Category: Lions News

Marvin Jones working out with Lions rookie WR Quintez Cephus

Marvin Jones working out with Lions rookie WR Quintez Cephus

Veteran Lions wide receiver Marvin Jones is doing what he can to help ease the transition for rookie Quintez Cephus. Jones, who recently turned 30, posted on his Instagram story that he’s been working out with the team’s fifth-round pick in California.

Jones noted he and Cephus, as well as fellow Lions WR Victor Bolden, are working out together during the coronavirus pandemic quarantine.

Presumably, Jones is helping his young teammates get up to speed on the offense, as well as the expectations of route-running and catching passes from QB Matthew Stafford. It’s a good sign of veteran leadership from Jones, who is entering the final year of his contract in Detroit.

Look: Lions LB Jarrad Davis has gained 20 pounds of muscle

Davis is working with trainers to add muscle and lose body fat…and it’s working impressively

Lions linebacker Jarrad Davis is entering a make-or-break year in Detroit. The 2017 first-round pick is attacking the challenge by transforming his physique.

Davis has been working with a personal trainer and the results are impressive. He played at 227 pounds in 2019 and decided he wanted to add more thump to his game. Now Davis tips the scales at a rocked-up 248, adding 20 pounds but shedding five percent of his body fat in the process.

Thanks to his trainer, David Lawrence, and Michigan Elite Conditioning for the stunning before (taken in March 2019) and after photos of the impressive transformation.

Establishing the 53: Roster Stack, summer edition

Examining the Detroit Lions roster, by stacking the players into levels based on value to the team.

By using a Roster Stack — predicting roles by grouping players by their expected value to the team — to examine the Detroit Lions roster we can get a look at the current front-runners for the 53-man roster as well as how things may change with different approaches to roster construction.

This version of the Lions Roster Stack will break down the roster into seven sections: 1) Impact players, 2) Core players, 3) Projected starters, 4) Role players, 5) Final 12 spots, 6) In the hunt, and 7) Have work to do.

Impact players

These are the players who if removed from the roster, would greatly impact the team’s overall performance.

QB1 Matthew Stafford
WR-Z Kenny Golladay
LT Taylor Decker
C Frank Ragnow
DDE Trey Flowers
CB1A Jeff Okudah
JOKER Tracy Walker

We all saw what happened when Stafford was removed from the Lions in 2019, and while the impact won’t likely be as great if one of the other players in this section goes down, losing any of these players would be a major set back for the team’s 2020 hopes.

Core Players

These players make up the foundation of the team and have a significant weekly role on the roster.

RB1A Kerryon Johnson
RB1B D’Andre Swift
WR-X Marvin Jones
Slot1 Danny Amendola
TE1 T.J. Hockenson
RT Halapoulivaati Vaitai
DT1A Da’Shawn Hand
NT1 Danny Shelton
JACK1 Julian Okwara
WILL1 Jamie Collins
MIKE1 Jahlani Tavai
CB1B Desmond Trufant
NB1 Justin Coleman
S-H1 Duron Harmon
K Matt Prater
LS Don Muhlbach

While Johnson and Swift are expected to platoon starting duties, the only other player on this list that is not a true starter is third-round pick Julian Okwara — even though he appears to be the top true JACK option on the roster.

Projected starters

The players in this section will either win a starting role or find a home as a reserve/role player and likely have an inside shot at the Lions 53-man roster.

OG Joe Dahl
OG Jonah Jackson
DT1B Nick Williams
MIKE2 Jarrad Davis
3rd S Will Harris

Dahl and Davis are returning starters but after additions made to the roster this offseason, it’s fair to wonder if their starting spots are in question. Jackson was the most significant interior offensive line addition this offseason and he appears to have an inside track for a starting role. Last year, Harris was groomed to take over the third safety role but should receive competition from Jayron Kearse for the role. There’s an argument to be made that Williams deserves to up a section, but until we see his role in camp, it’s difficult to project him as anything but a rotational starter with Hand.

