Tag: Tracy Walker

Breaking down the Lions unofficial depth chart release

Breaking down the Detroit Lions unofficial depth chart ahead of their matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs

Ahead of their matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs to open their season and the whole NFL season, the Detroit Lions have released their unofficial depth chart. Typically, you take these with a grain of salt, but it gives us a glimpse of who potentially might end up starting come game time.

In the quarterback room, there were no surprises with Jared Goff as the starter and Teddy Bridgewater as the backup. The Lions gave the veterans the nod over the rookies, which showed with the running backs and the tight ends. They have David Montgomery ahead of Jahymr Gibbs and Brock Wright ahead of Sam LaPorta. I wouldn’t read too much into that, as I can see an equal share for the rookies, if no higher.

The one question concerning the offensive line heading into the season was if Halapoulivaati Vaitai would nab the starting right guard slot over Graham Glasgow, and it looks like he grabbed that starting role. Vaitai’s injuries have sidelined him, leaving many unanswered questions, but it looks like we will finally get to see the full potential of the Lions’ offensive line.

Amon-Ra St. Brown, Josh Reynolds, and Marvin Jones show up as the starting receivers to round out the offense. They have Kalif Raymond slotted behind Reynolds on the depth chart, but the splits surrounding the receiver corps will be something to monitor.

Heading into the defense, they have the starting defensive line as Charlies Harris, and Aidan Hutchinson on the edges and Alim McNeil and Isaiah Buggs up the middle. With Buggs missing practice, it might mean the next man up for Benito Jones at nose tackle, and Brodric Martin sits as the third man in that rotation. I wouldn’t read too much into that starting line, as the Lions should be bringing in a constant rotation with the number of playmakers for the line.

With how camp and preseason played out, the starting linebackers are not a surprise, with Derrick Barnes and Alex Anzalone with Jack Campbell right behind them. It is the same in the cornerback department, with Cam Sutton and Jerry Jacobs manning the outside and Emmanuel Mosley being Sutton on the depth chart.

Probably the biggest start throughout camp and preseason was Brian Branch, and considering how well he performed, it was going to be tough for the Lions to keep him off the field, and it shows in the depth chart. The Lions have him listed as the starting nickel corner, pushing C.J. Gardner-Johnson to safety and putting Tracy Walker lower on the depth chart.

As for special teams, they have Kalif Raymond as the starting punt and kick-off returner. He should stay as the punt returner, but we may see someone different at kick-offs.

There are not too many surprises with the Lions release of their unofficial depth chart. They showed veteran presence on the offensive side, and it was good to see Vaitai getting the starting nod. On defense, the secondary became interesting, with Branch earning the starting nickel spot, which honestly shouldn’t have shocked anyone. The Lions will ensure they get the players who earned their role on the field.

Detroit Lions stock report after the second preseason game

Breaking down which Detroit Lions players saw their stocks rise and fall in the second preseason game, a loss to the Jaguars

The second exhibition game for the Detroit Lions ended in a disappointing, punchless 25-7 loss to the visiting Jacksonville Jaguars.

With nearly every player of significance sitting out, it was a chance for the depth players in Detroit to prove themselves. Some looked like bullish risers, while others saw their stocks grow more bearish.

Here are the Lions who rose up and those who fell back in the preseason loss to the Jagaurs.

5 Lions players facing make-or-break seasons

5 Lions players facing make-or-break seasons in 2023

The expectations for the Detroit Lions this season are incredibly high. That means the expectations for certain players are even higher. With the Lions almost a week into training camp, there’s been plenty of positives coming out from both the offense and defensive units. As we prepare for the first preseason game, here are five Lions players that are poised to have make or break seasons:

Tracy Walker cleared for full activity in Lions training camp

Lions safety Tracy Walker announced he’s fully cleared from his Achilles injury to return to all football activities

[anyclip pubname=”2103″ widgetname=”0016M00002U0B1kQAF_M8036″]

As he promised, Lions safety Tracy Walker will be a full participant in the team’s training camp next month. Walker revealed via his Instagram account that he’s been fully cleared to return to all football activities.

Walker tore his Achilles tendon in Week 4 last year and has been sidelined ever since. He has aggressively rehabbed after surgery, periodically posting hopeful updates of his progress. During last week’s minicamp, Walker was working off to the side with the training staff going through full sprints and agility drills.

