DALIONKING

Can Dr.Ping bring jones back early?

2008-07-04T02:51:00.002-04:00

Dr. Ping has helped Kevin Jones get back in almost half the time that he was expected to get back. Jones does look good and looks healthy but for how long? How many times can one guy bounce back from injury? Yes, right now he lloks great and the reason is he has worked his butt off and put 100%faith in Dr.Ping.

read the article here: http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080704/SPORTS0101/807040304/1126

Rockies manager Hurdle thinks Lions can clear one in 2008

2008-07-04T02:50:00.002-04:00

Posted by Philip Zaroo | MLive.com July 01, 2008 15:02PM

Not many are predicting big things for the Detroit Lions in 2008, but Colorado Rockies manager Clint Hurdle sees some similarities between his 2007 World Series team and this year's Lions. Former MLive Tigers Insider Danny Knobler writes about it in The Knobler Blog at CBS Sports. Check it out here.

CBS Sportsline, June 27: "I felt the same way about the Rockies as I feel about the Lions, that they'd have their day, and then they'd be off and running," Hurdle said. "Rod and I talked about the common fabric of their '07 season and our '06 season. Because in '06, we were on top of the division after the All-Star break, and within a three-week period we had fallen to the bottom of the division."
...
"I told him we'd get together and share some of the lessons I think I learned from that ('06) season," Hurdle said. "You never know how close you really are."

Former Steelers backup RB Davenport eyeing Lions

2008-07-04T02:50:00.001-04:00

Posted by Philip Zaroo | MLive.com July 02, 2008 12:11PM
Categories: Free Agents
Free agent running back Najeh Davenport, who ran for 499 yards last year while filling in for Pittsburgh Steelers starter Willie Parker, told NFL Radio that he would like to be the Detroit Lions' power running back. The 2002 fourth-round draft pick of the Green Bay Packers listed the Arizona Cardinals as another team he's interested in.

NFLGridironGab.com, June 30: Another team that Davenport mentioned was Detroit, which looks like they still may be in the market for a back after attending the workout of the RB they dumped just recently, Kevin Jones, over the weekend. Davenport would fit their need for a "power back" well.

Caleb Campbell playing for more than his paycheck

2008-07-04T02:49:00.000-04:00

Posted by James Schmehl | MLive.com July 03, 2008 10:32AM

Caleb Campbell's NFL adventure is officially underway.
Campbell - the Detroit Lions' seventh-round draft pick - was one of 252 first-year players in California this week participating in the 2008 NFL Rookie Symposium - designed to teach rookies issues such as finances, family matters, keys to NFL success and life after football.

On Monday, Campbell teamed up with other NFL rookies for a game of flag football with more than 200 children from Camp Pendleton - the largest West Coast expeditionary training facility in the Marine Corps.

San Diego Union Tribune, July 3: "Being part of the military and knowing people overseas, I'm really grateful to be" connecting with the Camp Pendleton children, Campbell said.
Receiving the opportunity to participate in the NFL's symposium might mean more to Campbell than most of the other 251 rookies.

It might mean his life.

The former Army safety was spared having to serve in Iraq after he was selected by the Lions with the 208th overall pick in the final round.

But the 6-foot-2, 230 pound linebacker's impending tour of duty might not be dismissed - just yet. First and foremost, he must make Detroit's roster.

If he makes the Lions roster, Campbell said, he'll be allowed to serve part time as a recruiter in Detroit while he plays football. After two years, he'll have to choose between a career in the Army and the NFL.

Former Lions DT Rogers: I'm happy to be where I'm wanted

2008-07-04T02:48:00.001-04:00

Posted by Philip Zaroo | MLive.com July 03, 2008 10:50AM
Categories: Former Players
This just in from the Department of Selective Memory: While practicing with some inspiration for his new team – the Cleveland Browns – former Detroit Lions defensive tackle Shaun Rogers says he's gaining inspiration from playing for a team that wants him.

USA Today, July 2: Rogers, still beaming after signing a six-year contract worth $42 million, is vowing to make the most of his fresh start. He says of the Lions, "They weren't happy with my services at the time, and somebody welcomed me with open arms. And I'm just glad to be here."
Browns head coach Romeo Crennel says he sees a different big man than what the Lions apparently saw, and is happy with the acquisition so far.

