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QB RB WR TE PK | All Non-IDP | DT DE DL ILB OLB LB CB S DB | Footballguys View | All the news | FBG News Blogger Archive
Lions | Michael Jackson traded by Lions Sun Aug 9, 04:15 PM
Detroit Lions CB Michael Jackson was traded to the New England Patriots Sunday, Aug. 9, in exchange for an undisclosed 2022 draft choice.
Link to story Lions | Detroit waives five players Sun Aug 9, 09:33 AM
The Detroit Lions waived WR Chris Lacy, OG Josh Garnett, LB Christian Sam, DE Jonathan Wynn and DB Michael Jackson Sunday, Aug. 9.
| Footballguys view: Garnett was once a first round pick for the Chip Kelly 49ers. Lacy has length and had hung around the Lions roster a few times in the last two years, so he could surface again elsewhere. |
Christian Sam player page
Lions | Travis Fulgham let go Sat Aug 8, 06:02 PM
Detroit Lions WR Travis Fulgham was released Saturday, Aug. 8.
| Footballguys view: Fulgham was trying to work his way up the depth chart with uncertainty at outside receiver in the future. He spent time on the roster last year and his size and contested catch skills could get him into another camp or onto a practice squad in the future. |
Travis Fulgham player page
Lions | Two players off COVID list Sat Aug 8, 05:18 PM
Detroit Lions CB Amani Oruwariye and P Arryn Siposs were activated from the Reserve/COVID-19 list Saturday, Aug. 8.
Link to story Lions | T.J. Hockenson back on roster Sat Aug 8, 05:17 PM
Detroit Lions TE T.J. Hockenson was activated from the Reserve/COVID-19 list Saturday, Aug. 8.
| Footballguys view: Hockenson had some big-time flashes last year as a rookie. He's got the talent to be one of the best tight ends in the league, but Hockenson needs to stay healhty and gel further with QB Matthew Stafford. Hockenson played in 12 games last year before an ankle injury ended his first pro season. In mid-June, Hockenson was back to running routes but was not 100 percent healthy. We'll know more about his status as camp rolls on. Hockenson has breakout potential in 2020 with a current ADP of TE14 (13.03) in 12-team PPR leagues. |
T.J. Hockenson player page
Lions | Daylon Mack let go Fri Aug 7, 04:27 PM
Detroit Lions DT Daylon Mack was waived Friday, Aug. 7.
Link to story Lions | Russell Bodine opts out Wed Aug 5, 05:25 PM
Detroit Lions C Russell Bodine was placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list Wednesday, Aug. 5.
Link to story Lions | Kenny Golladay activated Wed Aug 5, 11:59 AM
Detroit Lions WR Kenny Golladay was activated from the Reserve/COVID-19 list Wednesday, Aug. 5.
| Footballguys view: That didn't last long. Golladay was on the list for about a week and now he's back in action. Fantasy GMs should consider him a WR1 in 2020, especially if Matthew Stafford can stay healthy all season long. |
Kenny Golladay player page
Lions | Justin Coleman activated Tue Aug 4, 04:40 PM
Detroit Lions CB Justin Coleman was activated from the Reserve/COVID-19 list Tuesday, Aug. 4.
Link to storyJustin Coleman player page
Lions | Matthew Stafford removed from COVID-19 list Tue Aug 4, 04:08 PM
Detroit Lions QB Matthew Stafford was removed from the COVID-19 list and placed back onto the active roster Tuesday, Aug. 4. His positive test for COVID-19 was determined to be a false-positive.
| Footballguys view: Like Jaguars QB Gardner Minshew, Stafford wasn't on the COVID-19 list for that long. Stafford was in line to have perhaps career-best numbers in 2019 and is looking to pick up where he left off before his injury. |
Matthew Stafford player page
Lions | Isaac Nauta ready to return Mon Aug 3, 04:23 PM
Detroit Lions TE Isaac Nauta was activated from the Reserve/COVID-19 list Monday, Aug. 3.
Link to storyIsaac Nauta player page
Lions | Darius Kilgo cleared Mon Aug 3, 12:31 PM
Free-agent DT Darius Kilgo (quadriceps) was cleared by the Detroit Lions' medical staff, and he looks to sign in the coming weeks.
Link to story Lions | Detroit gets deal done with Jashon Cornell Sun Aug 2, 05:49 PM
Detroit Lions seventh-round draft pick DT Jashon Cornell signed his four-year rookie contract on Sunday, Aug. 2. Financial terms of the deal were not immediately disclosed.
