7:28 PM EDT, Thu March 28, 2024
Pride Of Detroit

Open thread: Is wide receiver a major need for the Detroit Lions?

Photo by Mike Ehrmann/ Now that Josh Reynolds is headed to Denver, how big of a need is WR for the Detroit Lions? On Wednesday, news broke that former Detroit Lions wide receiver Josh Reynolds is signing a two-year deal with the Denver Broncos worth up to $14 million. According to general manager Brad Holmes, it’s the first and only loss the Lions took in free agency for a player that they were prioritizing to bring back. “Josh Reynolds, he’s one that was part of the original plans,” Holmes said Tuesday, a day before Reynolds landed in Denver. “Still having...

Turf Show Times

Sean McVay confirms a position switch along the offensive line

Photo by Cooper Neill/ Rookie standout Steve Avila will make the move from left guard to center for 2024 One of the biggest moves of the Los Angeles Rams 2024 free agency period was signing former Detroit Lions guard Jonah Jackson. While it was clear LA could potentially bring in some offensive line help heading into the new league year, left guard seemed like one of the few spots that was already secure, with rookie standout Steve Avila starting every game last year and playing extremely well. Right guard was also clearly locked up with the re-signing of Kevin Dotson...

Pride Of Detroit

Statistical model shows Lions having top-5 offseason, free agency

Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via One statistical model says the Detroit Lions have had one of the best free agency periods in the NFL so far. This week, Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes claimed that the team just had its best free agency period in his four years here, and they hit on all of their Plan A options (aside from the still-unsigned receiver Josh Reynolds). It’s a bold thing to boast, but at least some data supports his claim. According to an interesting article from The Athletic’s Austin Mock, the Lions are having a top-five offseason so...

Pride Of Detroit

2024 Lions free agency, offseason tracker: Latest signings, trades

Photo by Leon Halip/ A live-updating post on all the Detroit Lions’ 2024 offseason moves: trades, signings, cuts and re-signings The Detroit Lions’ offseason is underway. This year figures to be critical for Detroit, as they hope to build on their NFC Championship run and establish themselves as perennial contenders. The Super Bowl is not only the hope, it’s the expectation. With a healthy amount of salary cap, a cunning general manager in Brad Holmes, and some draft capital to play around with, this figures to be an active offseason for the Lions. And we’re...

Pride Of Detroit

Report: Lions losing WR Josh Reynolds to the Denver Broncos

Photo by Ezra Shaw/ Per various reports, the Lions are losing WR Josh Reynolds to the Broncos. The Detroit Lions will have to find more wide receiver help, as they lost one of their biggest contributors in free agency this week. As first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter, wideout Josh Reynolds is signing a two-year deal worth a maximum of $14 million total. At this point in reporting, the main structure of the deal is unknown. This week at the NFL owners meetings, both coach Dan Campbell and general manager Brad Holmes expressed interest in bringing Reynolds back for...

Pride Of Detroit

How Detroit Lions landed every ‘Plan A’ target in free agency

Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports Lions GM Brad Holmes says they signed every top target in free agency. Here’s how it happened. “I truly believe this was our best free agency of all that we’ve had since we’ve been here.” Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes came out firing in his opening statement to a small group of Detroit media at the owners meetings. While the Lions didn’t make a ton of splash signings this free agency, Holmes believes they went out and accomplished just about everything they wanted to. Why does he think that? Well, according...

Pride Of Detroit

Detroit Lions believe offensive line took a step forward in free agency

Photo by Stacy Revere/ Lions coach Dan Campbell believes the offensive line got better—not worse—in free agency. This offseason, the Detroit Lions had to make a tough decision regarding starting left guard Jonah Jackson. Coming off his rookie deal, Jackson was in line to score a big free agent deal, and with the Lions already paying premium prices for Taylor Decker and Frank Ragnow—and with an extension for All-Pro Penei Sewell on the horizon—Detroit ultimately decided to move on. Jackson, indeed, scored a huge contract, inking a three-year, $51 million...

Silver And Black Pride

Raiders free agency: Who do you want back?

