Tag: Geronimo Allison

Lions Chris Lacy welcomes competition after the Geronimo Allison signing

Detroit Lions wide receiver Chris lacy welcomes competition with the signing of wide receiver Geronimo Allison signing

The Detroit Lions hold a solid top-half receiving corps with Kenny Golladay, Marvin Jones, and Danny Amendola, but there are questions surrounding the depth and the future of the position with no receiver signed beyond the 2020 season.

Recently, the Lions added some depth to their receiving corps, agreeing to terms with former Green Bay Packer Geronimo Allison.

Allison opened last season with a bang, leading the Packers in catches, yards, and touchdowns over the first four weeks of the season. He then suffered a groin injury and it appeared to hinder his play for the remainder of the season. On the season, he logged 689 snaps with the Packers lining up in the slot 73-percent of the time.

For Allison to make the Lions roster, it will likely be as the fourth or fifth option at wide receiver but he will need to beat out several players who are familiar with the Lions’ system.

One of those returning players is welcoming the competition:

Lacy was on and off the Lions’ active roster last year, and after Marvin Jones was placed on injured reserve, Lacy was brought in to fill the vacant spot. Lacy went on to start two games, logging 128 snaps on offense but spending most of his time on special teams — which the Lions covet from their bottom of the roster personnel.

The Lions will almost assuredly take advantage of a deep draft class at wide receiver, and with eleven receivers currently on the roster, competition is going to be stiff.

Considering how little the Lions are spending — less than $2 million on Lacy and Allison combined — the financial commitment is next to nothing, but the gains could be significant if either one of them breaks out.

It will be an uphill battle for Lacy and/or Allison to make the roster, but hopefully, the competition will bring out their best. May the best man win.

Geronimo Allison: What the Lions are getting in their new WR

Geronimo Allison: Scouting report on what the Lions are getting in their new WR signed from the Green Bay Packers on Sunday

The newest Detroit Lions wide receiver is a familiar one for fans who have paid attention to the NFC North rival Green Bay Packers lately. Geronimo Allison defected from the Packers to join the Lions den.

The team confirmed the signing on Sunday morning. While the Lions did not disclose terms of the deal, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports it’s a one-year deal for $910,000, the veteran minimum for a player of Allison’s NFL experience.

What are the Lions getting in Allison?

He’s had an interesting career arc. Allison was initially a feel-good success story, making the Packers as an undrafted rookie out of Illinois and earning early playing time. The 26-year-old brings size (he’s every bit of 6-3/202) and some ability to separate down the field.

After catching 35 passes in his first two seasons, including the finale in his rookie season where he torched the Lions for four receptions, 91 yards and a TD, expectations raised in Green Bay.

His third season got off to a flying start, posting 19 receptions, 289 yards, 2 TDs — all of which led the team — in the first four weeks. He then suffered a nasty injury, tearing a muscle in his groin. While he recovered well enough to play in all 16 games in 2019, he did not have the quick burst that helped him be so effective earlier.

Allison caught a career-high 34 passes, but his yards-per-catch plummeted from over 15 in his first three seasons to just 8.4. A devastating hit from Tracy Walker, who was controversially penalized on the play, knocked him out (literally) from the Packers officiating-aided win over the Lions in October.

The Allison from 2019 will struggle to make the Lions. The hope is another year of recovery from the groin injury and surgery allows him to get back his field-stretching legs. That’s a role the Lions desperately need filled.

I watched Allison flash those jets firsthand during the 2016 Shrine Game week. There wasn’t a cornerback in St. Pete that could stay with him, and he confidently released off jams with unexpected strength in his shoulders. I saw some of that Allison during his Packers days, particularly pre-injury in 2018.

He’s not the most sure-handed receiver. Pro Football Focus had him for five drops against his 34 receptions in 2019. Judging from social media reactions, Packers fans will tell you it was worse than that.

For the veteran minimum, Allison is a smart signing for Detroit. If the speed returns to his game, I have little doubt that Allison becomes the No. 3 outside WR in 2020. But the Lions cannot depend on that, hence the small contractual obligation. He’s a calculated gamble for a rebound season in a role the team desperately needs.

Lions signing former Packers WR Geronimo Allison to 1-year deal

The Lions are signing Geronimo Allison to a one-year deal, ending his four-year run with the Packers.

Geronimo Allison is staying in the NFC North.

According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the Detroit Lions agreed to sign Allison to a one-year deal worth $910,000. The deal includes a signing bonus of just $137,500.