"Shaun is a physical specimen. He's got good size, good strength. I think he'll be hard to handle one-on-one, which will force some double teams," the coach says. "His attitude has been good. He's been working. No problems, smile on his face."

Scouting Report: Jonathan Scott

2008-07-04T02:47:00.000-04:00

by Tom Kowalski
Friday July 04, 2008, 12:03 AM
JONATHAN SCOTT

2008 Scouting Report

If Scott could stay healthy, the former fifth-round draft pick might be considered a rarity -- a good late-round Detroit draft choice. Scott, who can play both tackle positions, is a solid player with good athleticism and agility, but he's got a heavy history of being injury prone.

In his rookie season, Scott started late in the year for the injured Barry Stokes. Scott started four games but then suffered a significant hip injury against the Cowboys in Week 16. Scott bounced back this season and moved back into the starting lineup for an ineffective George Foster.

After playing well in his first start, he suffered a hand injury that knocked him out of a couple of games. In his first game back, against the Packers in late November, he had a serious hamstring pull tear that sidelined him for the rest of the season.

With the Lions drafting Gosder Cherilus in the first round, Scott will be reduced to a backup role this season. Scott, though, has more upside than Foster in that role because Scott is smoother at handling speed rushers on the left side.

Scouting Report: Dwight Smith

2008-07-04T02:46:00.000-04:00

by Tom Kowalski
Thursday July 03, 2008, 12:04 AM

2008 Scouting Report

When Dwight Smith was first signed, it appeared to be as a backup safety to replace Kenoy Kennedy, but it seems more likely that Smith will be one of the starters and it'll be either Gerald Alexander or Daniel Bullocks who are battling for the other safety position.

Smith can still play at a high level and, like more NFL head coaches, Detroit's Rod Marinelli has more confidence in veterans - especially those who are well-versed in his Tampa Two system.

Smith will also bring some attitude to the secondary. The nine-year vet still has decent range and he's very savvy and won't hesitate to jump routes - but he rarely takes high-risk chances.

He can still make the big play from time to time. He had a 93-yard interception for a touchdown against the soon-to-be world champion New York Giants. Smith had another pick in that game for Minnesota, which whipped the Giants 41-17 in New York.

While the tandem of Bullocks and Alexander might be the future of the Lions at safety, it seems that future is at least one year away.

Scouting Report: Nick Harris

2008-07-04T02:45:00.000-04:00

by Tom Kowalski
Wednesday July 02, 2008, 12:01 AM
NICK HARRIS

2008 Scouting Report

Harris rebounded from a mediocre 2006 to have a very strong season last year. He had 26 punts inside the 20-yard line and only dropped five into the end zone. He also did a good job with his directional kicking, helping limit the damage done by Chicago's All-World Threat Devin Hester in two contests.

In his net punting average, Harris was just 36.4 - his lowest in the last three years. Most of that, though, was due to poor coverage teams overall - the Lions allowed 12.1 yards per punt return - the third-worst average in the league.

Harris ended the season on a high note: In the last five games, he dropped 13 punts inside the 20. Harris can still find himself on a roller-coaster from time to time but he's much more consistent than he was as a young kicker when he first joined the Lions midway through the 2003 season.

One of the most important jobs Harris has is his double duty as holder for kicker Jason Hanson. Harris, a very good all-around athlete, has great hands and does a good job of getting the ball in consistently the same position for Hanson.

Scouting Report: Brian Calhoun

2008-07-04T02:44:00.000-04:00

by Tom Kowalski
Tuesday July 01, 2008, 12:09 AM
BRIAN CALHOUN

2008 Scouting Report

Despite not showing much in his first two years because of the same knee injury, the coaching staff remains extremely high on Calhoun because of his speed and running ability. It should be noted, though, that the Lions still found it necessary to trade up in the third round and draft Kevin Smith.

That's not to say the team doesn't have a role for Calhoun.

The Lions see him as a third-down back who can put pressure on the outside and also a player who can contribute on special teams. Calhoun didn't get a lot of chances last year - he only played in four games and didn't appear 100 percent - but he still made some big plays in key situations.

