Tag: Evan Brown

Do the Lions have any franchise tag candidates in 2023?

NFL teams can begin using the franchise and transition tags on free agent on February 21st, but do the Detroit Lions have any candidates?

Tuesday is a significant day on the NFL calendar. No, it’s not because of Mardi Gras, either.

February 21st is the first opportunity for teams to use the franchise tag or transition tag on pending free agent players. For some teams, that’s a very important item of business.

For the Detroit Lions, not so much…

Detroit has no legitimate candidates to tag with either the franchise or transition designation. It would be nice to keep wide receiver DJ Chark, but even the transition tag value for a WR, $17.9 million, is wildly above Chark’s expected open market value. The same is true for the other top Lions free agents, a group that includes RB Jamaal Williams, LB Alex Anzalone and OL Evan Brown.

Brown, the Lions’ starting right guard in 2022, has perhaps the best case. The franchise tag value for offensive linemen is $18.2 million, while the transition tag is a little lower at $16.7 million. The NFL doesn’t differentiate between tackles, guards or centers in the tag values.

Using the transition tag would commit the Lions to paying Brown $16.7 million for a one-year, fully-guaranteed contract, counting that full amount against the 2023 salary cap. But it would not prevent Brown from negotiations with other teams, and if he chose to sign with another team, the Lions would not get any compensation.

The Lions technically have until March 7th to make final decisions on using the tags. Do not expect GM Brad Holmes to have any use for either the franchise or transition tags in 2023.

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Stay or go: Predicting the fate of the Lions free agents in 2023

Here’s an early prediction for the fates of all the Detroit Lions unrestricted free agents

The onset of NFL free agency is a little over a month away. The Detroit Lions have 18 pending unrestricted free agents as the team enters the new league year.

Who will stay in Detroit? Which ones will be playing elsewhere in 2023?

Here’s an early prediction for the fates of all 18 Lions’ unrestricted free agents.

Lions inactive players vs. Vikings: Evan Brown and Will Harris both out

Lions inactive players vs. Vikings: Evan Brown and Will Harris both out

Ford Field will be rocking for Sunday’s visit from the Minnesota Vikings. The Detroit Lions are in pretty good shape health-wise, but there are still some players who are inactive for Week 14 due to injuries.

Two players were ruled out on Friday with injuries: Guard Kayode Awosika and linebacker Derrick Barnes. Cornerback Chase Lucas was also ruled out at that time, but he has since been placed on injured reserve with his injured ankle. Evan Brown, the nominal starting right guard, is also sitting out after being listed as doubtful. Cornerback Will Harris was questionable with an injury and he too is out.

The other inactives are healthy scratches:

  • DL Michael Brockers
  • DE Austin Bryant
  • WR Tom Kennedy

 

Lions final injury report for Week 14: 3 players ruled out

The Detroit Lions released their final injury report for their Week 14 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings and will be without 3 players.

Ahead of the Detroit Lions matchup against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 14, the Lions have released their final injury report with three players ruled out.

Guard Kayode Awosika, LB Derrick Barnes, and CB Chase Lucas have been ruled out, and guard Evan Brown is listed as doubtful. With Awosika out and Brown likely not suiting up, the Lions are likely to lean on Dan Skipper, who has filled that spot in the past.

Barnes has been stepping up as out and switching time with Malcolm Rodriguez, who was also mending an injury. As Barnes cannot go this week, Chris Board may see some extended time, along with Anthony Pittman.

Lucas showed up late injury report, which put his status on alert, and his designation confirmed that suspicion. He has been a key special teamer but hasn’t seen much time on defense. The Lions may bring in AJ Parker for nickel corner depth.

QB Nate Sudfield, WR Kalif Raymond, and CB Jeff Okudah were all labeled as questionable with an illness. Okudah and Raymond each had limited practice giving their status a much-needed boost against the Vikings. Sudfield did not practice, so possible see a call-up for new addition Joshua Dobbs from the practice squad.

Harris’ status is more concerning because he went from not listed to limited practice to no practice throughout the week. We will have to wait and see, but it does not bode well for his chances of suiting up this week. Mike Hughes may be the one who gets pushed inside in his stead.

LT Taylor Decker, S DeShon Elliott, C Frank Ragnow, RB D’Andre Swift, and RB Jamaal Williams all hit the injury list in the week, but all practiced in full on Friday and should see all of them on Sunday.

Lions injury report: Fighting the sick bug entering Week 14

The Lions have had three players miss both days of practice for Week 14 with an illness, while three others also sat out Thursday’s session

After a very light injury report for Week 13, the Detroit Lions practice participation report for Thursday entering Week 14 might make fans a little sick.

Six Lions players sat out Thursday’s practice session. Three of them — CB Jeff Okudah, WR Kalif Raymond and QB Nate Sudfeld — sat out the second day in a row with an undisclosed illness.

The three other players who sat out:

  • OG Kayode Awosika (ankle)
  • LB Derrick Barnes (knee)
  • CB Chase Lucas (hamstring)

Lucas is a new addition; the rookie CB was a full participant on Wednesday. Both Barnes and Awosika sat out the prior day as well.

