Category: Lions News

NFL execs paint DeAndre Hopkins in an un-Lions light

Wideout DeAndre Hopkins is a coveted free agent, but some recent comments paint him in an unappealing way for the Detroit Lions

[anyclip pubname=”2103″ widgetname=”0016M00002U0B1kQAF_M8036″]

The courtship of DeAndre Hopkins is a hot-button issue in a lot of NFL cities right now, Detroit included. As soon as the Arizona Cardinals released the 3-time All-Pro, interest piqued in Lions land — among many places — in signing Hopkins.

The Lions have not said anything publicly about potentially trying to sign Hopkins. However, it doesn’t seem like the team would be all that interested in the mercurial wideout based on his history and the team culture head coach Dan Campbell is building in Detroit.

Albert Breer of SI pulled some interesting quotes from a few anonymous NFL execs regarding Hopkins, who turns 31 in June. Breer quoted one exec who noted Hopkins “can’t run anymore.”

Hopkins has never been a wideout who wins with speed, but there did appear to be a decline in his burst and wiggle in routes during his final season in Arizona.

It’s another quote that figures to ring the alarm bells for the Lions.

“Still great hands, he is not going to separate, not much of a deep threat, but very strong, and makes contested catches as well as anyone in the NFL,” the AFC exec said. “Does not love to practice—I can’t imagine that’ll get any better. And when things don’t go well, you’re always gonna be leery, All right, what kind of drama are we gonna get from this guy? When things are great, he’s great. When things go south, his true colors show a little bit.

Having covered Hopkins during his Texans prime, I know these are not new developments. He didn’t practice more than once a week in his final two years in Houston (2018-2019) and wasn’t noted for his strong work ethic, not even at his All-Pro best. Chemistry with a new quarterback can be difficult. Building chemistry and trust with a new coaching staff and culture isn’t a given either; it’s part of why the Texans dispatched arguably the best wideout in the game at the time to Arizona for pennies on the dollar back in 2020.

That’s not exactly the type of presence the Lions figure to want around impressionable young wideout Jameson Williams. Hopkins thrived in Houston while playing with a similar talent to Williams in speedy Will Fuller, so it’s easy to understand the appeal.

I’ve seen Hopkins make spectacular catches in key moments, things that can help the Lions win right away. For my money, there still isn’t a better receiver in the NFL at catching off-target passes, and Hopkins remains a red zone beast and great downfield blocker. Alas, I don’t expect this Lions regime to seriously pursue Hopkins because he’s an expensive, risky culture fit.

But I am willing to be proven wrong…

4 Lions vets who might not make the team in 2023

4 Lions vets who are in real peril of not making the Detroit roster in 2023

There is a flip side of the coin to the excitement of all the offseason additions in Detroit. Some Lions players who had roles in the past are going to lose their spots because of the influx of new talent.

It’s the life cycle in the NFL. New players come in and replace older ones that are no longer good enough for their roles. For the Detroit Lions in 2023, it means a few guys need to perform better than they have recently to hold onto roster spots.

Longtime NFL GM Rick Spielman has harsh words for critics of Detroit’s 2023 draft class

Longtime NFL GM Rick Spielman has harsh words for critics of Detroit’s 2023 draft class

[anyclip pubname=”2103″ widgetname=”0016M00002U0B1kQAF_M8036″]

Most Detroit Lions fans generally think the team, and GM Brad Holmes, did a pretty good job adding helpful players in the 2023 NFL draft. A lot of national media pundits and draft analysts don’t see it that way, however.

Between the concepts of positional value and other players available for the slots, much criticism has been levied at Holmes and Detroit. So it’s refreshing when a national pundit — one who also happens to have been a long-time, successful NFL GM — heaps praise on the Lions and their draft.

Enter Rick Spielman. In his “With the First Pick” podcast for CBS Sports with Ryan Wilson, the former Vikings GM and brother of Lions senior exec Chris Spielman, rails against the negative noise directed at Detroit’s draft.

It’s very true with second-round pick, Iowa tight end Sam LaPorta. LaPorta was a surprise pick met with some consternation, but Spielman states LaPorta, the No. 34 overall pick, is a “potential offensive rookie of the year.”

Spielman notes,

“I think they have four starters in their first four picks. I think they drafted the future quarterback, once Goff is done, in Hendon Hooker. Then Brodric Martin is an underrated nose tackle.”

He continued on Martin and why it’s a good pick,

“They struggled some versus the run. I think as he grows and learns — he may not be ready Week 1 — but as he develops, I think he’s going to have an impact at the nose tackle position, especially in the run game.”

Wilson pushed back a little on Spielman’s lofty praise. After noting that the Lions finished 21st in his draft grades, to which Spielman offered an incredulous guffaw, Wilson efforts to justify his low grade by noting that first-round picks Jahmyr Gibbs and Jack Campbell “went much higher than everyone in the media thought.”

Spielman would have none of it. It’s a fun, slightly awkward moment when the former GM attacks the draft media, as represented here by Wilson, about how to judge and grade drafts.