Allison, an undrafted free agent signed by the Packers in 2016, caught 34 passes for just 287 yards and two touchdowns over 16 games in 2019.

Over his four-year career with the Packers, Allison hauled in 89 passes, gained 1,045 receiving yards and caught six touchdown passes.

A season-ending core injury halted what looked like the start of a breakout 2018 season for Allison. Last year, the Packers attempted to make him a slot receiver, but the experiment was mostly a failure. He averaged 5.2 yards per target, 8.4 yards per catch and struggled with drops and fumbles.

The Packers signed Devin Funchess to a one-year deal, essentially ending Allison’s run in Green Bay.

Allison joins Jimmy Graham in staying within the NFC North. The former Packers tight end signed with the Chicago Bears.

Allison caught six passes on 11 targets for 57 yards and no touchdowns over two games against the Lions last season. He averaged 5.2 yards per target.

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Lions agree to terms with WR Geronimo Allison on a 1-year deal

The Detroit Lions announced they have agreed to terms with former Green Bay Packers wide receiver Geronimo Allison on a 1-year deal.

The Detroit Lions announced they have agreed to terms with former Green Bay Packers wide receiver Geronimo Allison.

The Lions did not announce the terms of the deal, but NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport is reporting that it’s a veteran minimum one-year deal for $910,000 including a $137,500 guaranteed signing bonus.

“Allison spent the last four seasons (2016-19) with the Green Bay Packers after signing with the team as an undrafted rookie free agent out of Illinois in 2016,” the Lions said in a press release. “He has appeared in 46 career games (14 starts) and has logged 89 receptions for 1,045 yards (11.7 avg.) and six touchdowns.”

At 6-3, 202 pounds, Allison operated mainly as a big slot with the Packers in 2019, but he does have the ability to play outside as well. He doesn’t provide much help on special teams, so he will likely have to win a job outright on offense in order to make this roster. Allison gives the Lions a different body type on the interior and has a chance to earn a job as the Lions fourth or fifth wide receiver on the current roster.

2020 NFL Free Agency: Geronimo Allison may be top target from Packers

The New Orleans Saints will consider every way to improve, including Green Bay Packers free agents like Geronimo Allison and Blake Martinez.

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Our free team-by-team free agency series continues at the Saints Wire with the Green Bay Packers. With 21 free agents available, there a few options that could fit the New Orleans Saints. There is one player that really stands out from the rest as a solid option heading into the 2020 season. Here are the 21 free agents from Green Bay:

  • RT Bryan Bulaga
  • CB Tramon Williams
  • K Mason Crosby
  • RT Jared Veldheer
  • WR Geronimo Allison
  • TE Mercedes Lewis
  • T Jason Spring
  • WR Ryan Grant
  • OLB Kyler Fackrell
  • ILB B.J. Goodson
  • SS Ibraheim Campbell
  • RB Tyler Ervin
  • ILB Blake Martinez
  • FB Malcolm Johnson (RFA)
  • TE Robert Tonyan Jr. (ERFA)
  • WR Jake Kumerow (ERFA)
  • CB Chandon Sullivan (ERFA)
  • DE Tyler Lancaster (ERFA)
  • FS Will Redmond (ERFA)
  • WR Allen Lazard (ERFA)
  • G John Leglue (ERFA)

Geronimo Allison could be a great fit for the Saints, at the right price. Allison has not lived up to expectations during his time with the Packers and they seem all but certain to move on from him. Allison has been graded by Pro Football Focus the last few seasons as a slightly above average receiver. When Allison has been targeted, he has been lock-down, which is an important part of the Saints scheme. Furthermore, Allison provides a large target, and a change of scenery and offensive scheme could unlock his potential.

Blake Martinez is another option that could fit well into New Orleans, at linebacker. Martinez recorded more solo tackles than anyone else at his position in 2019. However, his play in coverage drastically reduced from 2018 to 2019, which may indicate future decline in production at the position. Or it could have been a fluke. These are the questions teams are going to ask themselves when debating whether or not to pursue a long-term, high-dollar deal with Martinez.

Tramon Williams is a possibility, but his age and salary could turn off teams like the Saints. Instead, if New Orleans wishes to address the secondary, it seems increasingly likely they will do it through the draft or the trade market.

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Making the case for and against the Packers re-signing WR Geronimo Allison

Breaking down the case for and against the Packers re-signing free agent WR Geronimo Allison.

A starting receiver who played almost 700 total snaps for the Green Bay Packers in 2019 will be an unrestricted free agent in March.