DeAndre Carter | Photo by Kirby Lee/ There are still several in-house Las Vegas free agents As we start the third week of NFL free agency, there are still several in-house Las Vegas Raiders free agents available. Now, seven unrestricted free agents have signed elsewhere in free agency. They are: Defensive tackle Bilal Nichols (Arizona Cardinals), running back Josh Jacobs (Green Bay Packers), tackle Jermaine Eluemunor (New York Giants), Austin Hooper (New England Patriots), cornerbacks Amik Robertson (Detroit Lions) and Tyler Hall (Philadelphia Eagles), tackle Brandon...

Pride Of Detroit

Open thread: Which Lions players will receive contract extensions this offseason?

Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK The Detroit Lions have been making signings and re-signings in free agency, but there’s another type of deal that could be around the corner: extensions. Which players on expiring deals could earn a new deal this offseason? General manager Brad Holmes has done a phenomenal job of building up the Detroit Lions roster, but 2024 will be the time his wise investments start to become costly. The Lions have a fair number of crucial players with contracts expiring after the 2024 season. Jared Goff found redemption with Detroit, but he has yet to...

Pride Of Detroit

Listing the probabilities the Lions will pick a player at each position

Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports The Detroit Lions could select many positions in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft. Which positions are in need of talent, and how will they be addressed? The 2024 NFL Draft is just around the corner and the Detroit Lions have a lot of potential routes to explore with their draft picks. From adding starting-caliber talent to depth across multiple positions, general manager Brad Holmes and his staff will look to turn the Lions into not just contenders, but champions. Free agency was part of the equation, and the draft is the next building...

Pride Of Detroit

Lions mock draft roundup 6.0: Big shifts following free agency moves

Photo by Kevin Sabitus/ Taking a closer look at the prospects from the 2024 NFL Draft that have been projected to the Detroit Lions after the first wave of free agency. If you’re not familiar with how the Detroit Lions roundup works, each week we collect data from the latest expert mock drafts published over the last seven days and compile them (with links to the original pieces) in one easy-to-access article. In addition to providing Lions fans with the names of prospects being paired with Detroit, we also provide commentary that points to trends, player fits, and...

Pride Of Detroit

Report:: Titans trading for Chiefs CB L’Jarius Sneed

Photo by Ryan Kang/ The Detroit Lions were reportedly interested in a trade for L’Jarius Sneed early in free agency, but the Pro Bowl cornerback is landing with the Tennessee Titans. One of the most popular ways Detroit Lions fans wanted the team to acquire a top-tier cornerback was to trade for Kansas City Chiefs cornerback L’Jarius Sneed—who the Chiefs made clear was on the market. There were even some rumors the Lions would make a push for Sneed. That will no longer be a possibility, as late Friday night, the Tennessee Titans came to an agreement with the...

Pride Of Detroit

Open thread: Which position should the Lions address next in free agency?

Photo by Michael Hickey/ Which remaining need of the Lions do you want addressed next? While the heavy lifting in NFL free agency may largely be over with, there are still plenty of quality players on the market capable of helping teams in the fall. For the Detroit Lions that certainly appears to be true—having already added the likes of defensive tackle DJ Reader, cornerback Carlton Davis III, defensive end Marcus Davenport, right guard Kevin Zeitler, as well as cornerback Amik Robertson. Looking up and down the Lions’ roster looks a lot different than it did a...

Pride Of Detroit

Former Lions WR Josh Reynolds taking free agent visit with AFC team

Photo by Greg Fiume/ Former Detroit Lions WR Josh Reynolds will have a free agency visit with the Baltimore Ravens this week. Unrestricted free agent wide receiver Josh Reynolds, who spent the last two and a half seasons with the Detroit Lions, will visit the Baltimore Ravens on Friday, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. This is the first publicly known interaction Reynolds has had with any NFL team during the 2024 free agency period, including the Lions. Reynolds joined the Lions halfway through the 2021 season after being claimed off waivers following his release...

