Tag: roster impact

How adding Tony McRae impacts the Lions special teams roster

With a busy first two weeks of free agency for the Detroit Lions, the addition of cornerback/gunner Tony McRae may have flown under the radar, but his presence could shake up the back end of the 2020 roster.

With a busy first two weeks of free agency, the addition of Tony McRae may have flown a bit under the radar but his presence could shake up the back end of the Detroit Lions 2020 roster more than originally thought.

McRae will be listed as a nickelback on the roster but his true value comes on special teams. Over the last three seasons in Cincinnati, McRae learned the nuances of how to be a gunner under new Lions’ special teams coordinator Brayden Coombs, a role he is surely expected to take on this season.

The competition

To get a better idea of how McRae will fit on the Lions special teams unit, let’s take a look at who held down the gunner roles last season.

In 2019, the Lions used a rotation of Dee Virgin (cornerback), C.J. Moore (safety) and Mike Ford (cornerback) to fill the two gunner spots — all three are under contract with the Lions in 2020.

The Lions punted 77 times last year and used Virgin as a gunner on 91-percent of those snaps, Moore saw 90-percent, while Ford cleaned up the remaining 19-percent. Meanwhile, in Cincinnati, McRae saw 73-percent of the Bengals gunner snaps, missing some time due to injury.

All four players have plenty of experience starting at the gunner position, but there isn’t likely room on the final 53-man roster for all of them, which will for quite a battle in training camp.

Examining value

McRae’s nearly three year’s worth of experience with Coombs will surely give him an early advantage, and his ability to contribute on defense (197 snaps in 2019) will also help, but he will still have to earn a starting gunner role.

Virgin, who saw the most gunner snaps of this group in 2019, is the most talented of the returning Lions, but, his biggest downfall will be his lack of defensive contributions.

Moore seized the opportunity to earn a starting gunner role after going undrafted last season and when injuries occurred at safety he played on 77 defensive snaps. With offseason additions of safeties Duron Harmon and Jayron Kearse, his role on defense could be minimized in 2020.

Ford has the most experience on defense, playing on 482 defensive snaps over the last two years, even getting a start and stepping up against Kansas City in Week 4 last season. But he has often only been used in a supplemental role at gunner, rather than a weekly contributor.

Projecting the fallout

The Lions will likely be looking for two primary gunners, with a third option on the roster in case of injury or decline in performance.

There is still a lot to prove and we are far from seeing the Lions declare a winner, but based on their performances from last season, the early front runners are likely McRae and Virgin, with Ford penciled in as the insurance option.

Now, this doesn’t mean Moore is out of a job — he is still holding down the fifth safety position, could be the insurance option, or win the job outright — but it also means his position may not be as safe as it was before the addition of McRae.

If Moore is in trouble, it could mean the Lions will be exploring safeties on Day 3 of the draft, hoping to add more depth/competition on both defense and special teams.

How adding safeties Duron Harmon and Jayron Kearse impacts the Lions roster

Examining how adding safeties Duron Harmon and Jayron Kearse impact the Detroit Lions 2020 roster. Are they done making moves at safety?

During the opening week of the 2020 free agency period, the Detroit Lions made several key moves and arguably the most significant additions came at the safety position.

After trading with the New England Patriots for Duran Harmon and acquiring Jaylon Kearse in free agency, the Lions now have five safeties on the active roster who played almost 400 total snaps on defense/special teams in 2019.

Here’s a look at the snaps breakdown from last season:

Player Defense Special teams
Tracy Walker 843 14
Duron Harmon (NE) 702 20
Will Harris 667 259
Jayron Kearse (MIN) 271 231
C.J. Moore 77 315

The Harmon impact

Harmon said in a recent interview with Detroit media that he is hoping to earn a starting role and see “90 to 95-percent of snaps”, but he recognized the talent on the roster and wasn’t going to take anything for granted.

“I know they already have two talented young players (Walker and Harris) 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.”

While Harmon is exercising caution publicly, his ability to play single-high safety at a high level is a missing element on this roster. Add-in his multiple years of scheme familiarity and he has the potential to be an instant impact player for the Lions.

In addition to playing single-high, Harmon is comfortable in the slot and is a perfect complement player to Walker and Harris as their skill sets are more impactful in the slot and in the box.

The Kearse impact

A four-year contributor for the Vikings on special teams,  Kearse expanded his duties over the past two seasons securing a third safety position. With the Lions, Kearse’s role is expected to be similar to that of Harris, as a slot/box safety who can heavily contribute on special teams.

At a minimum, Kearse should become a special teams starter in all four-phases, and because of his ability to cover the slot, he could challenge Harris for time in the third-safety role.

Will the Lions add more safeties?

The Lions deploy three-safety sets roughly 50-percent of the time and the early expectations are that Walker, Harmon, and Harris will be the starting trio. Kearse adds depth in the slot/box, while Moore gives the Lions depth at single-high, and both are likely starters on special teams.

