Tracking former Lions

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Giants work out Eric Ebron

Posted by Josh Alper on July 25, 2022, 6:01 PM EDT

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The Giants overhauled their tight end group this offseason and they may not be done making additions to the group.

According to multiple reports, veteran Eric Ebron tried out for the team on Monday. There’s no word of a signing at this point.

Ebron spent the last two seasons with the Steelers and posted 56 catches for 558 yards and five touchdowns in 2020. He had just 12 catches for 84 yards in eight appearances before going on injured reserve last season.

The 2014 first-round pick spent four years with the Lions and two years with the Colts before going to Pittsburgh.

The Giants put rookie tight end Daniel Bellinger on the PUP list to open camp. They signed Ricky Seals-Jones and Jordan Akins as free agents after parting ways with Evan Engram and Kyle Rudolph after last season.

[Futureshock]

Rest in Peace Will. We lost a good one Lions Nation

William White dies from ALS at 56

Posted by Charean Williams on July 28, 2022, 10:05 PM EDT

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Former Lions defensive back William White has died after a battle with ALS, the team announced Thursday. He was 56.

“I loved William,” Lions special assistant to president/CEO Chris Spielman said in a statement. “We shared experiences of joy and sorrow on and off the field. He was and always will be my brother. I am forever grateful for the special moment last year when he was able to be by my side during the Pride of the Lions ceremony at Ford Field. I can’t wait to see him again when he will be free from ALS. May God’s peace rest upon his family.”

The Lions drafted White in the fourth round of the 1988 draft out of Ohio State. He played six seasons in Detroit before finishing his career with three seasons in Kansas City and two in Atlanta.

White played 170 games with 132 starts and totaled 721 tackles and 20 interceptions.

In 2016, doctors diagnosed White with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, the progressive neurodegenerative disease also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

[whatever_gong82]

Rest in Peace Will. We lost a good one Lions Nation

William White dies from ALS at 56

Posted by Charean Williams on July 28, 2022, 10:05 PM EDT

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Former Lions defensive back William White has died after a battle with ALS, the team announced Thursday. He was 56.

“I loved William,” Lions special assistant to president/CEO Chris Spielman said in a statement. “We shared experiences of joy and sorrow on and off the field. He was and always will be my brother. I am forever grateful for the special moment last year when he was able to be by my side during the Pride of the Lions ceremony at Ford Field. I can’t wait to see him again when he will be free from ALS. May God’s peace rest upon his family.”

The Lions drafted White in the fourth round of the 1988 draft out of Ohio State. He played six seasons in Detroit before finishing his career with three seasons in Kansas City and two in Atlanta.

White played 170 games with 132 starts and totaled 721 tackles and 20 interceptions.

In 2016, doctors diagnosed White with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, the progressive neurodegenerative disease also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

This really hits home for me, since he was the same age I am.

RIP, Mr. White.

[Futureshock]

Dam. Well, how do you really feel?


Ex-Lion Tyrell Crosby blasts team for handling of his injuries

Posted by Michael David Smith on August 1, 2022, 10:32 AM EDT

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Former Lions offensive tackle Tyrell Crosby spent all of last season on injured reserve, and he’s now a free agent. As he considers whether he has an NFL future, he’s not happy with how the only team he played for treated him.

Crosby told Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press that he feels betrayed by how the Lions treated him last year, when he suffered what was originally called a hamstring strain in training camp, then played only briefly in the preseason, ended up on injured reserve for the entire regular season, and then had back surgery in December for what he called a misdiagnosed injury.

Crosby now says Lions coaches berated him for missing practice time, accused him of not wanting to compete, and treated him like a piece of meat. Still recovering from back surgery, Crosby says he isn’t sure if he’ll play in the NFL again, but wouldn’t want to play for the Lions now that he knows how they treat their players.

Asked about Crosby’s comments this morning, Lions head coach Dan Campbell said he didn’t see any need to address the issue with his players because they know they can talk to him directly if they have an issue. Even if that’s not how Crosby sees it.

[Futureshock]

Chargers sign Sage Surratt

Posted by Myles Simmons on July 31, 2022, 4:14 PM EDT

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The Chargers have added some depth at tight end.

Los Angeles announced on Sunday that the club has signed Sage Surratt.