Link to story Lions | Daylon Mack scooped up by Detroit Sun Aug 2, 05:38 PM
Baltimore Ravens DT Daylon Mack (Ravens) was claimed off waivers by the Detroit Lions on Sunday, Aug. 2.
Link to story Lions | Austin Bryant lands on PUP list Sun Aug 2, 05:35 PM
Detroit Lions DE Austin Bryant was placed on the Active/Physically Unable to Perform list Sunday, Aug. 2.
Link to story Lions | Romeo Okwara headed to NFI list Sun Aug 2, 05:25 PM
Detroit Lions DE Romeo Okwara was placed on the Active/Non-Football Injury list Sunday, Aug. 2.
Link to storyRomeo Okwara player page
Lions | Matthew Stafford on COVID list Sat Aug 1, 04:48 PM
Detroit Lions QB Matthew Stafford was placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list Saturday, Aug. 1.
| Footballguys view: Stafford becomes the first quarterback in the NFL to land on this list. The COVID-19/Reserve list is designated for players who test positive for COVID-19 or have been in contact with someone who has the virus. We'll now see Stafford quarantined for a couple of weeks and then re-tested before he can get to practice with the team. |
Matthew Stafford player page
Lions | Jayron Kearse receives suspension Fri Jul 31, 03:56 PM
Detroit Lions S Jayron Kearse has been suspended by the NFL for the first three games of the 2020 season for violating the league's substance abuse policy.
Link to story Lions | Isaac Nauta put on reserve Thu Jul 30, 05:54 PM
Detroit Lions TE Isaac Nauta was placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list Thursday, July 30.
Link to storyIsaac Nauta player page
Lions | Justin Coleman on COVID list Thu Jul 30, 04:21 PM
Detroit Lions CB Justin Coleman was placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list Thursday, July 30, according to a source.
Link to storyJustin Coleman player page
Lions | Detroit places three on COVID list Wed Jul 29, 06:21 PM
Detroit Lions S Jalen Elliott, CB Amani Oruwariye and P Arryn Siposs were placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list Wednesday, July 29.
Link to story Lions | T.J. Hockenson on COVID list Wed Jul 29, 06:18 PM
Detroit Lions TE T.J. Hockenson was placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list Wednesday, July 29.
| Footballguys view: Hockenson will have to pass tests after a quarantine period in order to get on the field for practice. He's got plenty of upside but only flashed for a game or so as a rookie in 2019. Hockenson is a TE2 for Fantasy GMs as we all wait for him to play up to that potential. |
T.J. Hockenson player page
Lions | Kenny Golladay placed on COVID list Wed Jul 29, 06:11 PM
Detroit Lions WR Kenny Golladay was placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list Wednesday, July 29.
| Footballguys view: Golladay, like all other players on the Reserve/COVID-19 list, will have to pass testing to get back to the practice field after a quarantine period. He'll be a primary target once again in the Lions passing attack and a borderline WR1 for Fantasy GMs in 2020. |
Kenny Golladay player page
Lions | Quintez Cephus likely to make team Sun Jul 19, 01:54 PM
Detroit Lions WR Quintez Cephus likely will make the final roster, in the opinion of ESPN.com's Michael Rothstein.
| Footballguys view: Cephus is an advanced route runner and very combative with his hands and body positioning. He could be in line to start as early as next year with Marvin Jones set to his free agency in 2021. He's a great later target in dynasty rookie drafts. |
Lions | Matthew Stafford sharp from the pocket Wed Jul 15, 10:59 PM
Detroit Lions QB Matthew Stafford recorded a league-leading 82.7 QBR from inside the pocket in 2019, posting a 66.2 completion percentage, 8.8 yards per attempt and 17 touchdowns to three interceptions.
| Footballguys view: Stafford was producing at a top 10 clip last year, even as high as 5th or 6th depending on scoring system. His back injury ended his season early, so he is available at a deep injury discount. |
Matthew Stafford player page
Lions | Jeff Okudah agrees to rookie deal Mon Jul 13, 12:27 PM
Detroit Lions CB Jeff Okudah agreed to his four-year rookie contract Monday, July 13, according to a source, which includes the standard fifth-year team option. Financial terms are based on the league's slotting requirements, but the official framework of the deal hasn't been disclosed.