Despite having between $12 and $15 million in workable cap space and nine draft picks, the additions of Harmon and Kearse eliminate the need to add more players at the safety position at this time.

How adding NT Danny Shelton impacts the Lions roster

Examining how agreeing to terms with nose tackle Danny Shelton impacts the Detroit Lions roster.

The 2020 official free agency period is ready to begin but the Detroit Lions have already agreed to terms with several players, including defensive tackle Danny Shelton.

Shelton, a former 12th overall pick in 2015 by the Cleveland Browns, played in New England the last two seasons where he was their starting nose tackle. He is expected to take on the same role in Detroit, replacing Damon Harrison.

With two years and 32 games worth of experience in a near-exact version of the Lions scheme, Shelton (6-2, 345) should be able to step right into the starting nose tackle role without missing a beat.

John Atkins has been the Lions top reserve at nose tackle the last two seasons and is expected to maintain that role in 2020. Olive Sagapolu is an upside nose tackle who signed a futures deal with the Lions in January but isn’t expected to do more than compete for a reserve role at this time.

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Lining up at the defensive tackle spot next to Shelton will be a rotation of Da’Shawn Hand, newly acquired Nick Williams, Kevin Strong, and potentially Frank Herron. Hand, Williams, and Strong are all signed through 2021, while Herron is in a contract year.

Will the Lions add more defensive tackles?

It’s fair to say the Lions have five defensive tackles they are comfortable entering the season with — Sheldon, Hand, Williams, Atkins, and Strong — but that does not mean they are done adding at the position.

It’s possible that the Lions wait for the prices to drop in free agency and acquire another veteran to help bring stability to the younger front. Re-signing Mike Daniels is surely being considered, but if free agents like Marcell Dareus, Dontari Poe, Michael Pierce, or Shelby Harris are still around in a few days they may get a phone call from the Lions.

The draft is also another area that can’t be ruled out for adding players. Derrick Brown’s value to the Lions probably took a hit today, but nose tackles with range, like Davon Hamilton (Ohio State) and Leki Fotu (Utah), are prospects the Lions could look to draft and develop.

How adding Jamie Collins impacts the Lions roster

Examining how agreeing to terms with hybrid linebacker Jamie Collins impacts the Detroit Lions roster.

The 2020 tampering period is just over a day old and the Detroit Lions have already agreed to terms with several players, including hybrid linebacker Jamie Collins.

Early predictions for where Collins will play in the Lions scheme are all over the map. And for good reason. Of the game film I studied when trying to ascertain where Collins would play, I arrived at one answer — everywhere.

Collins played for the New England Patriots last season, and because their scheme is as close to the Lions as there is in the NFL, it was easy to do an apples-to-apples comparison of how he would be used in Detroit.

In 2019, Collins lined up at all four of the Patriots linebacker spots, even shifting over the slot on occasion. In the games that I watched, he rarely lined up at the same position on back-to-back plays, illustrating his true versatility.

Collins is able to play at all these spots for three major reasons. He has a freaky level of athleticism, can effectively rush the passer, and is one of the better coverage linebackers in the NFL. This combination of skills makes him a unique player and one that fits the Lions like a glove.

Like in New England last season, I don’t expect Collins to stay put at any one position, and honestly, that will complement the way the other Lions linebackers are trending as well.

Lions LBs trending towards positional fluidity

After the conclusion of the 2019 season, I did a film study, examining how the Lions linebacker roles were changing. The results showed that while Jarrad Davis and Devon Kennard — who was released yesterday — held static roles, Jahlani Tavai and Christian Jones’ roles were more fluid.

Now the Lions have three fluid linebackers all signed to multi-year contracts. Collins just signed a three-year deal, Tavai’s rookie contract expires in 2022 and Jones got a mid-year extension that expires in 2021.

Meanwhile, the static off-the-ball linebackers that remain, Davis and Jalen Reeves-Maybin, are in the final year of their contracts. Reeves-Maybin has consistently made the final roster based on his special teams ability, while Davis began to expand his duties to the WILL position in the latter parts of the season, something he may need to do more moving forward.

Will the Lions add more LBs?

If they do, it will surely be a player who is positionally fluid so that they can mesh with the other linebackers currently on the roster.

The most obvious name remaining in free agency is Kamalei Correa, formerly of the Tennessee Titans, who was directly coached by new Lions’ linebacker coach Tyrone McKenzie over the last two seasons. Correa has experience playing the JACK linebacker role, can rush the passer and drop into coverage. He has been a career rotational player, but on the Lions roster, that’s what they likely need right now.

If the Lions look to the draft, there are four top-100 players they are surely watching. Zach Baun (Wisconsin) is an off-the-ball linebacker who has shown a knack for rushing the passer. Josh Uche (Michigan) is lightning quick off the edge and can drop into coverage better than most JACK linebackers. Bradlee Anae (Utah) is primarily a pass rusher but has shown the ability to win from his feet. While Curtis Weaver (Boise State), who at 6-63, 265-pounds, is physically as close to a Dont’a Hightower clone as you will find. Weaver is a junior, but Baun, Uche, Anae were all on the North roster at the Senior Bowl and were coached by the Lions staff.

