Tag: lions

Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph (31) celebrates an interception (his second of the game) against San Francisco 49ers during the second half at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. on Monday, Dec. 30, 2024.

Reports: Lions making Kerby Joseph highest-paid safety in NFL history

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The Detroit Lions and Kerby Joseph have agreed on a four-year, $86 million contract extension that will make him the highest-paid safety in NFL history, multiple media outlets reported Wednesday night.

Joseph was scheduled to make $3.621 million in base salary in 2025, the last year of his rookie contract. Now his $21.5 million annual salary and total value of $86 million are both more than Tampa Bay is paying safety Antoine Winfield Jr. ($21.025 million annually, $84.1 million total).

Joseph, 24, was voted first-team All-Pro last season after posting a league-best nine interceptions — including one returned for a touchdown — as well as 83 tackles and 12 passes defensed in 17 regular-season games (all starts).

Detroit selected Joseph in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft out of Illinois. He has 17 interceptions, 247 tackles, 31 passes defensed, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and one return touchdown in 49 games (46 starts).

–Field Level Media

From left, Detroit Lions offensive tackle Penei Sewell (58), quarterback Jared Goff (16) and offensive tackle Taylor Decker (68), ready to take the field against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. on Monday, Dec. 30, 2024.

Lions-Chargers to kick off preseason in Hall of Fame Game

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Chargers will meet July 31 in the 2025 Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio, as part of enshrinement week.

Antonio Gates, who spent his entire career as a tight end with the Chargers (2003-2018), is among the enshrinees to the 2025 class.

The game will be played in Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton and televised by NBC Sports. The Lions will serve as the home team.

“This game features two teams that can be considered legitimate contenders to reach Super Bowl LX next February,” said Jim Porter, president and CEO of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. “For them to face each other right out of the gate in Canton, Ohio, should create a dynamic opening to another spectacular NFL season.”

This will be the fourth appearance in the exhibition game for the Lions and the third for the Chargers, but the first for both since 1994.

Gates is expected to be joined at the game by fellow Class of 2025 members Eric Allen, Jared Allen and Sterling Sharpe.

–Field Level Media

Jan 5, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold (0) celebrates after breaking up a fourth down pass by Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold (14) in the end zone in the third quarter at Ford Field. The pass was incomplete.Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

Lions 2025 draft needs, picks, best fits, history

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Almost untouchable until the Washington Commanders spoiled a Super Bowl plan in the postseason, the Detroit Lions did a lot of losing since the calendar turned to 2025.

Beyond another painful dismissal from the postseason, the Lions lost nearly half of their coaching staff. Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson became head coach of the Chicago Bears, defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn is the new boss of the Jets and several position coaches and support staff are no longer in Detroit.

Many of the perceived vital players are the same, from quarterback Jared Goff to offensive tackle Penei Sewell, wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and running backs David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs. And defensive end Aidan Hutchinson is expected to be full strength after surgery to repair a broken leg before midseason in 2024.

The Lions are still looking for additions to the roster capable of making a major impact. The pass rush was a scramble to assemble without Hutchinson and injuries at linebacker and cornerback took some of the bite out of a group exposed by Jayden Daniels and the Commanders in January.

General manager Brad Holmes has aced multiple drafts, and the Lions’ culture is anything but woe-is-me these days. So how will coach Dan Campbell and Holmes get the Lions back to the top of the NFC and beyond?

Let’s look at their options.

–Team needs
Defensive end: Hutchinson missed half of the season and still led the team with 7.5 sacks. A pass-rushing linebacker in the mold of Micah Parsons would be an option, but a traditional defensive end to complement Hutchinson rates as first priority. Defensive tackle Alim McNeill is also returning from injury and could stand to benefit from blocking changes that would come along with adding to the defensive line.

Cornerback: Detroit drafted heavily at cornerback in 2024 (first-rounder Terrion Arnold and second-rounder Ennis Rakestraw Jr.) and signed D.J. Reed (three years, $48 million), so there’s something to work with here. But the Lions finished 30th against the pass in 2024. Until the team confident it has enough at the position, Holmes will continue taking swings at this position.

Interior offensive line: For the second offseason in a row, the Lions lost a starting guard to free agency. Drafting a tackle who can play guard until Taylor Decker no longer mans the left side is a strong consideration.

–Best prospect fits
OG Grey Zabel, North Dakota State
LB Jihaad Campbell, Alabama
DE Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M
CB Maxwell Hairston, Kentucky
DE Mike Green, Marshall
CB Will Johnson, Michigan
DT Derrick Harmon, Oregon
OG Kelvin Banks Jr, Texas

–2025 draft picks by round
Total picks: 7
By round (pick in round, overall pick)
1: 28, 28
2: 28, 60
3: 38, 102 (NFL compensatory selection)
4: 28, 130
6: 20, 196 (from Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
7: 12, 228 (from Dallas Cowboys)
7: 28, 224

–History Lesson
–A few of the top players selected No. 28 overall are Pro Football Hall of Famers: LB Derrick Brooks (Buccaneers, 1995) and CB Darrell Green (Washington, 1983).

