Category: Lions News

Lions agree to terms with S/LB Miles Killebrew

The Detroit Lions announced they have agreed to terms with safety/linebacker Miles Killebrew.

After agreeing to terms with seven free agents and trading for Duran Harmon over the first four days of free agency, the Detroit Lions spent the fifth day boosting their special teams.

Earlier today they added nickelback/gunner Tony McRae and now they announced they have once again agreed to terms with safety/linebacker Miles Killebrew.

“Killebrew joined the Lions as a fourth-round selection (111th overall) in the 2016 NFL Draft out of Southern Utah,” the Lions said in a press release. “He has appeared in 63 career games (four starts) and has logged 56 tackles (45 solo), six pass defenses, two interceptions and one interception returned for a touchdown. Killebrew has also contributed 37 special teams tackles (33 solo) in his career.”

In 2019, Killebrew only played on 87 defensive snaps, typically at WILL linebacker, but he is a dynamic special teams player and saw 344 snaps in five different phases — punt coverage, punt return, kickoff coverage, kickoff return, and field goal/extra point blocking team.

Killebrew’s best path to the 53-man roster has always been on special teams and he will once again face stiff competition this year. Like Killebrew, Jalen Reeves-Maybin, Jayron Kearse, Steve Longa, and Jason Cabinda are all experienced special teamers and will be fighting for only a few available spots.

That being said, according to Pro Football Focus, last season Killebrew was the second-highest graded Lions’ player on special teams behind only Reeves-Maybin. If he can repeat his performance and continue to execute in the third phase of the game, the Lions will reward him with another season on the roster.

Full terms of Killebrew’s contract with the Lions were not released at the time this article was published, so stay tuned to Lions Wire for more updates.

Duron Harmon aiming to earn a starting role in 2020

Highlights from Detroit Lions safety Duron Harmon’s teleconference call with the local media.

The Detroit Lions traded for safety Duron Harmon on Wednesday, and today they made him available to the Lions media via teleconference call.

Harmon left a very good impression on the media and discussed a variety of topics, ranging from attempting to earn a starting role, the steps taken to complete his contract, and how current Lions’ defensive back coach Steve Gregory helped him acclimate to the league.

Aiming for a starting role

Harmon has a nose for the football and the skill set to play single-high safety — and more — in the Lions scheme. It’s no secret that he is the front-runner for the job but he is not taking anything for granted.

“I know they already have two talented young players in the room,” Harmon said, “and I’m just trying to come there to help in any way I can. I don’t know what my considered role will be, but I know whatever I get will be earned.”

Harmon went on to say he is hopeful that he could earn a spot that would afford him the opportunity to see the field over 90- to 95-percent of snaps.

“I feel like I’m a rangy safety that gets to a lot of places,” Harmon said, “especially if I have good break on the quarterback, and that’s just what I like to do.”

Completed physical makes trade official

During these unusual times, it can be difficult for athletes to go through typical March procedures in the NFL.

Harmon mentioned that with training facilities closed he has had to find opportunities at home to stay in shape, working out in his basement and running drills on a hill close to his home.

Additionally, in order to finalize his trade to Detroit, the Lions scheduled a medical examination with a former Patriots doctor located close to his home. He passed the physical and if officially a Lion.

High praise for Lions DB coach Steve Gregory

When Harmon entered the league in 2013, the former third-round pick needed a mentor and veteran safety Steve Gregory was there to guide him.

“Gregory was the one who took me under his wing and taught me how to watch film,” Harmon said. “He was a great leader.”

Since then, Gregory moved on from his playing days, turned to the coach ranks. He has been in Detroit the last two seasons as a defensive assistant but was promoted this offseason to defensive backs coach and will once again, be giving direct guidance to Harmon.

When asked about what it would be like to work with Gregory again, Harmon had lots of positive things to say. “I’m excited to work back with him,” Harmon said. “He may be the smartest DB (defensive back) I’ve worked with.”

Career Highlights

Ahead of the interview the Lions and Lions PR Twitter accounts put out tweets focused on Harmon’s career:

Report: Lions have agreed to terms with CB Tony McRae on a 1-year deal

Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle is reporting that the Detroit Lions are signing nickelback and special teamer Tony McRae to a 1-year deal worth $1.5 million.

Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle is reporting that the Detroit Lions have agreed to terms with nickelback and special teamer Tony McRae to a 1-year deal worth $1.5 million.

McRae was undrafted out of North Carolina A&T in 2016 signed with the Raiders after the draft but was released in Spring camp, joined the Bengals and spent the year on their practice squad. In 2017 he jumped to the Ravens practice squad, then Bills, before re-signing with the Bengals and earning a spot on the active roster later in that season and he remained on their 53-man roster for the last two seasons.