| Footballguys view: Okudah should step into the starting lineup right away opposite Desmond Trufant. They will be trying to fill the big shoes left empty when the Lions traded Darius Slay to the Eagles. They'll draw Allen Robinson and Anthony Miller in a Week 1 matchup against the Bears. |
Lions | D'Andre Swift ready to roll Fri Jul 10, 12:35 PM
Detroit Lions RB D'Andre Swift says he's eager to compete with returning starter Kerryon Johnson for snaps. 'I've been competing all my life,' Swift said Thursday, July 9 on a conference call. 'Kerryon is a great back, great player. I remember when he was at Auburn, and he was killing us. He's still doing great in the league. I can't even give you my role. Whatever role they have for me, I just gotta make sure I'm in the best shape and know all of the plays so I'm ready to take it on full force. But I'm not going in there looking to do anything, just doing what I've been doing.'
| Footballguys view: Swift might have a slower ramp up with no offseason, but the Lions will employ some sort of RBBC to deploy their two second-round pick running backs. ADP indicates that the fantasy community is a lot higher on Swift, but the likelihood of a close to even split means that Johnson is the better pick at the steep discount. Swift's best chance of hitting this year is Johnson missing significant time with an injury for the third straight year. |
Kerryon Johnson player page
Lions | Two DET picks sign Thu Jul 9, 11:36 AM
Detroit Lions fifth-round pick WR Quintez Cephus and fifth-rounder RB Jason Huntley signed their rookie deals Wednesday, July 8. The four-year deals' terms weren't disclosed.
| Footballguys view: Cephus is a strong receiver at the catch point who is also an advanced route runner. He could start as soon as next year (or even mid-season) with Marvin Jones likely in his last year with the team. Huntley is a scatback who could replace JD McKissic after the receiving back left for Washington in free agency. |
Lions | Kenny Golladay a deep threat last year Mon Jul 6, 03:57 PM
Detroit Lions WR Kenny Golladay recorded 17 receptions of at least 25 yards during the 2019 season.
| Footballguys view: Golladay should be a deep threat for the Lions again this season. He was able to post over 1,000 yards receiving in 2019 with three different quarterbacks (Matthew Stafford, Jeff Driskel, David Blough)...and two of them weren't that good! With Stafford returning at full strength, expect the Lions passing attack to be among the league's best. |
Kenny Golladay player page
Lions | D'Andre Swift signs rookie deal Sat Jul 4, 05:00 PM
Detroit Lions second-round draft choice RB D'Andre Swift signed a four-year contract with the Lions Saturday, July 4. Financial terms were not disclosed.
| Footballguys view: Swift was arguably the best running back in this draft class. He wasn't the first off the board, but the Lions were happy to scoop him up in the second round of the 2020 NFL draft. Swift is an efficient runner with over 31 percent of his 441 career carries went for a first down or a touchdown (per PFF). He's also a great receiving back, out of the backfield or even lined up out wide. Swift should be the lead back for the Lions and has RB2 upside for Fantasy GMs. |
Lions | Kenny Golladay made big plays in 2019 Wed Jul 1, 04:02 PM
Detroit Lions WR Kenny Golladay posted five touchdowns of at least 25 yards last season, which was tied for most in the NFL.
| Footballguys view: Golladay made plays with three different quarterbacks tossing him the rock. Now, Matthew Stafford is healthy and that should help Golladay make an even larger impact in 2020. Golladay has a current ADP of WR8 (3.02) in 12-team PPR leagues. |
Kenny Golladay player page
Lions | DC likes depth at defensive tackle Wed Jul 1, 02:56 PM
Detroit Lions DTs Danny Shelton, Nick Williams, Da'Shawn Hand, John Atkins, Kevin Strong and Olive Sagapolu are joined by rookies John Penisini and Jashon Cornell at the interior of the Lions' defensive line in 2020. Defensive coordinator Cory Undlin likes the overall talent of the group. 'We have a really nice depth chart there at that position and we'll just kind of mix and match,' Undlin said. 'We'll watch (Shelton and Williams) work and find out where they're most comfortable, what the best combination is and then we'll settle on that once we get closer to the start of the season.'
Link to storyNick Williams player page
Danny Shelton player page
DaShawn Hand player page
Lions | Matthew Stafford working out with teammates Sat Jun 27, 03:35 PM
Detroit Lions QB Matthew Stafford recently worked out with FB Nick Bawden, WR Jamal Agnew and TE Jesse James.
| Footballguys view: Stafford was in for a monster season in 2019 before his injury that cost him eight games. If healthy, Stafford should be able to pick up where he left off. That means Stafford could be a value pick at his current ADP of QB13 (10.01) in 12-team PPR leagues. |
Matthew Stafford player page
Jesse James player page
Lions | Da'Shawn Hand feeling good Fri Jun 26, 10:02 PM
Detroit Lions DE Da'Shawn Hand (ankle) is healthy heading into the 2020 season after missing time with injuries in each of the past two years.