–Field Level Media

Jan 5, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; San Francisco 49ers cornerback Rock Ya-Sin (33) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Report: Lions adding veteran CB Rock Ya-Sin

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The Detroit Lions are fortifying their depth at cornerback by agreeing to terms with veteran Rock Ya-Sin, according to NFL Network on Thursday.

Ya-Sin, 28, played primarily on special teams in his lone season with the San Francisco 49ers, totaling three tackles in 13 games in 2024.

The Lions already brought in free agent cornerback DJ Reed on a reported three-year, $48 million contract. Reed, 28, is expected to replace former starter Carlton Davis, who signed with the New England Patriots.

The cornerback room in Detroit is green behind Reed and Amik Robertson, 26, who emerged as the top cover corner after Davis broke his jaw in December.

A pair of 2024 draft picks, Terrion Arnold (first round) and Ennis Rakestraw Jr. (second), are also on the current CB depth chart. Arnold is projected as a starter again after making 15 starts in 16 games as a rookie. Rakestraw was never fully healthy because of a hamstring injury.

Ya-Sin has 199 career tackles, two interceptions, 41 passes defended, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries in 79 regular-season games (39 starts) for the Indianapolis Colts (2019-21), Las Vegas Raiders (2022), Baltimore Ravens (2023) and 49ers.

Indianapolis selected Ya-Sin in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft out of Temple.

–Field Level Media

Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (26) fights the tackle by Minnesota Vikings safety Camryn Bynum (24) during the second half at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025.

Lions propose playoff seeding change

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The high-powered Detroit Lions nearly had to hit the road to open the playoffs in January before winning their regular-season finale against the Minnesota Vikings.

Had Detroit lost that game, Minnesota would have wrapped up the ultra-competitive NFC North and the Lions would’ve dropped to the conference’s fifth seed as the team that featured the best record without a division title.

That notion apparently didn’t sit well with the Lions, who proposed that playoff seeding should be based on record — regardless of division honors. That would also mean that winning a division title would not guarantee a home game in the wild-card round.

The NFL revealed a list of potential rule changes on Wednesday, and owners are scheduled to meet on March 30-April 2 in West Palm Beach, Fla. Proposals require the approval of at least 24 of the 32 teams.

Also Wednesday, the Green Bay Packers’ formally requested to ban the “tush push” short-yardage play commonly used by the Philadelphia Eagles.

“We’re not very successful against it, I know that,” Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said last month at the NFL Scouting Combine. “To be honest with you, I haven’t put much thought into it. It’s been around for a while, we’ve used it in different fashions with our tight end, so again, I think there will be a lot of discussions about it. I’ve got to look at some of the information as far as injury rates, things like that, to see. But we’ll see.”

More than half of Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts’ 55 career regular-season rushing touchdowns reached the end zone from the tight, rugby-like formation with running backs angled near Hurts to help shove him over the goal line at the snap. Last season, the Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens ran variations of the same play.

Below is a list of other proposals:

–The Pittsburgh Steelers proposed that teams would be allowed to have one call with prospective unrestricted free agents from other teams and their agents during the negotiating window before the start of the league year.

–The Lions also proposed eliminating the automatic first down that comes with an illegal contact or defensive holding penalty.

–The Eagles proposed giving both teams a guaranteed possession in overtime during the regular season, aligning with the current playoff rules.

–The Washington Commanders proposed allowing teams to secure scouting credentials for games in the final two weeks of the season for potential playoff opponents.

–Field Level Media

Cornerback DJ Reed being interviewed as players arrived today to participate in the NY Jets 2023 Training Camp at their practice facility in Florham Park, NJ.

Reports: Lions, DJ Reed agree to $48M deal

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Free agent cornerback DJ Reed agreed to a three-year, $48 million contract with the Detroit Lions, according to multiple reports Monday.

Reed spent the past three seasons with the New York Jets and details of his deal with the Lions came soon after news of the Patriots signing away Carlton Davis, who played with Detroit in 2024.

Reed, 28, was a fifth-round pick of the 49ers in 2018 and was claimed off waivers by the Seahawks in 2020 before signing a three-year, $33 million contract with the Jets as an unrestricted free agent in 2022.

Reed has six career interceptions and 51 passes defensed.

The 5-9, 195-pound corner can play inside for the Lions, who employ a significant number of nickel packages to maximize the versatility of their safety tandem of Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch.