Role players

These players should feel comfortable with their role on the team based on their skill sets and the current level of competition from the other players at their position group.

QB2 Chase Daniel
RB3 Bo Scarbrough
WR4 Marvin Hall
WR5 Quintez Cephus
TE2 Jesse James
OT3 Tyrell Crosby
OG3 Logan Stenberg
DDE2 Romeo Okwara
JACK2 Austin Bryant
WILL2 Christian Jones
CB3 Amani Oruwariye
S4 Jayron Kearse

Some role players are safer than others but the majority of players listed here have received an investment — either financially or draft stock — from the team. It’s worth noting that Scarbrough, Hall, Okwara, and Kearse are all in the final year of their contract with the Lions.

Final 13 spots

Based on my predicted current roster structure there should be 13 remaining spots on the Lions 53-man roster. The players in this section are the current leaders for those final spots but will be challenged by the players in the next two sections as things are far from settled.

RB4 Ty Johnson
RB/KR Jason Huntley
WR/RET/NB Jamal Agnew
TE/H-B Isaac Nauta
IOL/RT Kenny Wiggins
IOL6 Beau Benzschawel
NT2 John Penisini
DT3 Kevin Strong
LB/Sp.T Jalen Reeves-Maybin
CB/Gunner Mike Ford
NB/Gunner Tony McRae
FS/Gunner C.J. Moore
P Jack Fox

In my  “Establishing the 53” articles I explained in more detail why I selected each of the players listed above. Those articles are in the “explanation” link after each player for easier access to those pieces:

In the Hunt

The players in this group will need some help in order to find their way onto the 53-man roster. They could either benefit from the Lions constructing the roster differently or they could beat one player ahead of them to move up a section.

QB3 David Blough
FB Nick Bawden
WR5 Geronimo Allison
WR5 Chris Lacy
WR5 Travis Fulgham
TE4 Hunter Bryant
IOL Oday Aboushi
RT Dan Skipper
NT2 John Atkins
DT3 Jashon Cornell
LB5 Reggie Ragland
LB/Sp.T Miles Killebrew
LB/Sp.T Elijah Lee
CB/Gunner Darryl Roberts
CB/Gunner Dee Virgin
P Aaryn Siposs

The “Establishing the 53” series of articles listed in the above section explain in more detail why these players are still in the hunt for a roster spot.

Have work to do

These players found a spot on the 90-man roster due to their previous accomplishments but based on the other additions to the roster, they will have some work to do in the preseason if they hope to beat the odds and make the 53-man team.

RB Wes Hills
FB Luke Sellers
WR Geremy Davis
Slot Tom Kennedy
Slot Victor Bolden
TE Matt Sokol
RG Joshua Garnett
IOL Russell Bodine
OG Caleb Benenoch
OT Matt Nelson
DL Frank Herron
DE Olive Sagapolu
DE Jonathan Wynn
LB Jason Cabinda
LB Anthony Pittman
LB Christian Sam
CB Michael Jackson
S Jalen Elliott
S Jeremiah Dinson
S Bobby Price
LS Steve Wirtel

There are always players who surprise when they get to camp and while the players in this section have a lot of work to do, they can’t be ruled out at this time.

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Frank Ragnow named Lions’ most underrated player by PFF

Third-year center Frank Ragnow is named the Detroit Lions’ most underrated player by Pro Football Focus

Pro Football Focus tasked its staff to come up with the most underrated player on all 32 NFL teams. For the Detroit Lions, the quest wasn’t a difficult one.

Center Frank Ragnow earned the honor for being the most underrated Lions player. Given that Ragnow was PFF’s No. 6 overall center in 2019 and No. 2 run blocking center, it makes sense. He doesn’t get nearly the acclaim he deserves, either locally or nationally. Ragnow quickly proved to be a near-elite talent at his first NFL season playing the position after starting at guard in his rookie 2018 campaign.