Geronimo Allison, who opened the season as the No. 3 receiver and preferred option in the slot, has an expiring contract.

Here’s the case for and against re-signing Allison:

Case for 

He knows the offense, has the trust of Aaron Rodgers and is a willing and capable blocker. He’s also only 26 years old and will likely be cheap to retain if the Packers are interested. Allison showed some playmaking ability over a four-game stretch to start the 2018 season but a significant core injury ended his year after only five games. In 2019, Allison caught two touchdown passes in the first four weeks but was mostly a non-factor the rest of the way. He’s been an effective third-down receiver at times, with 23 career catches creating 20 first downs. Overall, Rodgers has completed 63.6 percent of his career passes to Allison, creating 1,000 yards, six touchdowns, one interception, a 7.8 yard per attempt average and a passer rating of 99.6. Of his 92 career catches, 11 have created gains of 20 or more yards. He finished 2019 as one of the highest-graded run-blocking receivers at Pro Football Focus, a credit to all the tough, thankless work he often did in the run game.

Case against

Allison has a strong case for being one of the two or three least efficient wide receivers in the NFL in 2019. Among receivers with at least 50 targets last season, Allison, Nelson Agholor and Jarius Wright were the only players to average fewer than 5.5 yards per target. He also joined Albert Wilson and Mohamed Sanu as the only receivers with 50 or more targets to average fewer than 9.0 yards per reception. He somehow got worse in the postseason, averaging 4.8 yards per target and 6.3 yards per catch over two playoff games. By DVOA, Allison ranked 80th out of 81 qualifying receivers. Of the 122 receivers to qualify for PFF’s positional rankings, Allison ranked 111th in overall grade, despite one of the best run-blocking grades. He dropped seven passes, fumbled twice and forced only a single missed tackle while averaging a measly 3.2 yards after the catch. Allison isn’t fast, explosive, elusive or even all that reliable. The fact he had to play almost 700 snaps was a big reason why the Packers couldn’t get going in the passing game. He was a non-factor playing the slot, which made throwing the ball to the middle of the field a big chore. The quick game to him was a waste of time because he doesn’t threaten vertically, create instant separation or make people miss after the catch. GM Brian Gutekunst paid him $2.9 million in 2019 but it’d be hard to argue he’s worth a penny more than the league minimum in 2020. The Packers must upgrade.

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4 free agents Colts should watch in AFC, NFC Championship games

There are some free agents to watch in the championship games.

The AFC and NFC Championship games kick Sunday afternoon between the Tennessee Titans and Kansas City Chiefs and the Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers.

The Colts are still two months away from NFL free agency being an actual thing, but there are still players they can keep an eye on during the playoffs that might intrigue them when March rolls around.

Here are four pending free agents the Colts should watch on Sunday:

Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

49ers DE Arik Armstead

After a career of being labeled mostly as a bust, Armstead had a career campaign in 2019. It came at the perfect time as the former first-round pick is set to hit free agency following the expiration of his rookie contract.

Through his first four seasons in the NFL, Armstead recorded 9.0 sacks combined. Things weren’t looking good for the Oregon product until he exploded for 10.0 sacks in 2019, which could intrigue teams more when he hits the market.

Armstead (6’7, 292) could play both on the edge and the interior for the Colts. They certainly need some help in the latter area.

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6 pending free agents Bears should keep eye on in Sunday’s divisional playoffs

With all eyes turned to the divisional playoffs, here are 6 pending free agents the Bears should keep an eye on Sunday.

The Chicago Bears haven’t played in the NFL divisional playoffs since 2011, which hurts more than usual given the lofty expectations surrounding the team before the season.

Free agency is just about two months away, and the Bears have plenty of decisions to make both in-house and on the open market. With multiple areas of need, free agency and the NFL Draft will be important for general manager Ryan Pace.

With all eyes turned to the divisional playoffs, here are 6 pending free agents the Bears should keep an eye on Sunday:

CB Bashaud Breeland

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Kansas City Chiefs

Cornerback is certainly a position of need for the Bears this offseason, which they’ll look to address either in free agency or the NFL Draft. Given the Bears can save $8 million in salary cap space if they cut veteran cornerback Prince Amukamara, he’s likely to be a cap casualty.

One option the Bears could turn to in free agency is Chiefs cornerback Bashaud Breeland, who had 48 total tackles, two interceptions and eight pass breakups in 2019. If Breeland, a talented player at an important position, hits the open market, the Bears would surely be interested — for the right price.

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