The tight end most recently played for the Birmingham Stallions of the USFL, winning the league’s championship.

Surratt signed with Detroit as an undrafted free agent out of Wake Forest last year. He spent training camp with the team and initially signed with the Lions’ practice squad. But Detroit released him from the practice squad shortly after the regular season began.

The Chargers had added to the position earlier in the offseason by signing free agent Gerald Everett. The club also has Donald Parham Jr., Tre’ McKitty, Hunter Kampmoyer, Erik Krommenhoek, and Stone Smartt at tight end.

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Kenny Golladay: Last year was disappointing, I’m in a good spot now

Posted by Josh Alper on August 2, 2022, 7:37 AM EDT

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The list of Giants players who are looking for better results in 2022 is a very long one and wide receiver Kenny Golladay is somewhere near the top.

Golladay signed a four-year, $72 million contract with the Giants as a free agent last year, but fell well short of expectations by recording 37 catches, 521 yards, and zero touchdowns in his 14 appearances. That makes it little surprise that Golladay doesn’t want to do anything more than acknowledge how wrong things went last year.

“It was disappointing, but a lot played a role in that,” Golladay said, via Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post. “Every offense wants to get off to a fast start, but to be honest we haven’t even been talking about last year.”

Golladay said he doesn’t think the size of his contract put too much pressure on his shoulders and said he feels like he’s in a “good spot” with new head coach Brian Daboll running the show. Golladay said Daboll’s offense “gives you a lot of freedom” and that “this year is a little bit better as far as just the training staff, strength staff and then coaching staff taking care of our bodies.”

The Giants will be hoping those changes lead to the kind of production they thought they’d be getting from Golladay a year ago.

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With elbow still an issue, Rams reduced Matthew Stafford’s workload on Monday

Posted by Mike Florio on August 2, 2022, 6:29 AM EDT

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One of the most overlooked questions as the 2022 season approaches is whether and to what extent the elbow of Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford will remain properly functional.

Stafford didn’t throw at all in the offseason due to inflammation in the elbow. Eventually, he needed an injection.

It’s been something to watch throughout the early days of camp. As of Saturday, Stafford said it’s all “coming along.” On Monday, the Rams acknowledged that Stafford is still feeling some discomfort — and that the team cut back this throwing during Monday’s practice because of it.

“We’d lessened Matthew’s workload today,” coach Sean McVay told reporters on Monday. “Really when we look at it, we’ve got five weeks until September 8. He’s still feeling a little bit of pain, he could push through it. You guys have been out here, he’s been throwing and competing in team settings. We felt like the smart thing was let’s really just take it a week at a time.

“He ended up getting about 40 to 50 throws in individual. We didn’t take part in the team activities and that’s really more a result of he’s got so much experience. The most important thing is for him feeling good and healthy on September 8. We could certainly push and he could really grind through this, but that’s not the goal with somebody like him. It’s not something that we’re concerned about. We just want to be really smart with somebody that is as important as our quarterback is and as experienced as he is to be able to put together a plan that we feel like is in his best interest and in our team’s best interest.”

McVay has a habit of always seeing the bright side of any issue, and that approach has worked well for him. Still, while he’s not yet to the point of an armless Black Knight declaring the situation a “flesh wound,” it’s definitely cause for concern, given that it’s so early in camp.

A week into practice, and after a day on which he didn’t throw at all, Stafford didn’t participate in team drills, due to lingering pain in his elbow.

As McVay said, Stafford can push through it. But pain is a signal, a warning. If ignored, it can lead to something more than pain.

That’s what happened to Ben Roethlisberger early in the 2019 season. He dealt with discomfort in his elbow for a while. He pushed through it. In Week Two against the Seahawks, the tendons tore and that was that for the season.

Obviously, the Rams are trying to ensure that Stafford is ready for the start of the 2022 season. Then, the challenge will become getting him ready for each of the remaining games.

Will that mean not practicing at times in the regular season? Maybe. The fact that McVay felt compelled to keep Stafford out of practice so early in camp surely will be spun for the benefit of fans that want and need to see the glass as half full. It’s nevertheless a cause for concern; there’s a major difference between Stafford and John Wolford.