Set to remain the team’s starting center heading into 2020, Ragnow is poised to continue to develop into one of the top young interior offensive linemen in the NFL.

Ragnow also merits extra credit for playing in the middle of an intentionally revolving door in the Lions’ unconventional guard rotation. Continuity flies out the window for Ragnow but he remains a very good center despite the adversity.

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Lions have begun initial stages of contract negotiations with Taylor Decker

The Detroit Lions have begun initial stages of contract negotiations with left tackle Taylor Decker, but they’re in the very early stages.

During a virtual press conference with the Detroit media, Lions left tackle explained that he and the organization have begun contract extension negotiations, but they’re in the very early stages.

“Nothing major,” Decker said of the talks. “Obviously, ‘Hey, we like you, we like you’, sort of thing, but nothing major.”

Decker is currently playing on a fifth-year contract option and at this stage in the process, all $10.35 million is fully guaranteed for the 2020 season. That contract matches up very closely with where Pro Football Focus had Decker graded last season — his salary is the 21st highest for an offensive tackle, while he graded out as the 19th best.

It’s unclear how much Decker and his agent are asking for but it’s surely a contract that averages more than what he is making this year. A deal that averages somewhere between $15 and $18 million appears to be the going rate for an NFL starting left tackle.

Lions general manager Bob Quinn typically targets key veterans for contract extensions during training camp, but with the current COVID situation putting several traditional movements in question, it’s entirely possible Decker enters the season with no guarantees.

Fortunately for Decker, his career has been traveling on an upward trajectory since injuring his shoulder in June of 2017, and if he enters the season without a deal and his career continues his rise, his contract will reflect that.

Also working in Decker’s favor is his ability to maintain his typical offseason program. While other NFL players are struggling to workout, it’s been business as usual for Decker who is working out at LeCharles Bentley’s OLP training facility in Arizona — where Decker has an offseason home — as he has the last five offseasons.

“My gym has been open the entire time,” Decker said. “So, I’ve been fortunate to get to be around other NFL guys, doing what I typically do in the offseason — aside from having to adapt with not having the OTAs and going against a live defense.”

It’s not ideal to be playing the final year of his contract in the current world environment, but if this sense of normalcy gives Decker an advantage on the field, it could pay dividends in his bank account.

Lions 2019 rewatch: Week 3 notes from Detroit’s win over the Eagles

Jeff Risdon’s notes from the Lions’ 27-24 win in Philadelphia after rewatching the coach’s tape

The first two weeks of the 2019 season left the Lions at a respectable 1-0-1 mark. Week 3 brought a trip to Philadelphia to face the highly-touted Eagles, which is where our season rewatch project takes us next.

I went back and watched the broadcast feed of the game, followed by the All-22 coach’s tape courtesy of NFL Game Pass. This was an entertaining game full of twists and turns, capped off with Matthew Stafford and the Lions coming up big in the clutch for the second week in a row.

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Notes and observations from the Lions’ 27-24 win in Philadelphia.

Pregame

The only Lions regular player who was out with injury was DL Da’Shawn Hand. The Eagles were missing starting WRs Alshon Jeffery and DeSean Jackson as well as DT Timmy Jernigan. Jarrad Davis makes his season debut, while Taylor Decker is back after missing Week 2.

Lions wore blue pants with the white jerseys.

First quarter

The defense starts hit-and-miss. A Trey Flowers encroachment penalty on 3rd-and-3 extends the drive. Carson Wentz foils a good rush on the very next play and catches a communication error between CB Darius Slay and S Quandre Diggs for a big gain. Slay bit up on a short route–it looks like he was expecting the rush to force the throw–and Diggs never rotated over. If Wentz throws a better pass it’s six points.