Pride Of Detroit

How Ravens fans, analysts reacted to Lions signing Kevin Zeitler

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports A look at the immediate analysis and reactions from Baltimore Ravens fans when the Detroit Lions signed Kevin Zeitler in free agency. On Monday night, the Detroit Lions made an important free agency move to keep their biggest strength a strength. After allowing starting left guard Jonah Jackson leave in free agency on a monster $17 million a year deal, the Lions inked 34-year-old veteran guard Kevin Zeitler to a one-year deal reportedly worth $6 million. Zeitler, who made his first Pro Bowl last season, will slide in at right guard...

Big Blue View

NFL free agency: Giants continue trying to bolster offensive line depth

Matt Nelson (67) | Photo by Jamie Sabau/ Former Lions backup tackle Matt Nelson reportedly visits New York The New York Giants are apparently continuing their quest to add low-cost, veteran offensive linemen to provide depth. The Giants reportedly hosted former Detroit Lions offensive tackle Matt Nelson for a free agent visit on Thursday. Nelson, 28, played in 43 games with 14 starts for the Lions over the past four seasons. He has played 910 of his 1,071 career offensive snaps at right tackle and just snaps at left tackle. The rest of his snaps came while playing a...

Pride Of Detroit

Film breakdown: What the all-22 says about new Lions DT DJ Reader

Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Examining defensive tackle DJ Reader’s impact on the field during the 2023 season. Unfortunately for the rest of the NFL, the best run defense in the NFL in 2023 just improved in a big way. And yes, I am speaking both literally and figuratively. After a 2023 season where they were the number one ranked run defense in terms of DVOA, the Detroit Lions made a big splash in free agency by signing one of the most dominant interior defensive linemen in the league—DJ Reader. Reader was originally drafted back in 2016 by the...

Pride Of Detroit

Open thread: Which Lions' offseason acquisition will have the biggest on-field impact in 2024?

Cincinnati Enquirer-USA TODAY Sports After a busy couple of weeks from Brad Holmes and the front office, which move so far will have the biggest impact for the Lions this season? Heading into free agency, Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes had his work cut out for him with plenty of players to re-sign and holes to be filled. And now, after news of free agent guard Kevin Zeitler intending to sign with the Lions on a one-year deal, it appears that, at least on paper, all of the Lions’ major holes have been filled. All that remains is adding more depth in free...

Pride Of Detroit

Instant analysis of the Lions’ addition of Kevin Zeitler

Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Breaking down the Detroit Lions’ free agent addition of Kevin Zeitler and the rest of the NFC North moves over the past week. NFL free agency marches on. The Detroit Lions scored some key additions in the first week, and then quickly on Monday added Pro Bowler Kevin Zeitler to their offensive line. Over that past week, the Vikings and Bears also made changes to their quarterback position, changing the landscape of the division as the Lions prepare to look ahead to their 2024 campaign. On this episode of the Pride of Detroit...

Pride Of Detroit

Detroit Lions get widespread praise for Kevin Zeiter addition

Photo by Perry Knotts/ Both national and local analysts LOVE the Detroit Lions free agent addition of Kevin Zeitler. On Monday night, news broke that the Detroit Lions have agreed to terms with veteran guard Kevin Zeitler on a one-year deal. Zeitler will likely step into a starting position—almost certainly right guard—giving the Lions offensive line a potential starting five again after losing Jonah Jackson in free agency. Zeitler is a 12-year NFL veteran, meaning he brings a ton of experience to Detroit. In fact, according to Pro Football Reference, Zeitler’s...

Pride Of Detroit

Breaking down DJ Reader’s two-year deal with Detroit Lions

Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports DJ Reader’s contract details have been released, and as is typically the case, it’s more team friendly than what was originally reported. Late last week, the Detroit Lions made their biggest free agency splash of the offseason, inking defensive tackle DJ Reader to a contract that was originally reported as a two-year contract worth a maximum of $27.25 million. The details are now out for the Reader contract, and it should be more accurately described as a two-year, $22 million deal. Additionally, the Lions, again, used several void...

