Over the last 72 hours, the Detroit Lions have been connected to a few roster moves, but more moves are expected to happen over the next few weeks.
So far this offseason, it’s been relatively quiet in Allen Park when it comes to negotiating with players on expired contracts. But over the last 72 hours, we’ve started to see some movement.
The Lions have yet to announce either move, but the players and their agents have confirmed these decisions.
As it stands right now, the Lions have 66 players on their roster, but over the next two months — after free agency and the draft — the roster will contain 90 players entering Spring mini-camp.
“We are talking to a lot of agents of our current guys, but I think there’s a little bit of a stall because of the uncertainty of the CBA,” Lions general manager Bob Quinn replied to Tori Petry when asked about contract negotiations with players that are about to hit free agency. “With a new CBA, a lot of things can change in terms of how you can structure things.”
Quinn assured the Lions fans that while the franchise may seem quiet, that is certainly not the case behind the scenes, saying “we are having a lot of good conversations, but nothing has really passed the finish line yet, but we are hoping to get a few things done in the next week or so.”
As par for the course, there is as a level of uncertainty when it comes to negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement as owners and players must both agree to terms. Devon Kennard is the player rep for the Detroit Lions and recently spoke about wanting more discussion.
To watch Quinn answer directly about contractual negotiations, start the video below at the 3:22 mark.
The Lions have not addressed this situation publically, but in a recent interview, general manager Bob Quinn said the organization is currently examing their roster, having conversations with potential Lions free agents and “hoping to have a few things done in the next week or so”, which is likely when they will announce the move.
Acknowledging the separation is going to happen, Harrison wrote the following message on Twitter (displayed in picture form, so the entire message is visible) :
Harrison has always shown class in his interactions while in Detroit and his parting message is no different — taking the time to address and thank the Lions fans and individuals that aren’t in the public eye.
“I grew to have a genuine love for the people of Detroit because of their passion for EVERYTHING Detroit,” Harrison said. “You guys embraced me and made me feel as if I was one of your own and I am forever grateful for you guys. I’m going to miss my teammates for sure but the ones I’ll to miss the most are the ones you guys never see.”
It appears Harrison is still considering his options, although NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero is reporting he wants to continue his playing career. Whatever his decision is, we at Lions Wire wish him the best of luck.
Former members of the New York Giants, DT Damon Harrison and CB Prince Amukamara, were among the NFL’s Friday night cuts.
As the NFL gears up for the official start to the new league year and the annual free agency frenzy, teams are beginning to make cuts in an effort to secure more salary cap space and spending money.
As a result of those cap cutting measures, two prominent former members of the New York Giants now find themselves on the open market.
Early on Friday afternoon, the Chicago Bears announced that veteran cornerback Prince Amukamara was among their cuts.
#Bears roster update: We have released DB Prince Amukamara and WR Taylor Gabriel.
A first-round pick of the Giants in the 2011 NFL Draft, Amukamara spent the first five years of his career in East Rutherford before signing with the Jacksonville Jaguars as a free agent in 2016 and then moving onto the Bears.
Amukamara’s time in New York was an interesting one. He started off a little sluggish and was a frequent hazing target, at one point getting thrown into the cold tub courtesy of defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul.
However, Prince eventually commanded respect in the locker room and on the field, having matured into the quality player many expected when he was first drafted. In fact, if the Giants are looking for a leader at the cornerback position, they may consider bringing Amukamara back to New York.
Later on Friday evening, Amukamara was joined on the chopping block by defensive tackle Damon Harrison, who was released by the Detroit Lions.
After going undrafted in 2012, Harrison spent the first four years of his career with the New York Jets before signing with the Giants as a free agent in 2016 — the year of the big defensive spending spree.
That season, Harrison was named a First Team All-Pro and continued to play at a high level in 2017. In 2018, things got off to a rough start as Snacks swung a helmet at the unprotected head of then-rookie offensive lineman Will Hernandez and was later spotted challenging fans to fights on Twitter.
In late October, general manager Dave Gettleman made the right call in pulling the plug, sending Harrison to Detroit in exchange for a fifth-round pick, which the Giants used as part of a package to trade up in Round 1 to select cornerback DeAndre Baker.
At the end of the 2019 season, an emotional Harrison met with reporters and acknowledged his body was beginning to break down. Whether or not he returns in 2020 remains to be seen.
The Los Angeles Chargers could look to acquire defensive tackle Damon Harrison.
Teams have began releasing players to save some salary cap. On Thursday night, the Lions released defensive tackle Damon “Snacks” Harrison.
Now a free agent, Harrison is bound to draw interest from teams across the league. Could one of them be the Los Angeles Chargers?