Link to storyDaShawn Hand player page
Lions | Matthew Stafford leading workouts Thu Jun 25, 06:18 PM
Detroit Lions QB Matthew Stafford (back) was seen working out with teammates in a video shared to social media by the team Thursday, June 25.
| Footballguys view: Stafford was on fire last year before a back injury knocked him out for eight games. This season, Stafford is back and looking for a bounce-back season. With a current ADP of QB13 (10.01), Stafford could prove to be a great value pick if he stays healthy and picks up where he left off in 2019. |
Matthew Stafford player page
Lions | Jonah Jackson signs rookie deal Wed Jun 24, 12:15 PM
Detroit Lions third-round draft choice OG Jonah Jackson signed a four-year contract with the Lions Wednesday, June 24, worth $4.748 million. The deal includes a $1.048 million signing bonus.
Link to story Lions | New Lions owner would support Colin Kaepernick signing Tue Jun 23, 03:51 PM
Free-agent QB Colin Kaepernick (49ers) would be supported by new Detroit Lions principal owner Sheila Ford Hamp if general manager Bob Quinn and the coaching staff choose to sign him, Hamp said Tuesday, June 23.
| Footballguys view: The Lions gave Chase Daniel five million dollars guaranteed on a three-year, $13 million dollar deal and they still like David Blough as a developmental third quarterback, but Kaepernick would probably be an upgrade from Daniel if Stafford's presents issues again. It looks more and more like Kaepernick will be signed somewhere every day. |
Colin Kaepernick player page
Lions | Efficiency a weak point for Kenny Golladay Mon Jun 22, 10:22 PM
Detroit Lions WR Kenny Golladay caught only 56 percent of his targets in 2019 - good for 57th out of 65 receivers with at least 40 catches last season.
| Footballguys view: Golladay isn't the best at separating vs man coverage and he didn't have much help after Marvin Jones went down, but he can make the big plays downfield. He's a bit overdrafted at current ADP, making Jones the Lions wide receiver target at a much cheaper price. |
Kenny Golladay player page
Lions | Kenny Golladay delivering big plays Sat Jun 20, 09:06 PM
Detroit Lions WR Kenny Golladay's 16.7 yards per reception since 2018 rank second among all receivers with at least 100 receptions in that span.
| Footballguys view: Golladay is going a little too high even though his numbers were impressive last year. If Marvin Jones and TJ Hockenson can stay healthy, Golladay's prodcution may drop a bit this year. |
Kenny Golladay player page
Lions | T.J. Hockenson not fully healthy Thu Jun 18, 04:34 PM
Detroit Lions TE T.J. Hockenson (ankle) has been able to start running routes a part of his rehab but has not completely recovered from his ankle injury, according to offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell.
| Footballguys view: The team likes where Hockenson is at in his recovery, he just has some more time to go. Hockenson is a fantastic talent but that ankle injury last November ended what was largely a disappointing rookie season (outside of Week 1) for the 2019 first-round pick. We'll see how much he gets eased into action when training camp gets here. |
T.J. Hockenson player page
Lions | OC sees D'Andre Swift as complete back Wed Jun 17, 04:30 PM
Detroit Lions RB D'Andre Swift has all of the skills to be a complete back for the Lions, according to offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell.
| Footballguys view: Swift is a complete back as he can thrive on all three downs as a runner or receiver out of the backfield. Quickness and balance are the hallmarks of his game as a runner and strong hands (only three drops on 76 catchable targets) are what he's known for as a receiver. The Lions whiffed on Kerryon Johnson in the draft a couple of years ago, now Swift is here to compete with Johnson to see who is going to be the lead back. |
Lions | Jamal Agnew officially a WR Wed Jun 17, 04:12 PM
Detroit Lions CB Jamal Agnew has officially moved to wide receiver, according to offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell.
| Footballguys view: No surprise here. Agnew has been sitting in on wide receiver meetings since last year with Marvin Jones and Marvin Hall left the Lions thin at the position. He's been their regular return man since entering the league in 2017 and Agnew has already seen time as a gadget player on offense. We'll be interested to see what kind of noise he can make in training camp now that he's on offense full time. |
Lions | Nick Bawden may make roster Sat Jun 13, 07:03 PM
Detroit Lions FB Nick Bawden has a good chance to make the final roster if the team decides to keep a fullback on the active roster.