Turf Show Times

Are Rams headed toward an overwhelmingly defensive draft?

Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/ Rams offense significantly outweighs defense after Aaron Donald’s retirement The Los Angeles Rams say they knew Aaron Donald planned to retire shortly after their wildcard loss to the Detroit Lions. Still, they mainly focused on offense in the early going of free agency by signing LG Jonah Jackson and adding TE Colby Parkinson. On Friday they chose Jimmy Garoppolo as the backup QB to Matthew Stafford. CB Darius Williams was a relatively affordable signing that immediately upgrades LA’s cornerback room. More secondary help came via...

Pride Of Detroit

Open thread: Is there a move the Lions should have made in free agency?

Photo by Rey Del Rio/ Brad Holmes has made some solid moves so far during free agency. But is there a move you wish he had made? The first wave of free agency is over, and with it, many teams across the NFL have bolstered their rosters with aspirations of success. While the Detroit Lions have added talent in multiple ways, it is always worth comparing to the rest of the league. The big, multi-year contracts with hundreds of millions of dollars always dominate the headlines, as do the new faces in new places. The 2024 edition of free agency has not only seen NFL staples...

Pride Of Detroit

Free agency winners: 4 Lions who benefit from Week 1 moves

Photo by John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Breaking down Detroit Lions players who benefitted from the team’s moves in free agency so far. The Detroit Lions have made their initial moves in free agency, and the impact of their additions (and subtractions) will have a ripple effect across the roster. For example, the addition of a guy like DJ Reader is bound to have an impact on everyone else on the defensive line. Whereas, the loss of Jonah Jackson could have a negative impact on several players. But, for now, let’s focus on the positive. Here are four “winners”...

Pride Of Detroit

Open thread: What second-wave free agent player should the Lions sign?

Photo by Michael Hickey/ The Detroit Lions are entering wave two of free agency. Which player available would be best for the team? The first week of free agency is basically in the books, and the Detroit Lions had an active, but selective week of transactions... just as general manager Brad Holmes told us he would. From Monday through Saturday night, this has been Detroit’s complete scoreboard: Added: CB Carlton Davis CB Amik Robertson DT DJ Reader EDGE Marcus Davenport Re-signed: G Graham Glasgow OT Dan Skipper CB Khalil Dorsey LS Scott Daly WR Donovan...

Pride Of Detroit

Lions Mock Draft Roundup 4.0: How free agency impacts Detroit’s draft

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports Taking a closer look at the prospects from the 2024 NFL Draft that have been projected to the Detroit Lions after the first wave of free agency. If you’re not familiar with how the Detroit Lions roundup works, each week we collect data from the latest expert mock drafts published over the last seven days and compile them (with links to the original pieces) in one easy-to-access article. In addition to providing Lions fans with the names of prospects being paired with Detroit, we also provide commentary that points to trends, player fits, and...

Pride Of Detroit

Detroit Lions finally lose a player drafted by Brad Holmes to free agency

Photo by Scott W. Grau/Icon Sportswire via Detroit Lions GM Brad Holmes’ incredible drafting streak is coming to an end, losing his first of 23 draft picks to freea gency. Through three years, Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes accomplished something quietly remarkable. By the end of the 2023 season, every single Lions draft pick under Holmes—from 2021 to 2023—was still rostered by the team in some fashion. Of his 23 draft picks, 22 were still on the 53-man roster (or injured reserve) while one (Jermar Jefferson) was on the practice squad. That will...

Turf Show Times

Rams fans love signing of Jonah Jackson in free agency

Photo by Al Bello/ Rams Reacts: Fans give Jonah Jackson and Colby Parkinson signings their due grades The Los Angeles Rams handed out almost $150 million in new contracts this offseason and $99 million of that went to guards. The Rams gave Kevin Dotson a new deal before free agency, then signed former Lions guard Jonah Jackson to a three-year, $51 million contract to pry him away from Detroit. Rams fans have been begging the front office to beef up and load up the offensive line for years, usually through the draft, so Les Snead complied this time and paid up for Dotson...