When you look at the depth chart, you see the young interior defenders in Justin Jones and Jerry Tillery, but both players play the three-technique. At the nose tackle position is only Brandon Mebane, as both Damion Square and Sylvester Williams are set to hit the free agency market.
Mebane, 35, was re-signed to a two-year deal last offseason, despite the fact that he was contemplating retirement. This past season, he only amassed 27 tackles, marking the lowest in his career since the 2016 season. Mebane missed three games due to an injury.
With only one more year remaining on his contract, the Bolts could elect to move on from him to clear up some of their own cap space before he enters his 14th professional campaign.
Should the Chargers move on from Mebane or simply look to add more beef and talent in the trenches, Harrison is a viable option that the team could pursue.
Harrison started 15 games for the Lions in 2019, finishing with 49 tackles, two sacks and three passes defensed. He had 99 tackles, eight tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks in 25 games with Detroit.
Prior to joining the Lions, Harrison played with the Jets and Giants. His best season came in 2016, finishing with 86 tackles, six tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. For his efforts, he earned First-Team All-Pro honors.
Durability is key when acquiring players and fortunately, Harrison has been one of the most healthy individuals for years. 2019 marked the first time he missed a game since his rookie season back in 2012.
Even though he was scheduled to make $8.5 million this upcoming season, it’s likely that Harrison could take a pay cut to join a team that’s likely to contend for a playoff spot, which the Chargers are.
At the age of 31, Harrison offers the player that Los Angeles needs in the middle of the defensive line to make plays as a pass-rusher and against the run, along with the same type of locker room presence that Mebane offered the past few seasons.
The Detroit Lions are reportedly releasing defensive tackle Damon Harrison and while the move will create a significant hole on the current roster, it will also create quite a bit of space in the 2020 salary cap.
The Detroit Lions are reportedly releasing defensive tackle Damon Harrison and while the move will create a significant hole on the current roster, it will also create quite a bit of space in the 2020 salary cap.
After a sensational 2018 season with the Lions, Harrison regressed in 2019 and it appears the Lions felt he would not be able to return to his previous level of play and therefore no longer justified his current salary — after receiving a deserved contract extension just last August.
Harrison’s 2020 contract had him scheduled to receive over $11.7 million this season. After making this move (eventually), the Lions will incur a penalty to the tune of a $5 million salary cap hit, while also freeing up an additional $6.75 million in new salary cap space.
After this move, the Lions salary cap space will increase to just over $53.8 million, bumping them up to the 11th most available salary cap room in the NFL.
This is a critical offseason for the Lions front office and coaching staff, expectations are high and only results matter. The results weren’t there for Harrison in 2019 and the Lions have decided to invest in other options.
This is a deep free agency pool at defensive tackle and the draft class is equally flush with options. Finding which player to invest in for this very important role will likely be one of, if not the, highest priority of the offseason.
Damon Harrison’s flop has to impact the Lions’ thought process on Darius Slay in his desire for a big new contract
Less than a year ago the Detroit Lions had two defensive stars with their hands out looking for more money. Defensive tackle Damon Harrison and cornerback Darius Slay both threatened holdouts and waged social media campaigns to capitalize on their great 2018 seasons. Represented by the same agency, Rosenhaus Sports, the defensive duo looked to strike while the iron was hot.
The Lions chose to pay Harrison instead of Slay. It was a controversial choice, and it proved to be the wrong one.
Harrison’s one-year extension paid him $11 million more above his existing contract from his days with the New York Giants. New York dealt him in part because they had no real interest in paying “Snacks” more. That looked foolish when Harrison almost singlehandedly transformed the Lions defense upon arrival. The 32nd-ranked run defense (yards per carry allowed) became the 3rd-best over the games Harrison played in Detroit in 2018. Just for good measure, he chipped in 3.5 sacks — a career-high and pleasant surprise.
Harrison was a top-50 player in both the NFL.com and Pro Football Focus preseason rankings. He earned PFF’s Run Defender of the Year title. Paying him, even at 31, made perfect sense. The short-term deal rewarding Harrison was almost universally lauded, even by most of the most critical elements of the Detroit media.
Alas, Harrison’s play fell off a proverbial cliff. A difficult offseason where he dealt with off-field issues impeded the big man, and he never got right. Lions Wire colleague Bryce Rossler created a graphic representation of just how dramatically “Snacks” plummeted in performance:
Damon Harrison's 2019 regression in GIF form. Up and right are good. He was one of the best run-stopping DTs from 2016-17 and still made a jump in 2018, a season in which he played 17 regular season games. This helps you see both why the Lions extended him and why they cut him. pic.twitter.com/Q82Jh2ve65
Nobody expected such a regression. But it happened, and it’s a cautionary warning for the Lions concerning Slay.
It’s not a straight line from Harrison to Slay’s current situation. It’s hard to ignore the parallels, however.