Regardless of how the facts are characterized, the facts are that Stafford is still feeling some discomfort in his elbow, and that McVay decided to keep him out of team drills in a training-camp practice because of it. So, yes, it’s something to keep watching and tracking, all year long.

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Raiders sign Curtis Bolton, put Micah Kiser on IR

Posted by Josh Alper on August 1, 2022, 5:11 PM EDT

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Linebacker Micah Kiser had to be carted off the practice field with a leg injury at Raiders training camp on Sunday and he won’t be back on the field with the team at all this season.

The Raiders announced on Monday that Kiser has been placed on injured reserve. Kiser is not eligible to be activated from injured reserve by the Raiders this season, but could be released with an injury settlement if he’s well enough to play at some point down the road.

The Raiders also announced that they have filled Kiser’s roster spot by signing Curtis Bolton.

Bolton had three tackles in five appearances with the Lions last season. He’s also spent time with the Packers, Texans, Colts, and 49ers.

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Jaguars sign Beau Benzschawel, waive Jared Hocker

Posted by Josh Alper on August 3, 2022, 4:11 PM EDT

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The Jaguars made a couple of roster moves involving offensive linemen on Wednesday.

The team announced the signing of guard Beau Benzschawel to their 90-man roster. Guard Jared Hocker was waived with an injury designation, so he’ll revert to injured reserve if he goes unclaimed.

Benzschawel was undrafted out of Wisconsin in 2019 and signed with the Lions. He played in two games as a rookie and moved on to play one game for the Texans the next year. He spent last season on Washington’s practice squad.

Brandon Scherff and Tyler Shatley appear to be the likely starters at guard in Jacksonville. Benzschawel will try to show enough to earn a spot as a reserve or on the practice squad.

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Giants sign Will Holden

Posted by Josh Alper on August 5, 2022, 1:00 PM EDT

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The Giants lost an offensive lineman this week when Matt Gono left camp and they added a different one to the roster on Friday.

The team announced the signing of tackle Will Holden. Defensive lineman Niko Lalos was waived in a corresponding move.

Holden has been a journeyman since entering the league as a fifth-round pick by Arizona in 2017. He’s played for the Cardinals, Colts, Ravens, and Lions and he’s also spent time with the Saints, Dolphins, Seahawks, and 49ers.

Holden played 14 games for Detroit last season and has started games at both tackle spots, left guard, and as a sixth offensive lineman over the course of his career.

Lalos had five tackles, one interception and one fumble recovery is six games for the Giants in 2020. He spent last season on the practice squad.

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Just take a chill Matt. Everything should be like new in 8-10 months


Matthew Stafford downplays elbow issue that is keeping him out of team drills

Posted by Mike Florio on August 6, 2022, 8:11 PM EDT

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Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford isn’t participating in team drills as he deals with an issue in his throwing elbow. He met with reporters on Saturday, and the arm issue obviously was a major topic. Stafford tried to make it a minor one.

“I just have a little soreness,” Stafford said. “We’re working through it. I felt pretty good today. I thought it looked pretty good. Just trying to be smart with it and make me feel as good as I can feel going into Week One while still getting as many reps as I can too.”

He said he has “general soreness” in the elbow. As to whether it happens after he throws or all the time, Stafford said, “I don’t know. It doesn’t matter.”

Stafford called the situation “irritating at the moment but I’m working through it.”

“We got a great plan,” Stafford said. “I’m feeling stronger every time I come out here and throw. I don’t know if you guys were watching, I felt like I could make any throw I wanted to today. I’m just trying to be smart when I get those opportunities to make sure I can come out here, cut it loose, turn it loose like I did today and go from there.”

He said that, one Saturday, his arm “felt fine . . . felt good.”

Stafford isn’t getting caught up in labels, incluing whether it’s a baseball injury.

“I don’t know if it’s a baseball or a football injury,” Stafford said. “I currently play football and it’s on a football player so I guess it’s a football injury at this point. I’m not really too worried about what it’s called or whether it’s abnormal or not, or whatever. I’m worried about here today. How did I feel? Let’s continue to progress and get better.”

Stafford otherwise said all the right and predictable things. He has always had a level of toughness and grit. It’s admirable. And it makes him not inclined to admit that anything may be wrong.