The question is whether Calhoun can keep up that playmaking ability and whether he can stay healthy. At 5-10 and 208 pounds, he's solid but small and isn't going to break many tackles. On special teams, he has to play "bigger.'' He needs to do more than return kickoffs, which he did a decent job of number-wise, even though he doesn't appear to have a natural knack for that spot.

Calhoun, a former third-round pick, is going to have an interesting training camp. His draft status is going to help him, but it will only take him so far. Calhoun has to prove that he's 100 percent and that he can practice every day - and show more than just the flashes he's displayed in the past.

JONES HOPING TO BE A BUC?

2008-07-01T02:03:00.000-04:00

Posted by Mike Florio on June 30, 2008, 9:24 p.m.
Former Lions running back Kevin Jones is trying to get back into the league. And he could end up landing with a team that, on the surface, would seem to not really need his services.

Per Adam Schefter of NFL Network, Jones is seriously considering signing with Tampa.

But why in the hell would Jones be doing that? The Bucs just signed Earnest Graham to a three-year extension, and Warrick Dunn is back after a six-year detour to Atlanta.

Jones would have a hard time winning one of the top two spots on the depth chart in Tampa, and his chances of being one of the first two options would be much greater elsewhere.

Scouting Report: Ernie Sims

2008-06-30T10:25:00.000-04:00

by Tom Kowalski
Monday June 30, 2008, 12:06 AM
ERNIE SIMS

2008 Scouting Report

The question isn't whether Sims is going to turn into a Pro Bowl player, it's whether he'll survive to play in Hawaii. Sims has been everything the Lions were looking for when they made him the ninth overall pick two years ago and, if the Lions defense gets better, he'll finally get some national recognition for his talents.

However, the Lions defense has been so bad the last two years that they can't get off the field. While most of the other positions rotate, Sims is on the field for almost every play and it's wearing him out. The Lions' 32nd-ranked defense was on the field for 1,087 plays last season - almost two full games more than an above-average defense.

Sims, who has battled a sore shoulder late in the season for the last two years, gets himself into trouble because he's a violent hitter and never lets up. Sims has excellent speed, can go sideline-to-sideline, can either slip blockers or take them head on - regardless of their size - and he plays to the whistle.

While he's improving in his zone coverage drops and reactions, he still needs to improve in his one-on-one coverage skills.

Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher said that in the first year of the Tampa Two, players really have no idea what they're doing and then make a big jump in the second year. But, Urlacher has said, it's the third year that a player really gets comfortable in what he's doing. That's where Sims is headed now. He's been an impact player and he's going to get even better. His playmaking ability took a leap last year and that should continue.

(For the X's and O's folks -- In the Tampa Two, Sims is always positioned behind the "three technique'' tackle (which is usually Cory Redding). Sims will sometimes play on the right side or the left side - depending on whether the Lions are in an "over'' or "under'' front - but he always follows the under tackle in the formation.)

Brown looks forward to working with Cherilus during camp

2008-06-29T12:56:00.001-04:00

THURSDAY, JUNE 26

It is difficult for any rookie emerging into the NFL ranks and the Detroit Lions’ rookies are no different.

But Detroit’s first-round selection Gosder Cherilus will be lucky enough to have the help of an alumnus who has plenty of experience in a Lions’ uniform: former NFL offensive lineman Lomas Brown.

Brown on if he has talked with Cherilus: “Yeah, I talked with the big fellow. We had great conversation – a real delightful guy. I really like Gos, he seems like he has the right attitude. When we talked, he said all the right things and let me know he’s a hungry individual that wants to get better. Anytime you’ve got a guy that’s willing to listen and a guy that’s hungry, you can teach him everything else. That’s what I’m excited about him with.”

Brown spent a decade with the Lions and will take any excuse to get back around the team.

In 2005, he was a coaching intern with the team during training camp.

Brown in 2005: “I was nervous my first day. It felt like I was going to camp, my hands were sweating, I had a few butterflies in my stomach, but I think it was just the excitement of being around the guys again.”

This year, he will join the team for training camp with the intention of helping Cherilus who – as Brown described – will be ‘thrown into the fire.’