Slay is entering the final year of his deal. He’s 29 and coming off his worst season since his rookie campaign in 2013. The Pro Bowl cornerback has battled some injuries, too. Is he already showing the signs of a Harrison-like decline?
There’s no way of knowing that, of course. But the Lions have to be cognizant of the potential warning signs. Harrison’s flop has to factor into the decision whether to give Slay his much-desired contract extension. He wants to be the highest-paid CB in the NFL, after all.
Detroit Lions Breakdown podcast, episode 142: “2020 Combine preview”, is now available to download and listen.
This week on the Detroit Lions Breakdown Podcast, the guys preview the 2020 NFL Combine, breaking down the prospects at each position and projecting which ones could be potential Lions.
The DLB podcast is a weekly conversation with Lions Wire’s own Erik Schlitt and his co-host Joe Kania.
Every day leading up to the NFL Combine, Lions Wire will continue to preview each of the remaining position groups, including the offensive line, interior defensive line, linebacker, cornerbacks, and safeties groups
Listeners also sent in questions about specific players, that were also profiled in this episode
During the taping of the episode, the Lions released Damon Harrison and the guys discuss the fallout as it was happening
Be sure to follow the Detroit Lions Breakdown Podcast (@LionsBreakdown) and it’s hosts Schlitt (@Erikschlitt) and Kania (@JoeKania_DLB) on Twitter, with a Facebook page on the way.
The podcast is available to listen at the DetroitLionsBreakdown.com website and is also available to download and subscribe to on multiple podcast platforms, including Itunes, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, among others.
Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Lions are releasing nose tackle Damon Harrison.
After an injury-prone 2019 season that saw his play take a drastic decline, and culminating in an emotional post-game interview where Harrison admitted he was contemplating retirement, the Lions are making a proactive decision to move on.
Harrison was acquired by the Lions in a trade with the New York Giants halfway through the 2018 season and he immediately paid dividends on the Lions defensive line.
Expected to be the anchor on the defensive line, Harrison plays one of the most critical roles in the Lions 2-gapping/multiple scheme. When he struggled last season, the players around him struggled as well.
With Harrison now gone, the Lions are left with third-year undrafted John Atkins as the most experienced nose tackle on the active roster, with undrafted Olive Sagapolu as the only reserve after signing a futures deal in January.
The Lions will incur a $5 million cap hit by releasing Harrison, but they will also free up an additional $6.75 million in cap space to find his replacement.
Replacing Harrison this offseason will be one of the important decisions general manager Bob Quinn will make and he will have options to choose from. Nose tackle — and potential 2020 free agent — D.J. Reader has experience in an identical role with the Texans and would be a tremendous option in free agency. There will also be an increased uptick in mock drafts that pair the Lions with Auburn’s Derrick Brown, one of the top defensive linemen in the draft.
At this time, it is not clear if Harrison wishes to continue his NFL career or retire from professional football.
The Jets Wire names the Jets 2010’s all-decade team with New York’s franchise-worst 10-year stretch ending with a 7-9 finish.
The Jets’ decade started with an AFC Championship appearance, but since then they’ve endured one of the worst stretches in franchise history.
New York has only had one season since in which it was over .500 and failed to return to the playoffs. The Jets have now gone nine consecutive seasons without a playoff berth and a record four straight losing seasons after faring 10-6 in 2015.
To finish off the decade, the Jets went 6-2 after a 1-7 finish, but they still have yet to play meaningful football beyond the first week of January. It seems Gang Green has its quarterback of the future, but does it have enough to start off the next decade with a playoff trip?
Decisions for the future are coming. For now, let’s take a look at the Jets’ 2010s all-decade team:
Offense
East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets wide receiver Eric Decker (87) and New York Jets wide receiver Brandon Marshall (15) celebrate Marshall’s touchdown during the second half at MetLife Stadium. The Jets defeated the Patriots 26-20 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports
QB Mark Sanchez: Sanchez was consistently average during his time in New York, but that’s enough to be the team’s best quarterback of the decade. He was the only one to lead Gang Green to the playoffs in this decade. During his time as New York’s signal-caller, Sanchez went 33-29, a much more impressive record than what Geno Smith, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Josh McCown. The hope is that Sam Darnold will do more to earn the nod 10 years from now.
RB Chris Ivory: Acquired via trade in one of John Idzik’s first moves as New York’s general manager, Ivory had a rather productive three-year tenure in green and white. He ran for over 800 yards in all three seasons, including going over 1,000 yards in 2015.
WR Brandon Marshall: Marshall spent just two seasons with New York, but his 2015 was enough to garner a mention on this list. Marshall set the team record for catches and yards and tied Don Maynard for touchdowns. In 2015, Marshall had 109 catches for 1,502 yards and 14 touchdowns.