McRae makes his living primarily in the slot, but he gets the majority of his snaps (256) on special teams. Last season McRae learned under new Lions’ special teams coordinator Brayden Coombs and earned a 72.4 grade on special teams from Pro Football Focus.

McRae’s best path to the roster appears to be as a gunner on special teams where he would challenge last year’s gunners C.J. Moore, Dee Virgin, and Mike Ford for a starting role.

Having experience working with Coombs, and a nice payday from the Lions, McRae should be an early leader for a spot on the Lions 53-man roster.

Several Lions earned roster bonuses and guarantees on Friday

Several Lions earned roster bonuses and guarantees on Friday, the third day of the NFL league year for 2020

Friday, March 20th marked the third day of the 2020 NFL league year. That’s an important date for contractual purposes for many players, including some Detroit Lions.

Many NFL contracts are structured so roster bonuses get paid and guaranteed on the third day of the league year. It’s also when contracts also get guaranteed for the next year in some cases. The Lions who got some roster bonus money on Friday include:

DE Trey Flowers: $10 million of his $14.5 million base salary in 2020 is now guaranteed.

TE T.J. Hockenson: $810,965 roster bonus.

DE Romeo Okwara: $150,000 roster bonus.

CB Justin Coleman: $1.9 million of his $6.95 million salary for 2020 is guaranteed.

PK Matt Prater: $200,000 roster bonus.

Darius Slay happy he ‘don’t have to deal with’ Matt Patricia anymore

Darius Slay happy he ‘don’t have to deal with’ Matt Patricia anymore in a scathing interview with The Mitch Albom Show on WJR in Detroit

Darius Slay joined the Mitch Albom Show on WJR in Detroit on Thursday, hours after his trade from the Detroit Lions to the Philadelphia Eagles. Slay had nothing but positive things to say about the city of Detroit and the Lions fans.

About Matt Patricia, however…

Slay unloaded with several scathing criticisms of his former coach.

“Of course I wanted to stay (in Detroit) for a minute, but I already knew how me and Matt Patricia is, that wasn’t going to last long,” Slay said, referring to his old coach with contempt clear in his voice.

He then brought up Patricia telling him he wasn’t an elite player and didn’t deserve to be training with elite players like Richard Sherman and Aqib Talib in the offseason.

Slay’s take on that?

“That’s the whole point, I didn’t get the thought, sitting here telling me not to go work with somebody, I’m not elite,” Slay continued. “If I ain’t elite in your eyes, at least I’m trying to go compete with guys and work with guys, pick their brains and become elite.”

Later in the interview, Albom asked Slay if he had anything to say to Patricia. Slay opted for diplomacy and took about the highest road he could.

“I wouldn’t say nothing, I’d just go about my day,” he said. “Honestly, I wouldn’t probably feel nothing inside. I live my life, he lives his. I just don’t have to deal with him.”

The full interview, broken into four segments, is available via the Mitch Albom Show Twitter feed.

Report: Lions agree to term with S Jayron Kearse on 1-year deal

NFL Network’s Tom Pelisero is reporting that the Detroit Lions have agreed to terms with safety Jayron Kearse on a 1-year deal.

NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero is reporting that the Detroit Lions have agreed to terms with safety Jayron Kearse on a 1-year deal. Pelissero notes the deal is worth $2.75 million, but official numbers have yet to be released.

Kearse was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the seventh round of the 2016 Draft and was someone general manager Bob Quinn showed interest in — the Lions had formal meetings with Kearse at the Combine and Clemson Pro Day.

A four-year contributor for the Vikings as a standout special teams player,  Kearse (6-4, 215) expanded his duties over the past two seasons, seeing just over 250 snaps on defense as a third safety and situational 43 WILL linebacker. Kearse has a chance to take over the vacated Miles Killebrew role with the Lions.

Kearse immediately becomes a special teams starter in all four-phases but he is an ascending player on defense and will offer the Lions options as a fourth safety — potentially challenging Will Harris for playing time — and is capable of starting in the old Tavon Wilson role if in case of injury.

Danny Shelton: What the Lions are getting in their new DT

Danny Shelton: What the Lions are getting in their new DT

Danny Shelton is an easy guy to spot. The new Detroit Lions defensive tackle weighs 340 or so pounds and sports long black hair and distinctive tattoos up and down both arms.

He also happens to be a pretty darn good football player, and the Lions are a better team for adding him as a free agent this week. The five-year veteran instantly bolsters the interior defensive line.

What exactly are the Lions getting in Shelton?

He spent his first three seasons in Cleveland as a first-round pick out of Washington in 2015. In college, he was a versatile nose tackle with a good sense for the ball and an Academic All-American.

For the Browns, expectations were too high based on his draft status. He was a good-not-great contributor on some bad Browns teams. First-round status implies pass rush, fair or not, and that’s not Shelton’s game. He managed just 1.5 sacks among his 11 TFLs in three years before the Browns traded him to New England.