Getting Walker back would be a huge boost to the Lions defense. He and Kerby Joesph are the projected starters, with newcomer C.J. Gardner-Johnson filling the nickel role as well as playing some split safety. Walker is one of the team’s few homegrown defensive vets and emerged as a team captain and leadership presence prior to his injury.

During minicamp, Ifeatu Melifonwu and Will Harris saw a lot of first-team reps in Walker’s role.

What to watch for in the Lions OTAs this week

Here are a few things that Lions Wire’s Jeff Risdon will be watching during the OTA sessions

The Detroit Lions are kicking off the official OTAs, or organized team activities, this week. The voluntary sessions are the first gathering of the full team including the rookie class, which finished the rookie minicamp recently.

These are not full-contact workouts or high-intensity practice sessions, so there won’t be full tackling or padded conflict between the lines. But there are still things to take note of during the OTAs.

Here are a few things I’ll be watching during the sessions open to the media.

Tracy Walker looks ready to roll in latest clips from his Achilles surgery rehab

Lions safety Tracy Walker looks ready to roll in the latest clips he posted from his Achilles surgery rehab

Tracy Walker remains penciled in as one of the Lions’ three starting safeties as he recovers from surgery to repair his torn Achilles tendon. The veteran is quickly erasing the pencil with permanent marker on the depth chart.

Walker has periodically posted videos of his progress in rehabilitating from surgery. Now over six months out from the September 25th date of injury, Walker’s latest video documentation of his progress in movement and explosiveness shows a player who sure looks ready to get on the field very soon.

Here are some of the live-action videos captured from Walker’s Instagram story on Thursday:

Those are very promising movement skills from Walker, who recently declared he would be ready for OTAs next month.

Top takeaways from Brad Holmes’ press conference at the owners’ meetings

Here are some of the top takeaways from what Holmes had to say at the NFL owners’ meetings on Monday

Detroit Lions GM Brad Holmes met with the local media on Monday during the NFL owners’ meetings in Arizona. In a roughly 30-minute session, Holmes covered a lot of bases on the team’s offseason, from the free agent acquisitions and moves to the upcoming NFL draft.

Here are some of the top takeaways from what Holmes had to say.

Film Review: Breaking down new Lions DB C.J. Gardner-Johnson

Film Review: Breaking down new Lions DB C.J. Gardner-Johnson and how the Lions can use his skills

On Sunday night, the Detroit Lions made a surprising move by signing safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson to a one-year contract. The deal is worth $8 million dollars and it is being labeled as a “prove it” deal for one of the most talented safeties in the NFL.

Last season, Gardner-Johnson was tied for the league lead of six interceptions. Ranked up there with Justin Simmons, Minkah Fitzpatrick and Tariq Woolen, it was pretty surprising that CGJ didn’t land a long-term deal.

Maybe he’ll prove himself in Detroit and Brad Holmes will give him the contract he deserves. Time will tell. For now, let’s jump into the tape and review how Gardner-Johnson fits the Detroit Lions!

Playing near the box 

Last season, Gardner-Johnson played just about everywhere for the Philadelphia Eagles. In total, he played 873 total snaps. Just over 200 of the snaps came from playing in the box while another 208 of them came from covering the slot. You’ll see from the clips below how he plays aggressive but is also active with his hands and feet to always be involved with the play.

Looking at the play above, you’ll see Gardner-Johnson (Eagles DB #23) start to creep up into the box. As the Cowboys run a toss play out of an off-set I-formation, you’ll notice how Gardner-Johnson flows laterally to the football. He works his hands by pushing off the initial block attempt from the tight end.

Meanwhile, he stays in position with the proper pursuit angle and play speed. As the running back prepares to cut-back inside, he’s met by Gardner-Johnson who tackles with his inside shoulder to then drag the ballcarrier to the ground.

Staying with the same game against the Cowboys, you’ll notice how Gardner-Johnson (Eagles DB #23) is aligned over the C-gap. Shaded to inside shoulder of the tight end, Gardner-Johnson is aligned in what is called a 50.

From this, he could very well be watching the wide receiver that’s aligned as an H-back, the tight end or the running back. His coverages would depend on what potential zone he may have or who would have to cover in man coverage.

That said, this is a run play and Gardner-Johnson does a great job stacking the receiver and attempting to shed him as the running back tries to get to the slightly open hole. But by staying square, the running back is met by Gardner-Johnson for a tackle. It’s worth noting that Gardner-Johnson had to come out after this play due to either a wrist or hand injury. The Cowboys went on to sustain their drive after he came off the field and it ended up in a touchdown.

