Category: Lions News

4 former Lions nominated for the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame

The MSHOF recognizes contributions at all levels of all sports

Congratulations are in order for four former Detroit Lions players who earned nominations for the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame.

Safety Bennie Blades, offensive tackle Kevin Glover, linebacker Larry Foote and quarterback Drew Henson all appear on the 2023 ballot for the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame, or MSHOF. The MSHOF covers all sports and sporting pursuits from all levels, not just the professional ranks. Henson’s cup of coffee with the Lions isn’t why he’s on the nominations list.

“The Michigan Sports Hall of Fame is a nonprofit committed to preserving the State of Michigan’s sports history and celebrating the State’s legendary athletes, coaches and contributors.”

This year’s full ballot is available at michigansportshof.org. It features over 30 nominees across all sorts of sporting contributions.

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cr3WtOtBha2/

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbx8sj47vkwrznr player_id=01eqbvhghtkmz2182d image=]

Lions UDFA profile: Notre Dame S Brandon Joseph

Joseph was considered a potential first-round talent before transferring from Northwestern to Notre Dame in 2022

One of the most familiar names the Detroit Lions signed to a free agent contract after the 2023 NFL draft was Notre Dame safety Brandon Joseph. Aside from playing for a major program, Joseph was a common fixture in the first round of “too early” mock drafts a year ago.

Now Joseph enters the Lions’ rookie minicamp next week as an undrafted free agent trying to prove that the prior ballyhoo wasn’t unwarranted.

The top quality that made Joseph so appealing entering the 2022 college season was his outstanding productivity in pass defense. Playing at Northwestern primarily as a free safety allowed Joseph to roam the intermediate range and flow toward the sidelines freely to make plays on the ball. He picked off nine combined passes in the 2020-2021 seasons for the Wildcats, but his coverage prowess extended beyond making plays on the ball.

[affiliatewidget_smgtolocal]

Joseph transferred to Notre Dame for his final season, and it simply didn’t fit well. The Fighting Irish used Joseph more in a split safety or even box safety role. To be blunt, Joseph’s poor tackling and unteady run defense that he showed at Northwestern should have nipped that experiment in the bud. He’s not a reliable presence against the run, and putting him in more traffic closer to the line of scrimmage exacerbates his struggles.

In short, he’s much more of a Kerby Joseph (no relation) type of safety than he is a Kyle Hamilton type, but Notre Dame largely asked him to replace the 2022 Ravens’ first-rounder (who quietly played great after a slow rookie start). His tacking issues are unlikely to ever improve enough to be relied upon as a full-time player. Joseph takes too many poor angles, lacks good body control to make quick adjustments to shifty runners, and doesn’t play with as much power, not even for a 192-pound DB.

If Joseph is going to make the Lions as an undrafted rookie, he’ll need to flash the ball skills once again. He doesn’t have great long speed or gaudy athleticism; Joseph wins with smart positioning, quick reactions and a good initial burst to the point of attack. He did handle some return specialist duties, too.

D’Andre Swift squashes any notion of sour grapes toward the Detroit Lions

D’Andre Swift squashes any notion of sour grapes toward the Lions after being traded to the Eagles following Detroit drafting Jahmyr Gibbs

The D’Andre Swift era in Detroit ended abruptly during the 2023 NFL draft. After selecting versatile Alabama blazer Jahmyr Gibbs with the No. 12 overall pick, the Lions quickly traded Swift to the Philadelphia Eagles.

It was a move that caught Swift, a Philadelphia-area native, off-guard.

“It was a surprise,” Swift told reporters in Philadelphia this week. “There really was no explanation. Everything went through my agent. A lot of different emotions going up and down.”

Swift struggled to produce consistently in his three seasons in Detroit. He flashed with some agility and receiving ability, but Swift topped 85 yards rushing just four times in three seasons. He also battled numerous injuries that sidelined him for a total of nine games but limited his effectiveness and availability in many others.

[affiliatewidget_smgtolocal]

Despite the stunning reality of being traded, Swift sure doesn’t seem bitter or resentful at Detroit or the Lions organization. Swift squashed any reports about sour grapes on his part directed at the Lions or Detroit fans during his Eagles’ introductory press conference.

“I’m excited to be here, but first and foremost, I thank Detroit for everything,” Swift said. “To the city of Detroit, I’ll forever have a place in my heart. I love them for the opportunity they gave me to just go out there and live out my dreams.”

Swift didn’t stop there.

“I thank the city of Detroit, my teammates, the training staff, everybody in the building from top to bottom, for everything they gave me for the last three years.”

Rookie defensive back Brian Branch will now wear Swift’s familiar No. 32 in Detroit.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbx8sj47vkwrznr player_id=01eqbvhghtkmz2182d image=]

XFL wideout Darrius Shepherd to try out with the Lions

Shepherd did well as a receiver but thrived as the XFL’s best special teams player in 2023

Now that the XFL is winding down its season, several players from teams no longer in the hunt are getting NFL tryouts. One of them, St. Louis Battlehawks wideout Darrius Shepherd, will audition with the Detroit Lions.

