Tracking former Lions

[CaptainBlue]

Jaguars sign TE Maurice Stovall

Updated: September 19, 2012, 6:21 PM ET
Associated Press

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jacksonville Jaguars have signed veteran tight end Maurice Stovall and released tight end Stephen Spach.

Stovall has played in 71 games with 11 starts after being selected in the third round of the 2006 draft by Tampa Bay. He has 52 receptions for 668 yards and three touchdowns. He spent five seasons with the Buccaneers before joining Detroit in 2011. He entered the NFL as a receiver before moving to tight end.
Spach spent nine days on Jacksonville's roster. He played Sunday against Houston.
The Jaguars also signed guard Austin Pasztor to the practice squad. Pasztor, a 6-foot-7, 308-pound Canadian, played college football at Virginia. He signed as a rookie free agent with Minnesota in May and was waived in late August.

Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/8400348/jacksonville-jaguars-sign-veteran-tight-end-maurice-stovall-release-tight-end-stephen-spach

[LionsFanInJapan]

Since when did Stovall become a TE?

[Iron Lion]

Does the minimum vested veteran salary vary depending on your position?

[CaptainBlue]

Jets consider former Lion CB Aaron Berry to replace Revis.

JetsconsiderformerLionsCBBerryasRevis replacement

The New York Jets are in need of help in their secondary after the loss of cornerback Darrelle Revis for the season, and they spoke to an interesting candidate Friday.

The team met with former Detroit Lions cornerback Aaron Berry, according to a person informed of the visit, who spoke to USA TODAY Sports on the condition of anonymity because the Jets didn't confirm the visit.

A former undrafted free agent who was slated to start for the Lions this season, Berry was released after being arrested twice this offseason. In June, he was accused of pointing a handgun at three people in a parking lot in Harrisburg, Pa.

Berry also was arrested on suspicion of DUI and announced he was entering the NFL's substance abuse program. The league suspended him for three games and reinstated him this week.

Berry's agent, Audie Attar, could not be reached for immediate comment, so it's unclear if a signing is imminent.

The Jets have yet to place Revis on injured reserve after he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. Coach Rex Ryan said Friday the team will keep Revis on the roster at least through his surgery in a few weeks, with the hope he'd be back in time for the Super Bowl. Indications are it's a motivational ploy to signal to the rest of the players the season isn't over.

The Jets also worked out three other cornerbacks, including Chris Carr, formerly of the Oakland Raiders, Tennessee Titans, Baltimore Ravens and Minnesota Vikings.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/nfl/story/2012/09/28/jets-consider-former-lions-cb-berry-as-revis-replacement/57851490/1

[froot loops]

Coach Rex Ryan said Friday the team will keep Revis on the roster at least through his surgery in a few weeks, with the hope he'd be back in time for the Super Bowl

Yeah OK Rex. What a fraud. As much as I liked his dad, this clown is too much.

[Iron Lion]

I don't see why a corner can't rush an ACL recovery. ACLs are used for cutting and quick, sudden moves. I don't see where a cornerback needs to use that at all.

[Tony G]

You're just thinking of lions CBs not the rest of the league. :-)

[Niffla]

Is it morally wrong of me to hope that Berry never gets another shot again? Because that's how I feel.

He was gifted a chance of a lifetime as an undrafted FA, to get onto an NFL roster, and then was thought of highly enough by the staff to be given a shot to be an NFL starting corner (eventually). He called the Detroit Lions fanbase "broke and miserable", and then had the DUI -- which he was granted a gift (gift #2) second chance....and then proceeded to pull a gun on somebody a month later.

A once undrafted free agent.

I hope he never plays another down in the National Football League. I hate to say this about somebody I've never personally met but he seems like scum to me.

[DanO]

Sounds good to me, Niffla.

[Iron Lion]

Is it morally wrong of me to hope that Berry never gets another shot again? Because that's how I feel.

Is it immoral what I do on Sundays? Every time I see Rodgers or Cutler etc dropping back I scream "HURT'M!!!!"

He was gifted a chance of a lifetime as an undrafted FA, to get onto an NFL roster, and then was thought of highly enough by the staff to be given a shot to be an NFL starting corner (eventually). He called the Detroit Lions fanbase "broke and miserable", and then had the DUI -- which he was granted a gift (gift #2) second chance....and then proceeded to pull a gun on somebody a month later.