The cornerback room in Detroit is green behind Reed and Amik Robertson, 26, who emerged as the top cover corner after Davis broke his jaw in December.

A pair of 2024 draft picks, Terrion Arnold (first round) and Ennis Rakestraw Jr. (second), are also on the current CB depth chart. Arnold is projected as a starter again after making 15 starts in 16 games as a rookie. Rakestraw was never fully healthy because of a hamstring injury.

–Field Level Media

Nov 10, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Detroit Lions cornerback Carlton Davis III (23) intercepts a pass interned for Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell (3) during the third quarter at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Reports: Patriots, CB Carlton Davis agree to $60M contract

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Free agent cornerback Carlton Davis agreed to join the New England Patriots on a three-year contract worth up to $60 million, according to multiple reports.

New England also picked up linebacker Robert Spillane (Las Vegas Raiders) on a reported three-year, $37.5 million agreement, according to multiple reports.

Adding Davis addresses the secondary and a focus of the new defense being implemented by head coach Mike Vrabel, who can pair the physical and aggressive Davis with left cornerback Christian Gonzalez in 2025.

Davis, 28, was acquired by the Detroit Lions before the 2024 season but finished his lone season in Detroit on injured reserve with a broken jaw.

A self-described lockdown corner, Davis is a top-end competitor with the size to line up at multiple positions in New England’s scheme.

Spillane is a former Titans linebacker under Vrabel and an ex-teammate of outside linebacker Harold Landry, who agreed to join the Patriots after being released by Tennessee last week.

He led the Raiders with a career-high 158 tackles and had two sacks and two interceptions in 2024.

–Field Level Media

Dec 15, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Lions defensive end Za'Darius Smith (99) walks off the field after warm ups before a game against the Buffalo Bills at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: David Reginek-Imagn Images

Reports: Lions release 3-time Pro Bowl EDGE Za’Darius Smith

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The Detroit Lions released edge rusher Za’Darius Smith, according to multiple media reports on Sunday.

The Lions acquired Smith, 32, in a trade with the Cleveland Browns in November. In eight games for Detroit, he had 12 combined tackles and four sacks.

For the season, the three-time Pro Bowl defender totaled nine sacks and 35 tackles. He posted a PFF pass rush grade of 76.5 (21st-highest among edge rushers).

A fourth-round pick of the Baltimore Ravens in 2015, Smith has played 10 NFL seasons, racking up 69 career sacks, spending time with the Ravens, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Browns and Lions.

The move saves the Lions $5.7 million in cap space. Smith’s contract had also included a $6.99 million option bonus on March 14.

–Field Level Media

Detroit Lions linebacker Derrick Barnes (55) celebrates an interception from Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield with linebacker Alex Anzalone (34) and linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin (42) during the second half of the NFC divisional round at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024.

Reports: LB Derrick Barnes, Lions reach 3-year extension

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Detroit Lions linebacker Derrick Barnes agreed to a three-year, $25.5 million contract extension with $16 million of the deal fully guaranteed at the signing, multiple media outlets reported Friday.

Barnes was limited to just three games last season before tearing the MCL and PCL in his right knee in Detroit’s win over the Arizona Cardinals on Sept. 22. He was cleared by the Lions doctors last month.

Barnes, 25, recorded a career-high 81 tackles and one forced fumble in 2023.

He has 205 tackles and four sacks in 51 career games (26 starts) since being selected by the Lions in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft out of Purdue.

–Field Level Media

Feb 5, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Darius Slay Jr. speaks with the media during a press conference at Hilton New Orleans Riverside. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

CB Darius Slay aims to play in 2025 with Eagles … or Lions

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Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Darius Slay said that he plans to play next season, the final year of his three-year, $42 million contract.

Fresh off their Super Bowl victory, the Eagles may need to rework Slay’s contract to lower their salary cap number or release the 34-year-old altogether. Those options became more appealing on the heels of Cooper DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell coming off successful rookie seasons.

“I’ve got one more left (on my contract), but you know how that works,” Slay said recently on the St. Brown Podcast. “Whatever they want to do, I might re-sign back, hopefully. If I ain’t, we’ll see what I’m doing because I do want to play one more year, for sure.”

At that point, Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown floated the idea of a possible return to the place with which Slay began his NFL career: Detroit.

“If it is, it is. If it ain’t, it ain’t,” Slay said. “For sure, the two spots I would love to always be at is Philly or Detroit. The main two, the main ones I’d love to be at.”

Slay recorded 49 tackles, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery in 14 games (all starts) last season.

A six-time Pro Bowl selection, Slay had 619 tackles, 28 interceptions — including three returned for touchdowns — and five fumble recoveries in 177 career games (167 starts) with the Lions and Eagles.

–Field Level Media