Another 3rd down penalty, an iffy holding call on Justin Coleman, sets up a short field goal. The Lions DL had no problem controlling the middle of the formation against the run. Eagles up 3-0

Fun time! Jamal Agnew takes the ensuing kickoff to the house, 101 yards for the TD. Great blocks from Will Harris and Dee Virgin helped out, but Agnew made two guys miss and ran through another tackle. Matt Prater nails the conversion and it’s 7-3 Lions without an offensive play for Detroit yet.

Noting for future Lions reference: Eagles bring in Hal Vaitai as an extra tackle and run behind him. He blatantly holds LB Jahlani Tavai but gets away with it on an 11-yard run by Jordan Howard. On the very next play–the Eagles leave him in for several reps–he falls down trying to get a reach block on Romeo Okwara. They run behind him three times in four plays and the third one is a beautiful edge seal block on the right side on Devon Kennard to spring a 3rd-down conversion run from Miles Sanders.

Lions are consistently rushing four or five but Wentz has little issue avoiding the pressure. A huge scramble on a Jarrad Davis blitz sets up an easy TD plunge, 10-7 Eagles. Former Lions LB Chris Spielman is on the broadcast call and he’s rightly apoplectic about the defense abandoning the middle of the field against a mobile QB.

Detroit’s first offensive drive features mostly 12 (1 RB, 2 TE) and 22 (RB, FB, 2 TE) personnel and it works well. The OL, notably LG Joe Dahl, clears nice holes for Kerryon Johnson and the methodical drive caps with a Johnson TD from a yard out. Taylor Decker had a great block on the TD. 14-10 Lions very quickly into the second quarter.

Second quarter

No creativity to the Lions pass rush. It’s four guys trying to bull their way to Wentz. Flowers does an improvised twist after he’s initially stymied on an effort but that’s it. Downfield coverage is very good from Slay, Rashaan Melvin and Justin Coleman.

Sam Martin continues to have an outstanding season punting. Great directional punt pins the Eagles deep after the teams trade bad possessions. It leads to an interesting series for Jarrad Davis at LB.

Davis sat the prior series in lieu of Tavai. He missed being in the right place with his assignment two plays in a row but redeems himself with a fantastic punch-out of the ball to force the turnover. It was the second forced fumble against Miles Sanders on the drive after Okwara ripped it out a couple plays earlier. Okwara is working Vaitai, who is now in the game full-time at LT. LG Isaac Semualo is not playing well against Damon Harrison and Okwara either, and it very much feels like it’s that and not the Lions defenders playing great.

Love the gadget play reverse to J.D. McKissic coming right off the turnover. Aggressive call and it catches the Eagles overpursuing, something their LBs have shown all game. The drive stalls thanks to good red-zone coverage from the Eagles (Golladay has zero space) but Prater’s FG extends the lead to 17-10. Stafford was quick to throw the ball away rather than buy time and try to force things, playing conservatively for the FG.

Trend alert: The Lions continue to load up the line of scrimmage when the opposing offense goes to an empty backfield. They did this against the Chargers in Week 2 as well, primarily with six guys on the line. In this case, as happened against L.A., the LBs cannot drop fast enough to cover the middle of the field throw.

The Lions catch a huge break when Nelson Agholor fumbles shortly after making a catch on a quick-hit throw. Slay was right there but didn’t cause the fumble; Agholor just lost it. Slay picks it up and scampers into the red zone. Surprised the replay official didn’t overturn it as Agholor had the ball a lot less than what Calvin Johnson did no several of his overturned catches. Also, props to Wentz for hustling and making a nice touchdown-saving tackle on Slay. I can think of a few QBs who wouldn’t have done that…

The Lions offense gets too cute and has to settle for a field goal. Decker is progressively getting more upright in his base stance as the game progresses, a sign the back injury that kept him out of Week 2 is impacting him.