Effort with tremendous ball skills 

As I mentioned earlier, Gardner-Johnson was tied for the league lead of six interceptions this past season. In addition to the interceptions, he also had four pass breakups. While he did give up 41 receptions for 338 yards and four touchdowns (per PFF), there was a lot asked out of him in Philadelphia.

Even when he gave up a reception, he came back the next play with great energy and effort. The energy he plays with is captivating and it wouldn’t be surprising if that’s a reason to why the Lions wanted him part of their defense.

Taking a look at one of his interceptions, the play above showcases one against Kyler Murray and the Cardinals. You’ll notice that the Eagles run Cover 1 against the twins right formation from the Cardinals. In the middle of the field as the free safety, you’ll see Gardner-Johnson (Eagles DB #23) have free range on the middle of the field.

As the wide receiver runs the deep post, Gardner-Johnson floats to the deep middle and reads the ball the entire step of the way. While it’s a bit under thrown, he still does a great job intercepting the pass.

Just talking about effort, the play above screams the type of effort that we’ll get from Gardner-Johnson in Detroit. After getting banged up and missing plays from back-to-back offensive series from the Cowboys, it was like Gardner-Johnson (Eagles DB #23) went to the bench and knew he had to make a play to ensure his team takes over the game.

In the play above, Gardner-Johnson is aligned as the free safety while the Eagles run Cover 1 on defense again. While the quarterback attempts this throw off play-action, it’s severely under-thrown but that doesn’t stop an interception from happening.

With great effort, you’ll see how Gardner-Johnson reads the ball in the air and makes a spectacular diving catch. As he secures the interception, he gets up and runs toward midfield to give the offense a chance to pull ahead in a tight rivalry game.

Overall thoughts and fit with Detroit

When I got the news that Gardner-Johnson had signed with Detroit, I thought I was getting pranked. I triple-checked multiple accounts on Twitter to ensure that it was true. In fact, I even had my wife tap me on the shoulder to make sure I wasn’t dreaming.

As one of my favorite players from the 2019 NFL Draft, I felt like CGJ was a Day 2 prospect. He lasted until the 4th round and went 105th overall to the New Orleans Saints. No matter where he’s been, he’s made an impact. I expect the same to happen in Detroit for CGJ.

Best suited to play near the box, in the slot or even as a buzz defender, there will be multiple hats for him to wear in Detroit. By bringing him into the mix, it allows a player such as Tracy Walker to not rush back from his achilles injury and it should only help further the development of Kerby Joseph. The effort that Gardner-Johnson plays with is contagious and it should rub off onto his teammates. With him signing in Detroit over other teams, maybe it’s a sign that the times are indeed changing.

Lions restructure Tracy Walker’s contract to free up cap room for 2023

The Detroit Lions restructure Tracy Walker’s contract to free up cap room for 2023

After agreeing to sign CB Cam Sutton and bringing back several players, notably LB Alex Anzalone, the Detroit Lions were running low on cap room to potentially sign more free agents. To help create some space to build the roster, or perhaps bring back RB Jamaal Williams or CB Mike Hughes, the Lions created some room by restructuring the contract of veteran safety Tracy Walker.

According to Field Yates of ESPN, the Lions restructured Walker’s contract to free up $5 million in cap room for 2023.

Walker is entering the second season of a three-year, $25 million extension signed before the 2022 campaign. He was due to earn a salary of $8.95 million in 2023. While the details are not yet available on the restructure, it’s likely the Lions lowered Walker’s base salary and converted the money to a bonus.

Such a move would free up cap room immediately but add the money saved in 2023 into dead cap room in 2024. Per Over The Cap, the Lions have around $14 million in cap space after the contractual commitments to Sutton, Anzalone and others on Monday.

Alex Anzalone returns to the Lions on a 3-year contract

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbx8sj47vkwrznr player_id=01eqbvhghtkmz2182d image=]

Tracy Walker posts an impressive video of his recovery from Achilles surgery

Walker posted a video of his rehab and he looks great

It’s been nearly six months since Lions safety Tracy Walker tore his Achilles tendon. It’s safe to say his rehab from surgery is progressing nicely.

Walker posted a video update on Sunday night that showcased his agility and movement in his rehabilitation. He was able to explode out of his stance, stop, and then backpedal smoothly.

Walker tore his Achilles on September 25th, a little less than six months ago. Earlier this offseason, Walker claimed he would be ready to return to the field for OTAs in early summer. Based on the video, he may indeed hit that goal.