Brown: “I really do (enjoy teaching). Now, the coaching thing – the structured coaching thing – I can’t get a grasp around that. But doing what I’m doing (at different youth camps): I can come out, visit different schools, different kids, meet different coaches and everything – I can learn a lot of things and that’s what I like. And, of course, it keeps my Lions’ fix going now that I’ll probably be able to work with Gosder.”

So what are Brown’s impressions of the young, eager lineman?

Brown: “I (have seen him) out there at a practice. With any first-year guy – any first-year player – there’s going to be things you’ve got to work on. He’s got so much going through his head right now, he’s a little slow on the snap counts, but things like that you can teach, you can correct things like that.

“So, again, I’m glad he has the attitude that he has that he’s willing to learn and he wants to learn. I think he’s going to be pretty good. I’m thinking we’re probably going to throw him in there in the fire so we’re going to have to speed up this learning curve, too.”

Lions' third-round pick Kevin Smith loves football, fishing, Denzel and LeBron

2008-06-29T12:53:00.000-04:00

June 29, 2008

Kevin Smith was selected 64th overall by the Lions in this year's NFL draft. The Lions traded up to the first pick of the third round to take the 6-foot-1, 215-pound running back out of Central Florida. As a junior this past season, Smith rushed for 2,567 yards, falling 61 yards short of Barry Sanders' single-season NCAA record. Recently he chatted with Free Press special writer Jon Machota:

You have your own Web site. Who came up with the idea for www.ImKevinSmith.com? My marketing person met with a guy, and he wanted me to try it out and I did it. I didn't finish though. I'm a finisher, but I didn't get a chance to finish my Web site, man I've had so much to do. But it's been a great experience for me.

Are you going to keep the site up throughout your career? I think I am, but I'm going to switch it, though. It's not going to be I'm Kevin Smith. I'm going to do my own Web site. That was for him, so I'll probably do my own when I get established in Detroit.

On your Web site you ranked yourself as the best running back in this class of rookies. What sets you apart? I ran for 2,567 yards and 30 touchdowns. I led the nation in scoring and rushing. How are you better than me?

What's something you want to buy with your first NFL contract? I'll just get a house and a car. That's it. ... I got to wait a couple more contracts. This ain't a big splurging contract. This is just a settle in and live (contract).

On your Web site, you compared your season at Central Florida last year to what Denzel Washington was to the movie business that year. If there were a movie about you, would he play you? It would have to be Denzel. Denzel's the man. You look at all his movies, he's the man. You enjoy watching Denzel, you enjoy watching me.

Favorite Denzel movie? Probably "Training Day."

Coming from Florida, will it be difficult to adjust to the Michigan weather? In the winters I'll adjust, but I think we'll be (inside) during the winter. I'll adjust though.

Hobbies? I like to fish and I was just talking to Ernie (Sims) about collecting reptiles. He's got some reptiles. I like animals (and) pets. And cooking. Just chilling. When I'm not playing football, I like just being a regular human being and just relax and not even think about it. It's hard not to think about it. It is my job now.

Are you going to keep No. 34 or are you going to try and get back No. 24 like you wore in college? I'm going to keep it. It's my rookie number. This is what they gave me. I made 24, I'll make 34.

Kevin Jones wore that number last year and he was looked at as the running back of the future. Do you want to be looked at in the same way? The fans will see me for what I am. I don't want to make any promises and tell them I want to be that guy. You just end up being that person by the things you do on the field. The fans, I think they'll embrace me by my performance. I'm just going to do what I got to do, just play the game the way it's supposed to be played.

Who's been your biggest football influence? Definitely my mother (Pam). She's the one that kept me going. I think she wants to switch places with me. I think she wants to be in the NFL. She loves sports, especially football, especially watching her baby boy. My mother's always been there. I plan on making her proud.

What else makes her so special to you? She just taught me how to be a man. ... She showed me what it means to work hard and work for what you want.

Players you enjoyed watching when you were growing up? A lot of football players. Emmitt (Smith), Deion (Sanders), Dorsey Levens, Jamal Anderson, Ahman Green, Frank Gore, Willis McGahee, Reggie Bush when he was at USC.

Are you a fan of any other sports? Basketball. LeBron James fan for sure. LeBron James and (Michael Jordan fan).

So you're a Cavs fan even though Detroit could be their rival? It could, (but) I'm a LeBron fan. You can't take me away from LeBron.