| Footballguys view: Bawden has ended up on injured reserve in each of his first two seasons, but his special teams contributions could help his case. He famously leaped over Rodney McLeod after a reception against the Eagles last year in one of the most athletic plays you'll ever see an NFL fullback make. |
Lions | Growth expected from T.J. Hockenson Fri Jun 12, 12:40 PM
Detroit Lions TE T.J. Hockenson was hurt more than most Lions pass-catchers following Mathew Stafford's season-ending injury in 2019, but Hockenson has the talent to blossom in his second pro season and should be a key part of an improved Lions offense, in the opinion of one NFL analyst.
| Footballguys view: Hockenson had a lot of chances to score touchdowns early in the season but had trouble converting them. Tight ends are often slow starters in their NFL careers, even the best prospects, so Hockenson is a good candidate to target if you want to wait on tight end in drafts this year. |
T.J. Hockenson player page
Lions | Kerryon Johnson is cool with D'Andre Swift selection Thu Jun 11, 12:29 PM
Detroit Lions RB Kerryon Johnson is pleased with the selection of RB D'Andre Swift in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft. 'Look, I knew we were going to draft a running back eventually. I think we got, in my opinion, definitely one of the top two (in the draft). I love having a running back. I love winning games and I think he can help us do that, so I wasn't tripping at all,' Johnson said during a Wednesday, June 10, Zoom call with reporters. 'But just having multiple running backs that are capable of running the ball at an efficient level, whether the style is different or the style is the same, it just takes the stress off one another,' Johnson added. 'This is going to be his (Swift's) first (season) in the league. This is going to be my third. We're all going to have the help of Bo (Scarbrough) and Ty (Johnson) and all those other guys. All our running backs before Huntley and Swift came all started in an NFL game. All of us started multiple (games), so that's something not a lot of teams can say. We got a lot of guys who know how to play, we got a lot of guys who have played and I think we'll all get along just fine.'
| Footballguys view: Johnson may be cool with it now but how will he feel if/when the rookie takes the starting job? Swift has a three-down skill set and was arguably the best running back in the 2020 NFL draft. He can be a solid starter at least if not a star at the pro level. Johnson has skill but injuries and inconsistencies have prevented him from producing at the expected level. We'll see this battle shake out in training camp. |
Kerryon Johnson player page
Lions | Frank Ragnow working to improve run game Tue Jun 9, 06:32 PM
Detroit Lions C Frank Ragnow is focused on helping his team improve the rushing attack in 2020. 'Obviously, we've added some weapons,' Ragnow said 'It's kind of been an emphasis since I've been here and with (head coach Matt) Patricia and I'm definitely excited to see what we can do this year. The one thing that running the ball is all about is the toughness, it's the hard work, it's the dirty work, and that's kind of something that we can all - even though it's different virtually and different on our own - we have to take it day by day.' The Lions added RBs D'Andre Swift and Jason Huntley in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Link to story Lions | Julian Okwara signs rookie deal Tue Jun 9, 12:59 PM
Detroit Lions LB Julian Okwara signed his four-year rookie deal Tuesday, June 9. The contract is worth $4.93 million, according to draft slotting, according to Spotrac.com.
Link to story Lions | Marvin Hall running routes Fri Jun 5, 09:42 PM
Detroit Lions WR Marvin Hall (foot) posted videos of himself on social media running routes and participating in drills.
| Footballguys view: Undrafted out of Washington in 2016, Hall has bounced around the league trying to stick. He signed with the Lions in 2019 but a foot injury landed him on Injured Reserve in late November of last year. Hall is likely no.6 on the Lions depth chart and obviously his spot on the 53-man roster is not guaranteed. |
Marvin Hall player page
Lions | Marvin Jones working out with rookie Fri Jun 5, 08:17 PM
Detroit Lions WR Marvin Jones has been working out with WR Quintez Cephus in California this offseason.
| Footballguys view: Cephus has a nice size/athleticism combination and brings a basketball skill set to the football field. He can play 'above the rim' and knows how to use his frame to box out smaller defenders. Cephus is a raw player in terms of nuance and route-running ability...and he lacks the speed to gain much separation that way. It's good that he's working with Jones, a technician at wide receiver. We'll monitor Cephus in deep dynasty formats. |
Marvin Jones Jr player page
Lions | Jonah Jackson may start as rookie Mon Jun 1, 07:49 PM
Detroit Lions OG Jonah Jackson appears to be a leading candidate for one of the starting guard jobs entering training camp.
Link to story