WR Eric Decker: Paired with Marshall, the Jets had one of the most dynamic passing attacks in the league. He could never establish himself as a No. 1 target, but Decker put up those numbers opposite of Marshall. In 2015, Decker had 80 receptions for 1,027 yards and 12 touchdowns.
WR Santonio Holmes: While Holmes’ Jets career ended on a sour note, he is still largely responsible for helping New York reach its second AFC Championship Game in as many seasons. While his statistics don’t tell the whole story because of his four-game suspension to the begin the season, Holmes was as clutch as can be when it counted.
TE Dustin Keller: One of the more productive tight ends in the history of the franchise, the Jets have been unable to replicate Keller’s success since he departed New York. He finished his six-year tenure with the Jets catching 241 passes for 2,876 yards and 17 scores.
OT D’Brickashaw Ferguson: Ferguson was a staple on the Jets offensive line. He was the glue that kept the left side together and New York never had to worry about it quarterback’s blindside when he was on the field.
OG James Carpenter: Carpenter was the best the Jets had to offer at left guard during the decade. He was a reliable fixture brought in by Idzik and started every single game for New York from 2015-17.
C Nick Mangold: An All-Pro in 2010, Mangold would appear in five of his seven Pro Bowl appearances during the 2010s. The Jets are still itching to find a competent center as his replacement.
OG Brandon Moore: Moore is more famous for Mark Sanchez running into his behind, but he is the best the Jets had at right guard from 2010 on.
RT Damien Woody: While Woody has now spent more time as an ESPN personality than with Gang Green this decade, he provided the most stability at a position that has been a thorn in the Jets’ side.
Honorable Mentions: QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, RB Bilal Powell, RB Shonn Greene, WR Robby Anderson, OG Brian Winters, OT Kelvin Beachum.
The Detroit Lions have released their Week 13 injury designations and declared quarterback Matthew Stafford, while center Frank Ragnow has been cleared from the league’s concussion protocol.
The Detroit Lions (3-7-1) have announced their injury designations ahead of their Week 13 matchup with the Chicago Bears (5-6) on Thanksgiving day at Ford Field.
The Lions have 13 players listed on the injury report, with four being ruled out, another six listed as questionable and three not being listed with a designation.
Ruled out
QB Matthew Stafford (back, hip)
WR Marvin Hall (foot)
CB Rashaan Melvin (ribs)
RET. Jamal Agnew (ankle)
Stafford is working hard to return to the field but is still not medically cleared. Maybe the extra rest ahead of the next game will give him the time he needs to heal up, or maybe the team will look ahead to the future and shut him down for the season. Only time will tell.
Hall was in a walking boot after the last game and unsurprisingly won’t play in this game. The Lions only have three healthy wide receivers active right now, so a roster move may be made before tomorrow’s game.
Melvin was a game-time decision last Sunday, but his rib injury is apparently more significant than what was originally thought. Amani Oruwariye will most likely get the start as the third Lions corner in his place.
Agnew is still not ready to play, meaning the Lions will turn to Ty Johnson on kick returned and most likely Danny Amendola on punt returns — as Hall, the second in line on punt returns, is also out.
Questionable
QB Jeff Driskel (hamstring)
TE T.J. Hockenson (shoulder)
EDGE Trey Flowers (concussion)
DT Damon Harrison (groin)
DL Da’Shawn Hand (ankle)
S Tracy Walker (knee)
Driskel was limited in all three practices this week, nursing a hamstring injury, but expectations are he will give it a go on Thursday and start the game. If Driskel can’t play or aggravates his injury the Lions would turn to undrafted rookie David Blough.
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Hockenson was limited to start the week but was upgraded to full on Wednesday and is expected to be fine to play.
Flowers saw limited work on Tuesday and a full practice on Wednesday suggesting he only needs medical clearance from an independent doctor to pass the league’s concussion protocol. If he does, he will start.
Harrison is going through his standard limited week and expectations are he will be good to start. It’s possible he will see fewer snaps, but he should play.
Hand and Walker saw limited practices all week after not being able to practice the week prior. Both will likely be game-time decisions. If either play, it will be a big boost to the Lions defense.
Not listed with an injury designations
C Frank Ragnow (concussion)
OG Kenny Wiggins (knee)
P Sam Martin (abdomen)
Ragnow is not listed with an injury designation, meaning he is expected to start on Thursday. It has not yet been confirmed if he has passed the medical stage of the concussion protocol, but if he hasn’t, him being listed in this section suggests the team expects him to.
Wiggins’ knee doesn’t appear to be an issue as he was listed as having full practices all week.
Martin was upgraded to a full practice on Wednesday and does not carry an injury designation into the game. He’s good to go.