Last play of the half, the Lions rush three with Davis rushing in and Flowers dropping. Good blitz and Davis forces Wentz to flee to his left with all his WRs on the right. Flowers closes in and gets the sack. Side note: Wentz has already taken several cringe-worthy hits if you’re an Eagles fan. He does not protect himself nearly as well as Stafford does. Lions up 20-10 at the half

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Lions team doctor very concerned about 2nd wave of coronavirus in the fall

Lions team doctor Asheesh Bedi talked about the coronavirus impact while on the Adam Schefter podcast

As the NFL facilities are poised to open in many states around the country, the Detroit Lions are still in a waiting game while the coronavirus pandemic and restrictions remain across Michigan. Progress towards a return to action is coming, but Detroit’s team physician is preaching caution.

Appearing on “The Adam Schefter Podcast”, Lions team doctor Asheesh Bedi expressed major concern and reservations about the potential for the second wave of the pandemic to hit during the traditional football season.

“I think it’s a real concern,” Bedi told Schefter. “And obviously that would be incredibly devastating not just for sports and seasons, but for the economy and so many facets of our life. I think that’s why it’s so critical that our behavior in the upcoming months will have such a critical influence on what we’re seeing in the following months.”

Bedi, an orthopedic surgeon by training, warns about getting too comfortable once the state of Michigan loosens restrictions.

“I think as we start to see things loosen a bit and feeling like that first wave is behind us that we absolutely recognize that we can’t let our guard down,” Bedi explained.

The NFLPA and the league are working towards a plan for players that includes comprehensive testing plans, increased safety measures in the weight room and training facilities, and ways to handle in-game and in-practice contact as safely as possible. Bedi is trying to work on how to implement the ramped-up testing for everyone in the Lions organization.

“As we get a better sense of how frequently and rapidly we can do that for team and personnel, that’ll give us real-time knowledge if a person is a so-called under investigation or a COVID-positive case, and then that gives you the ability to rapidly contact-trace them and to contain that potential infection. It’s going to be a lot of these aspects coming together, recognizing that football anyway is a contact sport by nature so there’s going to be aspects of this that are a unique challenge, unchartered territory for us to figure out.”

The Lions will continue to operate from remote locations until at least June 12th, when the latest lockdown order from Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer is set to expire.

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Reggie Wayne blew off chance to ‘work out’ for the Lions in 2015

Wayne got cut by the Patriots later that summer and never played again

Reggie Wayne was a free agent after the 2014 NFL season, the final year of a fantastic career in Indianapolis for the perennial Pro Bowl wide receiver. The Detroit Lions, then led by GM Martin Mayhew and head coach Jim Caldwell, came calling to Wayne in hopes of luring him to join the team.

Wayne told NFL Network host Dan Hellie that the Lions approached him that offseason about coming to Detroit. But Wayne told the “Helliepod” podcast that the Lions wanted him to work out before offering him a deal.

“I said, ‘Work out? You the Detroit Lions. Wait. Work out? I’m good.’ Like, I can give you — I got 14 years of working out that you can see,” Wayne said. “So I was like, ‘Nah, I’m cool.’”

Wayne, then 37, had no such reservation in working out for the New England Patriots. As he explained,

“Before I get there, Bill Belichick says, ‘Hey, Reg, you got to work out,’ ” Wayne said. “So I said, ‘All right. You Bill Belichick, all right, I’ll work out for you. Y’all New England. OK, I’ll work out for New England.’

At that point, the Patriots were coming off a Super Bowl victory. The Lions had finished 11-5 in 2014 but lost in the first round of the playoffs and didn’t boast anything close to the sustained success of New England.

Wayne wound up signing a 2-year contract with the Patriots, but he was cut before the season and never played in the NFL again. The Lions opted to sign Lance Moore instead. Moore caught 29 passes for 337 yards and four TDs in his one year in Detroit, the final season of his career.

Exploring how Jamal Agnew’s position switch to WR impacts the Lions roster

Exploring how Jamal Agnew’s position switch from defensive back to wide receiver impacts the Detroit Lions 2020 roster.