Shepherd is coming off an impressive season catching passes from A.J. McCarron in St. Louis. The former North Dakota State standout caught 48 passes for 510 yards and six TDs. But it’s another aspect of his game that could be Shepherd’s ticket back to the NFL, where he played for the Packers in 2019 and 2020.

Shepherd was named the XFL’s special teams player of the year across the entire league. He averaged 24.5 yards per return on kickoffs. At 5-foot-11 and 186 pounds with a 40-time in the low 4.5s at his pro day back in 2019, being a special teams ace is probably more appealing to Detroit than what he offers as an undersized outside receiver.

[lawrence-related id=91161]

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbx8sj47vkwrznr player_id=01eqbvhghtkmz2182d image=]

Lions sign Australian TE Patrick Murtaugh via the NFL’s International Player Pathway

Murtaugh is 6-foot-5, 220 pounds and a decathlon champion in his native country

The Detroit Lions added some international talent to the roster. The Lions have signed tight end Patrick Murtaugh via the International Player Pathway program.

Murtaugh is Australian and quite the accomplished athlete in his home country. He’s a decathlon champion who has been pursuing Aussie rules football with the Gold Coast Suns developmental squad. He caught the Lions’ eyes at the International Scouting Combine in London last fall.

From the NFL’s guide on the International Player Pathway program,

Instituted in 2017, the NFL International Player Pathway program aims to give elite international athletes the opportunity to compete at the NFL level, improve their skills, and ultimately earn a spot on an NFL roster.

[affiliatewidget_smgtolocal]

Murtaugh does not count against the Lions’ 90-man roster limit, and his salary does not impact the team’s cap calculations. At 6-foot-5 and 220 pounds, he’s got some serious athletic potential if he can adapt to the American version of football from the AFL.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbx8sj47vkwrznr player_id=01eqbvhghtkmz2182d image=]

The Lions continue to spend draft capital on RBs like no other team

No other team has spent anywhere close to the amount of draft capital on RBs as the Lions since 2018

When the Detroit Lions selected Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs with the No. 12 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft, it came as a major surprise. Perhaps it shouldn’t have, based on the recent draft history.

Adding in Gibbs with the lofty draft pick added onto the very high emphasis Detroit has placed on the running back position in recent drafts. Based on data from Ben Baldwin, no team has spent more draft capital on running backs since 2018 than the Lions.

[affiliatewidget_smgtolocal]

In the graph below from Baldwin, it shows just how dramatically more the Lions have spent on drafting running backs than any other team in the last five years. Gibbs adds to the tally that also includes Kerryon Johnson and D’Andre Swift.

Since 2018, the Lions have drafted:

  • Kerryon Johnson, No. 43 overall in 2018
  • Ty Johnson, No. 186 in 2019
  • D’Andre Swift, No. 35 in 2020
  • Jason Huntley, No. 172 in 2020
  • Jermar Jefferson, No. 249 in 2021

Adding Gibbs at No. 12 vaults the Lions way over the top of the Seahawks, Patriots and others in draft capital devoted to RBs since 2018.

That doesn’t include free agent signings like Jamaal Williams or David Montgomery, either.

[lawrence-related id=91153]

Jack Campbell and the Lions bucking the trend on positional values

The draft class of 2020 offers some worthy perspective on why the Lions 1st-round selection of LB Jack Campbell is so controversial

Tuesday afternoon marked the deadline for NFL teams to pick up the fifth-round options on the rookie contracts for the first-round picks of the 2020 NFL draft. The Detroit Lions didn’t have any decision to make, not after previously trading away Jeff Okudah, but the way the deadline played out does shine some light on the Lions.

The Lions and GM Brad Holmes have taken some shots about their strategy of drafting a running back and a linebacker in the first round of the 2023 NFL draft. The fifth-year option decisions illustrate one of the main talking points for those who question Detroit’s strategy of positional valuation.

In the 2020 NFL draft, four linebackers were selected in the first round. The quintet has experienced an array of success over their collective first three seasons. Yet not one of them had his fifth-year option picked up.

Nobody expected the Cardinals to pick up the option on No. 7 overall pick Isaiah Simmons, who is still looking for one actual NFL position he can play well. Simmons hasn’t been bad, just not the impact pillar of versatility he was billed to be pre-draft.

The other three off-ball LBs in the first round have all emerged as good players. Kenneth Murray with the Chargers (No. 23 overall), Jordyn Brooks of the Seahawks (No. 27) and Patrick Queen in Baltimore (No. 28) are good NFL starters. Queen and Brooks are very good players, key pieces of pretty strong overall defenses. Murray racked up over 100 tackles as a rookie and is still a useful player, albeit in a more limited role.

In short, even the “hits” at off-ball linebacker in the draft proved to be unworthy of the $11.27 million basic fifth-year option. Why? Because the free agent market makes it less expensive to let guys like Brooks and Queen hit free agency and sign them long-term, or use a middle-round pick to replace them than it would be to pick up the option.