That said, he got surprisingly candid when asked whether the injury relates to the longevity of his career, which stretches back to 2009.

“I’m not going to get too granular into how we got to this point,” Stafford said. “I don’t think that is the sole cause of it, but I’m sure it contributes to it. Anytime you put an arm through as much stress as I have over the years, it’s not going to look like your elbow, I’m sure. It’s not one of those things that . . . the more I throw the worse it’s going to get. It’s kind of just a balancing act at this point.”

The Rams have struck the balance by keeping him out of team drills, while letting him throw in individual drills. Whether that balance works once the season starts remains to be seen.

[Futureshock]

There is no Lions fan who is surprised...


Patriots’ offense struggling in training camp

Posted by Michael David Smith on August 9, 2022, 6:24 AM EDT

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The departure of longtime Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels this offseason led head coach Bill Belichick to change up the team’s offensive system, with Matt Patricia — formerly a defensive coach — now calling the offensive plays. So far in training camp, it does not appear to be working.

Reporters on the scene at Patriots camp have described an ugly collection of mistakes and miscommunications, and Monday’s practice appeared to be the worst yet.

As Mark Daniels of the Providence Journal described it, “We’ve seen the offense look routinely disjointed as a new offensive coaching staff tries to install a new offense.”

Words like “disorganization” and “confusion” have been used by reporters at Patriots camp to describe how the Patriots’ offensive players appear to be picking up the new offense.

In Monday’s practice, the Patriots’ first four offensive snaps consisted of a false start by offensive tackle Trent Brown, followed by running back Damien Harris getting stuffed at the line of scrimmage, followed by an incompletion on a miscommunication between Mac Jones and Nelson Agholor, followed by a sack.

Sacks, of course, don’t truly happen in training camp because quarterbacks are off limits, but coaches blow the play dead when a defensive player would have sacked the quarterback, and those plays have been commonplace in Patriots camp. Jones is rarely having much time to throw as the Patriots’ defensive line dominates the offensive line.

There’s still more than a month before the start of the season, and perhaps all the kinks will get worked out by then. But the early reports are that the Patriots’ revamped offense is in rough shape.

[Futureshock]

Raiders host Danny Shelton for a workout

Posted by Myles Simmons on August 8, 2022, 5:20 PM EDT

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The Raiders may be adding some defensive line depth with a former first-round pick.

Las Vegas worked out free-agent defensive tackle Danny Shelton on Monday, according to multiple reports.

Shelton entered the league with the Browns back in 2015. But Cleveland traded him to New England in 2018. That gives him familiarity with General Manager Dave Ziegler and head coach Josh McDaniels, as they were all with the Patriots at the time.

Shelton appeared in 13 games for Detroit last year. He recorded a half-sack, a tackle for loss, and 31 total tackles last year.

Shelton also recently had a visit with the Panthers.

In 100 career games with 72 starts, Shelton has 6.0 sacks, 278 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, and 19 QB hits.

[Futureshock]

Matt Judon, Jahlani Tavai return to practice

Posted by Charean Williams on August 8, 2022, 5:09 PM EDT

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The Patriots had most of their players on the field for Monday’s padded practice. Six of the eight players who missed Friday’s practice were back, Andrew Callahan of the Boston Herald reports.

Outside linebacker Matt Judon, running back Rhamondre Stevenson, safety Jabrill Peppers, linebacker Jahlani Tavai, tight end Dalton Keene and rookie offensive lineman Chasen Hines practiced in pads. Judon missed two consecutive practices for unknown reasons, while Tavai injured his right leg in Thursday’s practice, per Callahan.

Hines, a sixth-round draft selection, made his practice debut. He had missed minicamp and the first two weeks of training camp on the non-football injury list.

Running back James White remains on the active/physically unable to perform list, and offensive lineman Andrew Stueber on the active/non-football injury list.

[edindetroit]

There is no Lions fan who is surprised...


Patriots’ offense struggling in training camp

Posted by Michael David Smith on August 9, 2022, 6:24 AM EDT

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The departure of longtime Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels this offseason led head coach Bill Belichick to change up the team’s offensive system, with Matt Patricia — formerly a defensive coach — now calling the offensive plays. So far in training camp, it does not appear to be working.