: I’m not sure what metrics you’re using. If we are talking about Pro Football Focus, you’re right, they don’t love him with their grading.


If I penned a scouting report on Joseph, I’d note his tremendous range and impressive ability to turn the ball over, contrasted against a high number of risks that leave the Lions exposed deep and subpar open-field tackling.

With the tackling, it’s not the highest priority for a free safety. Would you like reliability? Sure, but it’s not a deal-breaker for the last defender to be contributing on run support.


But I’d love to see the chance-taking reduced. Of course, I'm not sure how much neutering his aggressiveness would impact his ability to turn the ball over. Remember, there are only four players who intercepted at least four passes each of the past two seasons.

Joseph is a live-by-the-sword-die-by-the-sword player. You would hope, with the more snaps he sees, he reads plays better, resulting in fewer chances that leave him out of position. But if he never grows out of being the type of player he's been to this point, I think you can still live with it for the playmaking ability.


Q: What and where is the best press box food going to be this year? - Andrew Tomlinson


Justin: Dallas, hands down. See, it’s not all bad making the trip so frequently.



Q: With his limited participation this summer, will Kevin Zeitler be ready for our first game? What kind of shape is he in and how many games can we realistically expect him to play? — Paul Townsend

Justin: I have minimal concerns about Zeitler's availability for Week 1. And while it’s impossible to predict durability, his lengthy and established track record suggests it would be surprising if he doesn’t suit up for at least 15 games in 2024.

continued..

[whatever_gong82]

Q: How critical is the SAM position to the defense? and who are the backups to D. Barnes? — JFL


Justin: Every position is important, but SAM might be one of the least important on defense since NFL teams are in nickel packages approximately two-thirds of the time.

Who backs up Barnes has been something the Lions have spent the offseason trying to figure out, testing James Houston, Mitchell Agude and Mathieu Betts at that spot. Only Houston made the 53-man roster and he’s not the answer.

I imagine if Barnes got hurt we’d see the Lions mix and match the third linebacker spot with Ben Niemann or Malcolm Rodriguez on run downs and Jalen Reeves-Maybin in more obvious passing situations.


Q: Jahmyr Gibbs is supposed to be more active in the passing game. Will it still be primarily out of the backfield? Should we look for him in the slot or even outside? — Chad Braun


Justin: Gibbs saw nearly 100 snaps in receiver alignments as a rookie, and while that might tick up, I’d still anticipate most of his receiving work being generated via traditional backfield routes.



Q: Based on what you’ve seen to date, if I told you the Lions did not win the Super Bowl this year, what would you guess to be the team’s downfall? — Al Stahl


Justin: Natural causes.

Look, it’s really difficult to win in this league. Now, you have to beat three or four quality teams in the postseason? There are simply no guarantees. That’s why the favorites are still only 6-to-1. (The Lions are 10-to-1, for what it's worth.)

Add on the unique stress of a young team playing in the Super Bowl, especially if they face an experienced opponent such as Kansas City, and the uphill climb gets a little steeper.

A more obvious reason for derailment would be injuries, particularly to some combination of Goff, St. Brown, Hutchinson, Sewell or a couple of the defensive backs.



Q: Who gets more practice time during the week of practice leading up to game day, the backup or the scout team QB? — Michael Murphy


Justin: They are one in the same, most weeks. Goff will likely take most, if not all the reps with the first-team offense, while Hooker will lead the scout team.


Q: Why do you think the Lions prioritized moving Branch to safety, rendering Melifonwu a backup? — Justin Conlon


Justin: It’s as simple as they don’t want Branch needing to leave the field. As a nickel, he was susceptible to his playing time being reduced by the opponent’s personnel decisions.

Look at the NFC Championship game. Branch was only on the field 41% of the defensive snaps. The 49ers dictated that usage with their personnel decisions, likely with intent.

Yeah, the position switch sucks for Melifonwu. It almost feels unfair given the way he closed the 2023 season. It will be up to defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn to find creative ways to get him on to the field.


Q: When the rules were changed to allow veterans to be on the practice squad, do you see that as GMs taking the opportunity to redo their thinking on how to utilize these players? — Brandon Kerr


Justin: Only in the sense that it gives a team a place to stash a veteran while they are getting physically and mentally acclimated to a new environment, instead of forcing them into a spot on the 53-man roster before they’re ready, which takes away some game-day flexibility.

Looking at the larger picture, the expansion of practice squads from eight to 16 players, in addition to the allowance of six veterans — practice squad eligibility used to expire after two accrued seasons — has expanded opportunities for hundreds more players to remain employed by NFL teams. That’s been an awesome shift, in my opinion.