Check out the full discourse via YouTube

Jared Goff’s passing under pressure remained near the bottom in 2022

Jared Goff had a strong finish to 2022 but still ranked near the bottom of several QB metrics for the season when under pressure

[anyclip pubname=”2103″ widgetname=”0016M00002U0B1kQAF_M8036″]

Jared Goff finished the 2022 season with a flourish. The Lions quarterback led the team to an 8-2 finish with smart, efficient play and strong veteran leadership.

Alas, Goff still has some notable issues when he’s under pressure. As has been the case throughout his seven-year NFL career, the drop between Goff when not pressured and when he faces heat from the defenses remains very steep. That remained true even in his impressive second season in Detroit.

Of the 36 quarterbacks who played at least 350 snaps in the 2022 season, Goff was a lot closer to the bottom than desirable when under pressure. Goff’s rankings in various pressure categories, as documented by Sports Info Systems via the 33rd Team.

Figure Rank (of 36)
QB Rating 56.2 28th
Completion % 40.2 32nd
EPA per pressure play -0.41 t-22nd

The good news? Goff faced pressure on just 30.1 percent of his attempts (180 out of 587), one of the lowest rates in the league. By way of comparison, former Lions QB Matthew Stafford faced pressure on 36.8 percent; Chicago’s Justin Fields was pressured on 61.6 percent of his throws.

[affiliatewidget_smgtolocal]

Goff finished the season without throwing an interception in an exceptional 324 straight passes, the longest in the league and Detroit’s team record. His propensity to throw the ball away while under pressure to avoid either sacks or interceptions helps lower Goff’s completion percentage figure. Goff actually had a lower completion percentage under pressure in those final nine games (38.2) than he did for the full season. That’s a tradeoff the Lions are more than happy to live with from No. 16.

[lawrence-related id=88019]

The Lions don’t have anyone 30 or older on defense

Christian Covington is the team’s oldest defender at 29

[anyclip pubname=”2103″ widgetname=”0016M00002U0B1kQAF_M8036″]

Defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn still looks fit enough to play cornerback, something he did at a very high level in the NFL. But at 50 and with white facial hair, Glenn’s age is given away.

There aren’t any greybeards on Glenn’s defense in Detroit right now. In fact, the current Lions defense doesn’t feature a single player who is 30 years of age or older.

The oldest player on the Lions defensive roster right now is Christian Covington. The veteran defensive lineman is 29. Covington turns 30 in October. Defensive backs Tracy Walker and Cam Sutton are 28, as are linebackers Alex Anzalone, Charles Harris and Jalen Reeves-Maybin. Somewhat incredibly, EDGE Romeo Okwara is only 27 despite entering his 8th NFL season.

Last year, Michael Brockers was over 30, but the veteran lineman is no longer in Detroit.

Amon-Ra St. Brown ranked top 15 WR by PFF ahead of 2023

It’s an impressive spot for a fourth-round pick from 2021 to climb so high already

[anyclip pubname=”2103″ widgetname=”0016M00002U0B1kQAF_M8036″]

The preseason lists and rankings are starting to roll out for 2023. One recent release featured an interesting ranking for one of Detroit’s brightest young stars.

Wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown cracked the list of the top 32 wideouts from Pro Football Focus. St. Brown is ranked No. 15 overall, sandwiched between Seattle’s D.K. Metcalf and D.J. Moore of the Bears, who played for the Panthers in 2022.

PFF’s explanation of St. Brown spotlights both how good he is and also why he’s unlikely to ever ascend to being one of the top names on lists like this,

One of the least-heralded receivers to come good, St. Brown has emerged as the driving force behind Detroit’s flourishing offense over the past couple of seasons. He was one of five receivers in the NFL to earn a PFF receiving grade above 90.0 last season, putting him in elite company. His role differs from most of those other receivers, lining up predominantly in the slot and with an average depth of target of just 6.7 yards downfield. But he is elite in that role.

Despite being sixth in receptions in 2022 with 106, St. Brown missed out on the top 10 in receiving yards and was tied for 23rd in touchdowns. His 11.0 yards per reception and 6.7-yard average depth of target are both near the bottom of the players ranked by PFF. But as they note, St. Brown is exceptional in his role in Detroit’s offense.

Dan Campbell is ‘not into the hype’ around the Lions this offseason

Detroit head coach Dan Campbell is ‘not into the hype’ around the Lions this offseason

[anyclip pubname=”2103″ widgetname=”0016M00002U0B1kQAF_M8036″]

It’s a weird situation for Lions fans of just about any age. Offseason hype from both local and national media is not something we’re accustomed to around the Lions.

This year is different. The Lions are the current betting favorites to win the NFC North, which would represent the team’s first-ever division title since the NFL switched to eight divisions over 20 years ago.

It changes the vibe around the team. However, head coach Dan Campbell doesn’t want his squad to put the cart ahead of the horse. Campbell cautioned against believing the hype in May during his recent press conference at Detroit’s OTAs.