So just how good can the Lions be in 2008?

2008-06-29T12:50:00.000-04:00

BY JEFF ZILLGITT AND NATE DAVIS • USA TODAY • June 28, 2008

The words spilled out of Jon Kitna's mouth last month just as easily as they did 11 months earlier, when the Detroit Lions quarterback predicted his team would reach double figures in wins during the 2007 season.

When the Lions defeated the Denver Broncos on Nov. 4 and improved to 6-2, they seemed on their way to a 10-win season for the first time since 1995.

But for a franchise with just 12 winning seasons in the past 40 years, a winning record was not in store for 2007. It was a lot of the same old Lions. Detroit lost seven of its final eight games, including six in a row, and finished 7-9.

But Kitna fearlessly reiterated his 10-win prediction for 2008 anyway.

"Our expectation is we will be disappointed if we don't win 10 games, because that will mean that we're not in the playoffs and that (stinks)," Kitna says. "I can't make it any simpler than that."

He isn't being bold just for the sake of it. Listen closer: "Anybody that says that's not their expectation level is unfortunately not very much of a competitor," he says.

He has a point. Who plans on an average or subpar year? At the same time, delivering on the field speaks more loudly than positive intentions. Kitna realizes that.

He will have to engineer 10 victories with a new offensive coordinator and new quarterbacks coach. Mike Martz and his pass-happy offense are gone, now with the San Francisco 49ers. Jim Colletto, a former head coach at Purdue and longtime college and pro assistant, enters his first year as an NFL offensive coordinator.

Scot Loeffler, a former University of Michigan quarterback, is in his first NFL job after six seasons as the Wolverines' quarterbacks coach. "It's really early, but he's very detailed, which is good for me because I like to know everything about a certain play or how we're doing something," Kitna says of Loeffler.

Unlike the Martz era, it won't be an air-it-out-at-all-costs system under Colletto, who wants to keep Kitna on his feet. He was sacked 114 times the past two seasons. While Detroit's passing game ranked ninth in 2007, its running game ranked 31st (80.5 yards a game). The Lions had seven games in which they rushed for fewer than 50 yards, including minus 18 at the Arizona Cardinals.

Colletto wants a consistent running game and doesn't want to rely on the pass. At the same time, he wants to give Kitna time to find his receivers. To that end, the Lions drafted tackle Gosder Cherilus in the first round — "I heard he's a mauler," Kitna says — and Central Florida tailback Kevin Smith, the second-leading single-season rusher in NCAA Division I-A history behind former Lions great Barry Sanders, in the third round.

An improved running game should free up talented wideouts Roy Williams and Calvin Johnson, who is ready for his second season after an injury-marred rookie year.

"This year, I know exactly what's happening with the offense," Johnson says. "I know what's going to go on in practice, and I know how to practice. We have a great locker-room situation. The chemistry's there."

Kitna enjoyed Martz's system but often was handcuffed at the line of scrimmage. He is expected to have more freedom to change plays this season.

"Obviously there's going to be more pressure on my position in terms of getting us into the right things at the line of scrimmage, whereas before coach Martz watched all the film and broke it down," Kitna says. "The pressure was on him to get us to the right play calls and to really be a step ahead of the defense.

"Now, it's going to be on me to be able to do that stuff at the line of scrimmage, and that counts for preparation during the week."

Defensively, Detroit is turning into the Tampa Bay Buccaneers North. Coach Rod Marinelli, defensive coordinator Joe Barry and defensive backs coach Jimmy Lake were all coaches with the Buccaneers before coming to Detroit. Now their former players are also migrating to the Motor City. And the Lions need the help. They gave up a league-worst 377.6 yards and 27.8 points a game in 2007.

Cornerback Brian Kelly spent 10 years in Tampa Bay before signing with the Lions. Safety Dwight Smith and defensive tackle Chuck Darby played for the Buccaneers from 2001 to 2004. They all have intimate knowledge of the Tampa 2 defense, a scheme based on fast players covering specific areas of the field.

"I want to shrink the width of this field. I want to narrow it with speed," Marinelli says. "The thing about speed is, when you have it, you have to be tough enough to use it all the time. That's the mental toughness."

The Lions could have six new starters on defense, including Kelly, Darby and Smith.