Q: Does cap money rollover if you don’t use it? — Paul Van Randwyk

Justin: Yes.


Q: How strong is Bates’ leg? Can he hit from 70+? How big of a weapon could he be? — Nate


Justin: I know I use this term frequently, but Bates’ leg strength is elite. Could he hit from 70 yards? Not with any consistency. But if the conditions were favorable — particularly if he had a tailwind — and the strike was perfect, I’m confident he’d get an occasional effort over the crossbar from that distance.

Would we ever see that in a game? I’d put those odds close to zero. But I don’t think the Lions would hesitate from up to 63 or 64 yards at the end of the half.

How much of a weapon that can be is more complicated. It boils down to how quickly he can improve his consistency and how willing coach Dan Campbell is to try longer kicks — say from the upper 50’s — knowing the consequences in field position if the attempt is missed.


Jake Bates after attempting a FG in Detroit.jpg


Jakes Bates’ leg is as strong as advertised, but for it to be a weapon, the Lions have to trust him enough to deploy it. (Getty Images)


Q: Any chance of you and the Great Wojodomas doing a video recap after a Lion’s game? — Mark Gadigian

Justin: No, his current and my former employer isn’t going to allow that. Be happy it happened, not sad because it’s over.


Q: Would you be OK comparing your initial thoughts about Holmes and Campbell immediately after hire vs. how you feel now? — James Phelan


Justin: Sure, but it’s not that interesting. I knew next to nothing about Holmes when the Lions announced his hire. I did feel the organization was smart for selecting a candidate with a wealth of experience not only scouting college prospects, but running a successful scouting department.


As for Campbell, I had some misconceptions about his demeanor that were quickly erased by the emotion, passion and humility he exhibited in his lengthy opening press conference. It was immediately clear he wasn’t just some hard-nosed "football guy" and he had leadership traits that were going to draw players in, not push them away when times were tough.

As for expectations, I had none. I understood the situation both were walking into, immediately and historically, but I prefer to evaluate individuals based on actions, not preconceived perceptions. Most of my skepticism would have been reserved for the people making the hires because of the franchise’s longstanding inability to land the right leadership. But I also recognized it was important not to judge Sheila Hamp by what her father and mother did before her. The addition of Chris Spielman as an adviser a couple of months earlier didn’t hurt.


As for my thoughts now, Holmes has proved to be every bit the savvy evaluator the Lions hoped. Every GM has their hits and misses, it’s about the success rate. He's been knocking it out of the park, especially in the draft, which is the most important component to successful roster building.

And with Campbell, I’ve been impressed by the consistency of his genuineness. He’s the same person every day, and the respect he shows each person he encounters is admirable. The leadership qualities that showed up on Day 1 remain the same more than three years in, but time has revealed more nuance to those characteristics.


Q: What's the most surprising or unexpected outcome you've experienced since launching DFN? — Jason Stum


Justin: How quickly people have embraced the project. I always had confidence it would work, but I thought the ramp-up would be slower. I set an admittedly modest first-year goal, but had to reset it after beating initial projections in under three weeks.

Wildly, I’m probably a week or two away from beating the adjusted goals.


Q: Of all the roster moves made this week, which one surprised you the most and why? — Jason Harwood


Justin: Probably the release of quarterback Nate Sudfeld. I highlighted some of the reasons why in my immediate reactions to the roster, but nothing team leadership said about the backup situation hinted they were seriously considering Hendon Hooker as the No. 2 to open the season.


Q: Do you think Goff will have accuracy issues with Tim Patrick or Allen Robinson, given what looks like his need for a lot of repetitions to learn and anticipate the new receivers' style and tendencies? — Robert Honeyman


Justin: No more than most quarterbacks. I would actually anticipate the curve would be flattened by both the experience of those veteran receivers and their catch radii. Throwing to the 6-foot-4 Patrick is almost like trying to hit a two-car garage.

I know I cut off some of the editorializing within your question, but you mentioned Goff’s struggles with Williams. Some of that is learning to handle his rare speed, especially on deep shots, but the receiver is equally if not more culpable for some of their chemistry issues because of his early-career inefficiency and lack of precision with his short and intermediate routes.


Email: jrogers@detroitfootball.net

X: Justin_Rogers

[Blue Lagoon58]

Man, Lions beat writers, podcasters, etc. sure are hitting the jack pot at the moment. They've all got to be fans instead of just pros about it now.