Speculation about Detroit Lions Jamal Agnew possibly making a position switch came to the surface in a Pro Football Talk’s Peter King report on Monday. And now today, Dave Birkett of the Free Press is reporting that Agnew is indeed making a position switch from defensive back to wide receiver.

“Agnew has been attending virtual meetings with both the wide receivers and cornerbacks this spring,” Birkett said, “but the Lions plan to transition him exclusively to offense when they return to the field this summer.”

While Agnew is primarily known for his special teams return ability — he was the only player in the NFL to have a punt and kick return for a touchdown in 2019 — he has been featured on offense as a gadget player a handful of times (32 total) over his three-year career.

Last season Agnew saw 16 snaps on offense — 10 in the final week of the regular season — and all at wide receiver. The Lions apparently liked what they saw because according to Birkett, “the Lions approached him about making the conversion full time this spring.”

Agnew has shown the ability to be a weapon on special teams, but with the league moving away from special teams in the name of player safety, Agnew needed to show he can do more to get on the field.

If he can also perform as a reliable gadget option — as well as an emergency defensive back — he will make himself very valuable to a team who prioritizes versatility.

So how does Agnew’s switch impact the roster?

The first name that jumps to mind is fifth-round pick Jason Huntly, as he and Agnew are capable of being gadget players in the backfield, as well as slot options at wide receiver. But there are three things that cause me to pause in saying these two are in a pure head to head matchup. First, they play different positions, second, the Lions are desperate for speed on offense, and third, they planned on switching Agnew in the spring and still drafted Huntley, indicating they may have a plan for both.

The next name that comes to mind is the Lions other fifth-round pick wide receiver Quintez Cephus. While Agnew and Cephus play the same position, they are very different players and win in different ways — there’s also point three from above that still remains true.

But if Agnew is going to make the Lions 53-man roster on offense, it’ll be an offensive player that will have to be squeezed out.

In my latest 53-man roster projection, I examined the benefits of keeping a sixth wide receiver versus a fourth tight end and came away with undrafted rookie Hunter Bryant as my winner — based on the fact that he was an offensive weapon in the slot.

If Agnew can also prove to be an offensive weapon in the slot, while also contributing on special teams, he would push ahead of Bryant in my eyes.

With Bryant off my projection and Agnew switching sides of the ball, that creates a slot on defense — and this is an easy choice for me — as it now opens the door for safety/gunner C.J. Moore to jump back in the 53.

The opportunity is there for Agnew to expand his role and solidify a spot on the 53-man roster — now he just has to execute the plan.

Lions offense ranked middle of the pack to start 2020

Lions offense ranked middle of the pack to start 2020 after finishing 2019 ranked 18th in both scoring and yards per play

Our friends at Touchdown Wire ranked every offense in the NFL entering the 2020 season. Taking into account all the factors, from QB play to depth to the line, all 32 teams go under the microscope and get sorted out.

The Lions check in at No. 18 on the list. It’s a fitting ranking given the team finished 18th in both scoring and yards per play in 2019, albeit playing half the year without starting QB Matthew Stafford.

Stafford is back for 2020, but there are other questions that keep the Lions from ascending the list.

Stafford is expected to be healthy for the year ahead, but the Lions’ offense still has questions up front. Can Halapoulivaati Vaitai be this team’s right tackle? Who fills the spot at right guard, Oday Aboushi or rookie Jonah Jackson? If Stafford can stay healthy, the team has weapons, including Kenny Golladay and second-round pick D’Andre Swift, who can be an asset in the passing game. Fifth-round pick Quintez Cephus is also a player to watch at the WR spot. If they get a full season from Stafford, this offense could be much improved over 2019.

It’s a fair-minded look at how the Lions offense is perceived outside of Detroit. The upside with a healthy Stafford is significantly higher than the No. 18 ranking, sandwiched between the Steelers and Texans — especially if the overhauled right side of the line comes together.

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