Adding any one of these players would give the Lions front a significant boost in 2020, even if they are in a limited role to begin the season.

How adding Chase Daniel impacts the Lions roster

Examining how agreeing to terms with quarterback Chase Daniel impacts the Detroit Lions roster.

The 2020 tampering period is less than a day old and the Detroit Lions have already agreed to terms with several players, including quarterback Chase Daniel.

Daniel won’t challenge for Matthew Stafford’s starting job, but early expectations are that he will take over the reserve quarterback role vacated by Jeff Driskel,

With a reported 3 year deal worth $13.05 million, the money says Daniel will enter the clubhouse as the expected QB2, but the Lions won’t be afraid to open this competition up as they still have high expectations for David Blough after trading for him last year. The Lions also won’t shut the door on preseason standout Kyle Sloter and his chances of earning a role.

Now with four quarterbacks on the roster, it’s highly unlikely the Lions will acquire another player at the position in free agency or use any of their valuable draft capital on more competition.

It is possible, that if a quarterback they like goes undrafted, that they could bring him in to compete for a reserve or practice squad role. Names to keep in mind are Anthony Gordan (Washington State), Nate Stanley (Iowa), James Morgan (Florida International) or even Shae Patterson (Michigan).

The wild card here is Tua Tagovailoa (Alabama). If the Lions are concerned over the future of Stafford, he could be in the mix — but most indications are he’s not going to end up in Detroit.

How adding Nick Williams impacts the Lions roster

Examining how agreeing to terms with defensive tackle Nick Williams impacts the Detroit Lions roster.

The 2020 tampering period is less than a day old and the Detroit Lions have already agreed to terms with several players, including defensive lineman Nick Williams.

Early expectations are that he will be part of the rotation at defensive tackle, splitting time with Da’Shawn Hand (my projected starter) and Kevin Strong. Williams is capable of seeing some snaps at the 1-technique spot but won’t be a heavy contributor there.

Athletically, Williams is very similar to Hand as you can see below in a comparison of Pride of Detroit’s Kent Platte’s RAS cards:

Williams is very athletic, but as a late bloomer, he also needs to show that he can use that athleticism to be productive beyond just what he showed last season in Chicago.

Factoring in the reported contract the Lions gave Williams — 2 years, $10 million — it appears the Lions believe he can be a consistent part of the rotation and will likely assume the role vacated by A’Shawn Robinson.

With Hand and Strong returning and the expectation of Williams to contribute, the Lions look to be content to open the season with this three-man rotation at the 3/5-technique position. Although, if the Lions are concerned about the injuries to Hand/Strong, it’s still possible they look to add one more veteran defensive tackle — potentially re-signing Mike Daniels.

While they appear set at 3/5-technique, there is still a starting job open at the nose tackle position and that position is very much open to adding a quality player. That could mean the Lions try to add a player like D.J. Reader, Marcell Dareus, or Michael Pierce in free agency, or look to the draft by targeting Derrick Brown (Auburn) or Leki Fotu (Utah).

How adding Halapoulivaati Vaitai impacts the Lions roster

Examining how agreeing to terms with offensive lineman Halapoulivaati Vaitai impacts the Detroit Lions roster.

The Detroit Lions opened the 2020 tampering period of free agency by agreeing to terms with offensive lineman Halapoulivaati Vaitai and the early expectations are that he will take over the vacated starting role at right tackle.

Playing behind Eagles tackles Jason Peters and Lane Johnson, it’s not surprising that Vaitai’s starting experience was limited to only 20 games. But over his career he saw starts at both right and left tackle, even seeing some snaps at right guard.

Despite his limited starting experience, Vaitai (6-6, 320 pounds) is an underrated athlete — he meets all the Lions preferred benchmarks identified in my QIB system — and is an ideal scheme fit in the Lions offense, as mauling run blocker.

So how does Vaitai impact the rest of the Lions roster?

With the money the Lions are investing in Vaitai — reportedly averaging $10 million a year for five years — it’s fair to assume he is penciled in at right tackle. With left tackle Taylor Decker playing on the fifth-year option of his rookie contract, the starters are in place.

Tyrell Crosby will likely be given a shot to win the right tackle job in training camp, and the Lions love his versatility to reliably back up both tackle spots. He is at worst, their third offensive tackle and primary backup.

Currently, the Lions’ fourth offensive tackle is Dan Skipper, while defensive end convert Matt Nelson is still learning the position and doesn’t appear to be in the mix at this time.

Will the Lions add any more offensive tackles?

Probably not in free agency, but with Decker in the final year of his contract, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Lions add a developmental tackle in the draft — a prospect that could compete for a potential OT4 role with Skipper this season and a potential starting role in 2021.

While tackles may be limited to the draft, the Lions still have a starting right guard position open and that role could be filled in free agency or the draft.