Tag: Brayden Coombs

Lions make heavy investment in special teams during free agency

Despite losing, and not replacing, a punter in free agency, the Detroit Lions have made a heavy investment in their special teams coverage and blocking units.

After moving on from 2019 special teams coordinator John Bonamego, the Lions made a strong move towards improving their special teams by hiring up-and-comer Brayden Coombs (formerly of the Cincinnati Bengals) to take over the coordinator position.

Coombs spent the last decade learning under Bengals coordinator Darrin Simmons and was part of Football Outsiders #1 DVOA special teams unit in 2019.

But the addition of Coombs was just the beginning. When the Lions hit the free agency market, they made a heavy investment in their special teams coverage and blocking units.

Snap Counts

In 2019, the Lions had around 470 plays on special teams. That works out to about 5,170 snaps spread out over the roster throughout the year. If we remove extra point and field goal attempts, as well as the offensive/defensive linemen, long snapper and kicker snaps, that leaves roughly 3,221 snaps for coverage and blocking units.

Of those 3,221 snaps, the Lions return 24 players and 2,792 of those snaps. Lost in free agency were just 409 snaps, from Logan Thomas (176), Tavon Wilson (120), J.D. McKissic (79), Paul Perkins (29), and Devon Kennard (14).

While not all of the Lions’ offseason signings (or returning players) will make the 2020 roster, they have invested in nine players who contributed on 953 special teams snaps last season including Jayron Kearse (226), Tony McRae (181), Elijah Lee (198), Geremy Davis (97), Darryl Roberts (85), Jamie Collins (76), Geronimo Allison (45), Reggie Ragland (26), Duron Harmon (19).

[lawrence-related id=40793]

That’s an increase of four players and 524 snaps from 2019 special teams units — and this isn’t factoring in the players who will be added via the Lions draft class.

Last season the Lions got special teams contributions from eight rookies that accounted for 817 special teams coverage/blocking snaps. Those snaps came from C.J Moore (292), Will Harris (178), Ty Johnson (118), Isaac Nauta (82), Amani Oruwariye (69), Jahlani Tavai (41), Travis Fulgham (25), and Anthony Pittman (12).

If the Lions can get a similar level of contributions from this year’s rookie class, as well as the additional 524 from this year’s free agents, the Lions will have over 1300 additional snaps to play with when making decisions on their 53-man roster.

Bottom line

As always, players who can contribute on special teams will round out the 2020 roster, and with roughly 25-percent more snap experience than they will need, the Lions will be able to pick from the best of what will assuredly be a fierce training camp competition.

Think of it as being able to pick the best dozen apples from the orchard rather than buying a three-pound bag from the grocery store and hoping none of them are bruised or rotten.

A lot of the recent signings in free agency haven’t been flashy, but the Lions are setting themselves up to put an improved special teams unit on the field. Considering how often special teams can be an intricate part in determining success during a game, its low key moves like this that can pay dividends in December.

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.

Report: Bengals hire their Brayden Coombs replacement

The Bengals added to the coaching staff recently.

The Cincinnati Bengals have hired Colt Anderson as a special teams assistant and he’ll serve under Darrin Simmons, according to ESPN’s Field Yates.

Before the Senior Bowl, the Bengals had lost one of the more promising young coaches in the NFL when the Detroit Lions swiped Brayden Coombs via promotion.

Into that void steps Anderson, a former special teams ace who went undrafted in 2009 before playing through the 2017 season with four different teams.

Anderson doesn’t have any prior major coaching experience on record, so it speaks to the potential and connections he must have for the Bengals to make him a Simmons understudy.

And what a way to break into the coaching scene at the pro level, as Simmons is widely regarded as one of the best outright coaches at what he does in the NFL.

Simmons was promoted to assistant head coach to Zac Taylor this offseason too.

[vertical-gallery id=27560]

Bengals lose promising coach with Brayden Coombs going to Lions

The Lions swiped a big up-and-coming coach from the Bengals.

The Cincinnati Bengals lost a stellar rising coach when the Detroit Lions announced Saturday they had hired Brayden Coombs to coach special teams.

Coombs, son of local coaching powerhouse Kerry, was one of the big up-and-coming names in coaching circles at the age of 33.

In fact, Brayden might’ve been higher up the food chain in most places. But Cincinnati has Darrin Simmons — now assistant head coach — who happens to be one of the best in the NFL at what he does.

Coombs had joined the Bengals in 2009 as an intern and rapidly ascended. He worked with both sides of the football, as an advance scout and had a hand in crafting game plans.

Consider this — when Zac Taylor arrived, Coombs was just one of seven coaches retained. And not only that, Taylor expanded on Coombs’ responsibilities.

All this doesn’t even mention the fact Coombs has been a close understudy of Simmons for all these years.

It seemed like a matter of time before another team poached Coombs, unfortunately. But if he keeps on his current trajectory as he runs special teams by himself in Detroit now, it might not be long before we hear his name whispered in head-coaching conversations.

[vertical-gallery id=26835]