Note the timeline. Shelton did not join the Patriots until March of 2018. That’s two months after Matt Patricia left to coach the Lions. While Patricia and his Lions staff are certainly familiar with his role(s) in New England, they have no real ties to Shelton or history with him.

I say roles in New England, because Shelton’s changed from 2018 to 2019. His first year in Foxboro was a continuation of his Cleveland career, a very good interior run defender with gap integrity and a good nose for the ball but almost no penetration or upfield surge. That changed in 2019.

New England started shading him over a guard or tilting him from being heads-up on the center more. It played to his quick burst and let him get a little more space to operate. He responded by making more plays in the backfield, getting a career-high three sacks and more pressures. It’s akin the jump Damon Harrison made when he joined the Lions in the middle of the 2018 season.

Shelton’s trademark run defense did suffer a bit as a result. Increasing his range led to more opportunities to miss. He’s still a very sure, powerful tackler, but he was more vulnerable to cut and wham blocks in the run game.

Shelton is a quality replacement on the nose for Harrison. If the Lions move to a more traditional 4-man front, and that appears to be the case based on their offseason moves, Shelton will play the 1-tech and play a lot. If he’s more of a 0-tech in an odd front, he won’t make as many noteworthy plays but also won’t be noted missing as many chances, either.

Darius Slay throws gasoline on the trade sparks with the Lions

Darius Slay throws gasoline on the trade sparks with the Lions

Darius Slay has been fairly diplomatic about his status with the Detroit Lions. The Pro Bowl cornerback ended the playing nice on Wednesday night.

He wants out of Detroit and doesn’t care who knows about it.

That’s the only reasonable conclusion after Slay’s posts on Twitter in reaction to the Lions signing Desmond Trufant. In two separate posts, Slay pulls no punches. He asks for the Lions to hurry up and trade him.

The Pro Bowl cornerback has desired a new contract dating back to last offseason, but the Lions have held firm on making him honor the final years of his 4-yer, $48 million contract.

That appears to be up in flames now…

There’s not much grey area there. Slay wants out so he can get paid somewhere else.

Report: Lions agree to terms with CB Desmond Trufant on 2-year deal

Multiple sources are reporting that the Detroit Lions have come to an agreement with cornerback Desmond Trufant on a 2-year deal.

Multiple sources are reporting that the Detroit Lions have come to an agreement with former Atlanta Falcons cornerback Desmond Trufant.

The deal was first announced by ESPN Analyst Jordan Schultz, who also included the terms of the deal — 2-years worth $21 million, with $14 million guaranteed.

The former first-round pick in 2013 — now 29-years old — was coming off a four-interception season before he went down with a broken forearm in Week 14. After spending his entire career with the Falcons, they released him in a  cost-cutting move just two days ago.

At 6-0, 190 pounds, with 4.38-second speed, and an impressive 6.67second 3-cone drill time, Trufant checks off all the athletic boxes the Lions’ desire in their cornerbacks.

Over his seven years in the NFL, his overall Pro Football grades ranged from 69.5 to 82.8, with his coverage grade landing between 65 and 82.5, all above average scores.

Pairing Trufant and Darius Slay together would give the Lions a formidable tandem at outside corner, but there is a real possibility this makes a Slay trade a potential reality. We will have to wait and see.

Lions tender Mike Ford, elect to not offer RFA’s J.D. McKissic and Jamie Meder

The Detroit Lions have tendered exclusive right free agent Mike Ford and elected not to offer restricted free agent contracts to J.D. McKissic and Jamie Meder making them unrestricted free agents.

The Detroit Lions have tendered exclusive right free agent corner Mike Ford and elected not to offer restricted free agent contracts to running back J.D. McKissic and defensive lineman Jamie Meder, making them unrestricted free agents.

In addition to Ford, it was already announced that the Lions were also picking up the tender on corner/gunner Dee Virgin, who was also an exclusive rights free agent.

Both Ford and Virgin played key roles on special teams, rotating with undrafted rookie safety C.J. Moore as the primary gunners on special teams. Ford also held down a key reserve role at cornerback and stepped up when his number was called against the Chiefs.

As a tendered exclusive right free agents, Ford and Virgin can only accept a new contract from the Lions, unless the team chooses to release them. And because the Lions hold all the leverage in this negotiation, they will likely only offer them a league minimum contract with no guaranteed money.

The Lions claimed McKissic off of waivers on cut day last September and he played an important role on offense as a change-of-pace/gadget back. The Lions are interested in bringing him back but not at the restricted free agent tender level, which was roughly $2.1 million.

Meder was a late-season addition to an injury-depleted roster and he isn’t expected back at this time.