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Two starting offensive linemen upgraded from being out to limited status. Left tackle Taylor Decker (elbow) and center Frank Ragnow (foot) got more work in. Safety DeShon Elliott one-upped them, going from out on Wednesday to a full participant on Thursday with an ankle issue. Running backs D’Andre Swift (ankle) and Jamaal Williams (hand) were full participants.

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Lions inactives vs Jaguars in Week 13: The return of the healthy scratch

Detroit Lions inactive players vs the Jaguars in Week 13: The return of the healthy scratch

It’s been a long and arduous season on the injury front for the Detroit Lions in 2022. The injury bug has bitten Detroit with undue virulence.

But in Week 13, the Lions are finally getting healthy. Heck, they even added two new players off reserve lists, WR Jameson Williams and DE Romeo Okwara, though only Williams will play on Sunday. Only two players were ruled out due to injury, and one of those–DE Julian Okwara–was placed on IR on Saturday.

That means head coach Dan Campbell is forced into the uncommon situation of having to declare healthy scratches for Sunday’s game.

Only RG Evan Brown will sit against Jacksonville due to injury. The rest of the inactives are all healthy scratches:

  • RG Evan Brown
  • DE Michael Brockers
  • CB Amani Oruwariye
  • OL Logan Stenberg
  • DE Romeo Okwara
  • WR Tom Kennedy

The Lions did promote practice squad center Ross Pierschbacher as the backup center for Frank Ragnow.

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Lions final injury report for Week 13: Just 2 players ruled out

Lions final injury report for Week 13: Just 2 players ruled out for the matchup with the Jaguars

The Detroit Lions released their final game status report for injured players for the Week 13 matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Surprisingly, it’s the shortest injury report since Week 1.

Only two players carry any injury designation at all into the game. Starting right guard Evan Brown and reserve defensive end Julian Okwara are both out for Sunday’s game. Brown also missed Week 12 with his ankle injury, while Okwara injured his elbow in the Thanksgiving loss to the Bills.

That’s the list.

A few other Lions did miss some practice time during the week, but none are listed as doubtful or questionable for the game. That grouping includes several starters: C Frank Ragnow, RT Penei Sewell, DE Josh Paschal, CB Jeff Okudah and LG Jonah Jackson.

Jackson and Okudah were cleared from the NFL’s concussion protocol on Friday. Both missed last week’s game.

Lions injury update to start Week 13: Who sat out Wednesday’s practice, who was limited and more

Lions injury update to start Week 13: Who sat out Wednesday’s practice, who was limited and more

Practice was back on schedule in Allen Park as the Detroit Lions reconvened after a long weekend following the Thanksgiving Day loss to the Buffalo Bills.

While some players returned from injuries from Week 12, a few still sat out the Wednesday session. The first practice injury report of the week featured four players sitting out with injuries. Five others were limited participants.

Here’s how they break down in the first injury report of Week 13.

Lions first injury update for Week 12 has 6 players sitting out

6 players sat out of Monday’s walkthrough with injuries, including two starting offensive linemen

It’s a short week before Thursday’s Thanksgiving matinee for the Detroit Lions. With the Buffalo Bills coming to town in just three days, the Lions are only holding walkthroughs instead of full practices this week.

Even with the reduced impact session, there were still six Lions who sat out Monday’s practice session with injuries.

  • RG Evan Brown (ankle)
  • DE Charles Harris (groin)
  • CB Jeff Okudah (concussion)
  • DE Josh Paschal (knee)
  • C Frank Ragnow (foot)
  • WR Josh Reynolds (back)

Okudah will not be able to advance through the concussion protocol in time to play on Thursday.

Brown left the win over the Giants with the ankle injury. He was replaced by Dan Skipper, who figures to be next in line if Brown can’t play against Buffalo. Ragnow has been battling through his foot and toe injury all season.

Wide receiver DJ Chark was listed as questionable with his knee injury. Chark played 11 snaps in his first game since Week 3.

Two other players, RB D’Andre Swift and LB Malcolm Rodriguez, were noted for their injuries but designated full participants.

Rookie wide receiver Jameson Williams did participate in his first practice with the team, a definite positive. Williams has yet to be activated from the non-football injury list so he is not listed on the report.

Update--make it seven Lions who sat out. Left guard Jonah Jackson was added to the non-participant list with an undisclosed illness.

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Lions vs Vikings: Best and Worst PFF grades from Week 3

Here are the Detroit Lions best and worst PFF performers for this Week 3 game against the Minnesota Vikings.

It is never easy losing against your division opponent, but what happened for the Detroit Lions at the end makes it hurt that much more, losing their second game against the Minnesota Vikings, 28-24.

The Lions looked to be in control, but after some heavily questionable playcalling, ill-timed injuries, and miscommunication, they felt that win slip through their fingers. It has been documented enough that Coach Dan Campbell wishes he would’ve made a different call at the end, so we don’t need to beat a dead horse while it’s down. The Lions will look to redeem themselves next week against the Seattle Seahawks in hopes they can rebound from this devastation.

Most of this week’s PFF grades fall right in line with the eye test, good and bad. So we will go ahead and highlight the best and the worst PFF performers for the Lions for Week 3 against the Vikings.