Yeah I mean, the way I feel in my heart is if anyone ever were to pull a loaded gun on me, I would cause them severe and permanent physical harm the first chance I get. Pointing a loaded gun at someone is essentially saying,

"I feel comfortable risking your life. I am aware that a critical component of this machine I'm holding could fail and cause the gun to fire. Also I am aware that a twitch of my finger, due to perhaps a sudden startling like a honking horn, could end your life. I accept all possible consequences that I might face in the future. Signed, _____."

Everyone was flipping out during the offseason about the DUIs and drug stuff, but I didn't really care about any of that stuff. I thought Berry's DUI stunt was poorly timed because it came right after the Lions players and coaches got together and said, "Look guys, this shit has to end." Still I just felt it was bad timing for him to get the DUI, not a huge deal. But the deal with the gun, I knew it was going to be serious.

A once undrafted free agent.

I hope he never plays another down in the National Football League. I hate to say this about somebody I've never personally met but he seems like scum to me.

I personally don't hate the guy because I'm not the one he pointed the gun at. But I can totally understand your dislike of the guy even if you're not someone who's been affected, directly or indirectly, by firearm violence.

[Niffla]

And it's not just solely the gun thing (although that is big for sure), but also the fact that this guy was given a gift of a lifetime. An undrafted FA who actually had a chance to cement himself as an NFL starter. How many undrafted FA's get that opportunity? And then the twitter incident. Fine. Chalk it up to an immature kid who was in the heat of the moment. No biggie. Next, the DUI. A gift wrapped second chance. Just apologize and don't let it happen again.

One month later. Pulls a gun on a dude. What. The. Fuck.

How could you be given that many chances, going all the way back to getting a spot on the roster as a UDFA, and continually blow it with stupidity/immaturity/ignorance/or all three? I'm just amazed by Aaron Berry's story. I really am.

[Niffla]

And think about all the thousands of UDFA's who worked their asses off on the field, worked their asses off to be a professional, and didn't even get a sniff. They have to be shaking their heads so hard at this guy.

It really just ticks me off in case you couldn't tell ;-)

[Iron Lion]

I'm not really angry about him blowing his chance. It's his career he can flush it down the toilet until his finger gets tired from jiggling the handle.

I think the issue is that to make it in this league you have to be resilient. Mentally. It is a tough league. Everyone is humbled at some point. I don't think the guy is resilient enough to handle the NFL. I know the guy he pulled the gun on probably did some kind of shit. Maybe an enraged person might think the guy deserved to have a gun pulled on him. But you have to be mentally tough enough to not let shit people say or do get to you if you want to be an NFL player. Because that will be an issue on the field.

[Tony G]

Is it morally wrong of me to hope that Berry never gets another shot again? Because that's how I feel.

He was gifted a chance of a lifetime as an undrafted FA, to get onto an NFL roster, and then was thought of highly enough by the staff to be given a shot to be an NFL starting corner (eventually). He called the Detroit Lions fanbase "broke and miserable", and then had the DUI -- which he was granted a gift (gift #2) second chance....and then proceeded to pull a gun on somebody a month later.

A once undrafted free agent.

I hope he never plays another down in the National Football League. I hate to say this about somebody I've never personally met but he seems like scum to me.

Niffla, How you feel is how you feel, it's usually not something that could be easily changed, even if you want to. I am not an adjudicator of what is or is not morally wrong with someone's opinion.

I hope Aaron Berry realizes he has made some horrible choices in his life. I hope that realization drives him to change his behaviors and honor his gifts he has been given. I hope these things for him because I have been down the road of self destructive choices myself. I hurt myself and many of those who cared for me. In time I have been able to show many of them that I have changed my course. For others I will always be that self destructive person and not be worthy of any trust or consideration, even after 18 years of living with better choices. I do not hold their opinions against them. I own that it was my actions that caused them to consider my actions and consequences irreparable.

I don't want to see Berry gifted another chance, I would much rather see him actually earn another chance through hard work and making the right choices.

Niffla, this just my opinion on this. It is not a judgement of your view but merely an attempt to perhaps bring up an alternate view.

[Niffla]

I hope that realization drives him to change his behaviors and honor his gifts he has been given. I hope these things for him because I have been down the road of self destructive choices myself. I hurt myself and many of those who cared for me. In time I have been able to show many of them that I have changed my course. For others I will always be that self destructive person and not be worthy of any trust or consideration, even after 18 years of living with better choices. I do not hold their opinions against them. I own that it was my actions that caused them to consider my actions and consequences irreparable.

I don't want to see Berry gifted another chance, I would much rather see him actually earn another chance through hard work and making the right choices.

Damn. Hard to argue with that. Very well said, Tony. Very well said.