“Yeah, look we don’t – we’re not into the hype,” Campbell declared. “Like right now, everything is about the work, and it will be when we get into training camp. Goes back to what I said, we’ve got a brand new team that we’ve got to build from the ground up again. Yeah, we’ve got a foundation, but yeah man, we’ve got to get the chemistry right; we’ve got a lot of new faces.

And all of that other stuff won’t matter if we don’t put the work back in, so that, to me, is the focus. I mean, we can’t worry about what everybody else says. Just like last year, we can’t worry about — when you lose five in a row that you’re back in the dumpers again because if you do that, then you won’t win another game now.

Campbell nicely summed up his message to his talented but young team,

“And it’s the same thing here. If we’re going to really buy into that and not put the work in again, no, we’ll get our (expletive) kicked, so, that’s not what we’re going to do.”

Detroit Lions Podcast breaks down OTAs, DeAndre Hopkins and more

The Detroit Lions Podcast breaks down OTAs, DeAndre Hopkins and more

The Detroit Lions Podcast pulled out a rare midday Friday recording this week. Lions OTAs and a big-name receiver suddenly coming available forced a worthy schedule change.

Thursday’s OTA session in Allen Park is a big focal point. We discuss the press conferences from head coach Dan Campbell, defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn and special teams coach Dave Fipp and what they said.

The on-firld action is limited by CBA rules, but there were still some players to talk about. There’s a good discourse on Jameson Williams and his trouble catching the ball on Thursday, and why it’s not anything to be too concerned about.

The elephant in the podcast room is wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins. The Cardinals released the All-Pro, meaning the Lions could sign him. We break down the pros and cons, including the costs and roster impact.

 

https://www.youtube.com/live/hFXbDdslqG0?feature=share

Halapoulivaati Vaitai is back and ready to roll

Lions right guard Halapoulivaati Vaitai is back and ready to roll after missing 2022 with back surgery

[anyclip pubname=”2103″ widgetname=”0016M00002U0B1kQAF_M8036″]

Flecks of grey lightly dot Halapoulivaati Vaitai’s hair these days. The Detroit Lions starting right guard has earned those signs of aging and wisdom, especially in the last few months.

Vaitai missed the 2022 season after undergoing back surgery. On Thursday during the Lions’ first open OTA session of the offseason, we got to see and talk to “Big V” for the first time since August. It was a moment that might not have come.

Vaitai told reporters he seriously thought about retiring after the back surgery. After a few successful seasons in the NFL and turning 30 in June, it was an option on the table. Thankfully, Vaitai quickly realized it wasn’t an option he was ready for just yet.

“I’m like, ‘What am I doing? I can’t decide what to do,'” Vaitai said. “The only thing I know is football, and so – but it was great. I got to reflect on my life and my career in the league, so it was really good and just sit down with my wife and just talk over a lot of things.”

Vaitai and his family have a ranch outside Houston, and he talked about the appeal of ranching and being with his family. But the pull of the other family–his Lions family–burned far too strong to walk away.

“I mean, I can’t leave Penei, I can’t leave my guys, I can’t leave them,” Vaitai said introspectively. “I love this team a lot. I want to help Dan (Campbell) win one.”

So Vaitai was back at OTAs, something veterans can avoid if they want. Not Vaitai. There he was taking first-team reps at right guard and moving like he’s never been spryer. Pads aren’t on yet so it’s impossible to gauge his efficacy, but his movement skills belie a man less than a year removed from back surgery.

Vaitai didn’t have fusion surgery, he informed us. It’s helped him come back quicker than teammate Levi Onwuzurike, who remains relegated to working with trainers to the side and still doesn’t look close to being ready for action. He acknowledged some pain, but it’s nothing like the agony of not being able to play with his mates.

The Lions need him. The man who admirably filled in for Vaitai last year, Evan Brown, is in Seattle. The team did bring back Graham Glasgow, but he’s struggled (badly if you ask Denver fans) with serious injuries of his own during his time with the Broncos. Rookie Colby Sorsdal has much to prove as a fifth-round pick from an FCS program.

Big V is ready to lead them all, and to do it by example on the field.

Report: NFL investigating another Lions player in gambling probe

A report from The Athletic indicates another Lions player is under investigation by the NFL for violating the league’s gambling policy

[anyclip pubname=”2103″ widgetname=”0016M00002U0B1kQAF_M8036″]

The ongoing NFL gambling probe that has already hit the Detroit Lions hard has unearthed another potential victim. Per The Athletic, a fifth Lions player is under investigation for violating the league’s rules on sports betting.

The player is unnamed, but reporter Kayln Kahler notes,

“The player currently under investigation was not a prominent member of the 2022 team.”

Four members of the Lions were suspended in varying degrees by the league last month as a result of an ongoing investigation. Wide receiver Jameson Williams is the most prominent Lions player to get suspended; Williams will miss the first six games after admitting he broke the NFL’s protocols.

The Lions parted ways with safety CJ Moore and wide receiver Quintez Cephus after their indefinite suspensions from the league as part of the same probe. Another wideout, Stanley Berryhill, was also released after getting the same 6-game suspension as Williams.

[lawrence-related id=91945]