The market just isn’t there across the league for premium off-ball LBs. There are eight LBs in the league who average more than the fifth-year option figure. One of them is Queen’s Baltimore teammate, Roquan Smith. Chicago paid another one of those, Tremaine Edmunds, to replace Smith in its defense this offseason.

Edmunds is a good focal point here. The No. 16 overall pick of the 2018 NFL draft, Edmunds was an immediate impact player for the Buffalo Bills: 121 tackles, two interceptions, two forced fumbles as a rookie. Pro Bowls the next two seasons. Pro Football Focus largely downvotes his contributions, but Edmunds was a key contributor for the Bills, a perennial playoff team these days.

The Lions would be happy to get out of Jack Campbell what the Bills got from Edmunds over the course of his rookie contract. Even so, Buffalo had no problem letting Edmunds go as a free agent. He’s being replaced by a third-round rookie, Dorian Williams, or a third-rounder from last year, Terrel Bernard. Buffalo does have one of those top-shelf LB contracts in Matt Milano, a fifth-round pick in 2017.

So when you hear bellyaching about positional value and drafting premium positions, that’s where the consternation comes from. The team-building mechanics and budgeting make off-ball linebacker a position where premium resources simply aren’t in high demand. Four of those eight premium LBs around the league weren’t first-round picks, including Milano.

The Lions are hoping to buck the trend with Campbell. He’s got all the skills and potential to lead the team in tackles and upgrade the middle-of-field pass coverage from Week 1 onward. There is real value in that, especially for a team like Detroit that needed a talent upgrade at the second level of the defense.

Holmes and the Lions have deemed Jack Campbell a worthwhile deviation from both the NFL’s current standards and their own history at the position.  We will see if that pays off for the Lions. Value is relative, after all. Campbell delivering a third-down top that secures the team’s first postseason home game at Ford Field — which could very well happen this coming December — will make the divisive pick eminently worthy.

 

 

Lions reveal free agent jersey numbers and veteran number changes

A bunch of Lions players changed their numbers now that different jerseys were available

When the Detroit Lions take to the field for the first mandatory minicamp in a few weeks, we’ll get a chance to see the free agents signed this offseason in their new jerseys for the first time. Now we know which number each of the new Lions will be sporting in 2023, at least to start the offseason.

The Lions revealed the jersey number choices of the free agent class of 2023. It was included in the same social media postings as the rookie jersey number assignments.

For the first time in the modern era, a Lions player will don No. 0. That honor goes to veteran wideout Marvin Jones, who returned in free agency after two seasons in Jacksonville.

The liberation of number assignments allows several new defensive backs to rock single-digit jerseys. Cam Sutton will wear No. 1, with C.J. Gardner-Johnson going for No. 2 and Emmanuel Moseley choosing the No 4 jersey. Running back David Montgomery will go with No. 5.

In addition to the new free agents, several holdover Lions pulled off some jersey number changes, too. Most notable among these are DB Ifeatu Melifonwu moving to No. 6 from 26 and running back Craig Reynolds choosing No. 13 after being No. 46.

That 24 belongs to cornerback Jarren Williams, not to be confused with wideout Jameson Williams, who appears to be keeping his No. 9.

The Lions draft class picks their initial jersey numbers

The Detroit Lions draft class of 2023 picks their initial jersey numbers

In the next step toward actually taking the field as members of the Detroit Lions, the team’s draft class of 2023 was officially assigned their initial jersey numbers.

Detroit’s eight draft picks now have numbers to go with their names. The jersey assignments are subject to change, of course; offseason player movement means other numbers figure to come open for a potential switch down the line.

But for now, this is the jersey number for each draftee:

Jahmyr Gibbs – 26

Jack Campbell – 46

Sam LaPorta – 87

Brian Branch – 32

Hendon Hooker – 12

Brodric Martin – 96

Colby Sorsdal – 75

Antoine Green – 80

The rookies will show off their jerseys in the upcoming rookie minicamp.

[lawrence-related id=91146]

The Lions have ‘had dialogue’ about a Jared Goff contract extension

Detroit GM Brad Holmes acknowledged the Lions have “had dialogue” about a Jared Goff contract extension

Detroit Lions quarterback recently indicated that the team had not approached him about a potential contract extension. It appears that status has now changed.

Lion GM Brad Holmes indicated in a radio interview on Tuesday that the team and Goff’s representation have indeed begun to talk about locking up the veteran quarterback to a new long-term contract.

“We’ve had dialogue there,” Holmes told the Stoney & Jansen Show. “We’ve had dialogue with his agent, and we’re in a good place right now.”

[affiliatewidget_smgtolocal]

Goff has two years remaining on his 4-year, $134 million contract he signed with the Los Angeles Rams. However, there is little money or bonuses guaranteed after the 2023 season.

Goff indicated last month that he was “open to” extension talks. In the wake of the Lions drafting QB Hendon Hooker in the third round of the 2023 NFL draft, those talks have now begun.

[lawrence-related id=91102]

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbx8sj47vkwrznr player_id=01eqbvhghtkmz2182d image=]