"I'm excited," Kelly says. "It's a lot of familiarity for me here. I've been watching the guys play for the last couple of years. There's a lot of similarities of what we do in Tampa and what they're doing here. It's a simple system … guys that believe in each other and know that this man is going to take care of his position and this guy is going to take care of his position."

Says defensive tackle Cory Redding: "Now, they just have to get familiar with us. They've been around the scheme, and they know exactly what to do. The experience is the big part. Putting the Tampa 2 system in a couple of years ago, everybody was trying to figure out where they're going to fit in, and it's tough at times.

"But you have to buy into the system because the system works."

Now, it's up to the Lions to translate ideas, schemes and words into victories — 10 of them for Kitna's sake.

AROUND THE FIELD IN DETROIT

• Quarterback: Jon Kitna, who will be 36 in September, has averaged 20 touchdown passes, 21 interceptions and more than 4,100 passing yards over the last two seasons. Expect those numbers to fall with former offensive coordinator Mike Martz gone. Drew Stanton or Dan Orlovsky could stake a claim as the quarterback of the future if Kitna falters.

• Running back: Kevin Smith ran for 2,567 yards and 29 touchdowns in 2007 at Central Florida. He'll have a golden opportunity to provide half that as a rookie. Tatum Bell returns, though he fell out of favor in 2007. Brian Calhoun will get a long look after two injury-marred seasons.

• Wide receiver: Calvin Johnson showed flashes of the potential that made him the second overall pick of the 2007 draft, but a back injury curtailed his production. Roy Williams figures to get his share of catches, but Mike Furrey and Shaun McDonald are looking at reduced roles in new offensive coordinator Jim Colletto's run-oriented system.

• Tight end: Michael Gaines signed as a free agent, joining a group that includes Dan Campbell, Casey FitzSimmons and Sean McHugh. Some might have to play H-back to earn more playing time.

• Offensive line: This unit surrendered 54 sacks and the run game produced a meager 80.5 yards a game. But that was under Martz, who often fielded four or five receivers. The linemen will be drive-blocking far more under Colletto, rather than playing on their heels. Left tackle Jeff Backus hasn't missed a game in his eight-year career. Rookie tackle Gosder Cherilus should help pave the way for the running game from the right side.

• Defensive line: On paper, this group is less formidable after occasionally dominant tackle Shaun Rogers was traded to the Cleveland Browns. Tackles Cory Redding and newly signed Chuck Darby will have to step up, and Shaun Cody must show something in his fourth year. Dewayne White, Jared DeVries and Ikaika Alama-Francis are the primary ends.

• Linebacker: Ernie Sims, fourth in the NFL in tackles last year, is emerging as a force on the weak side. But after Sims, there are a lot of questions. Paris Lenon and Alex Lewis are back, but expect rookie Jordon Dizon to quickly carve out a role. Fellow rookie Cliff Avril might also earn time on the strong side or up front.

• Secondary: The Lions ranked 31st against the pass in 2007. Leigh Bodden, acquired in the Rogers trade, becomes the team's best corner. Veteran Brian Kelly, imported from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, also should start. Dwight Smith should man one safety spot, and Daniel Bullocks, back from a knee injury, will try to reclaim the other job from second-year man Gerald Alexander.

• Special teams: Ever-reliable kicker Jason Hanson is back for his 17th season in Detroit. Nick Harris holds down the punting duties. The Lions could use more pop from the return game, and rookie Kenneth Moore might get an opportunity to shine here.

• Coaching staff: Rod Marinelli notched seven wins in his second season, the Lions' best showing since 2000, though their 1-7 second half was a bitter disappointment. A disciple of the Tampa 2 defense, he continues to stock the locker room with the type of high-effort, highly disciplined players he covets. The offense will look far different under Colletto.

• Outlook: If the defense improves to the middle of the pack and the offense adapts to its new approach, the Lions can certainly be in the playoff conversation amid a wide-open NFC. If nothing else, the retirement of Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre, long a Detroit nemesis, should help the Lions be more competitive in the NFC North.

Site ranks Lions 24th in the NFL

2008-06-29T12:49:00.001-04:00

June 27, 2008

The good news: There are eight NFL teams rated lower than the Lions by coldhardfootballfacts.com.

Of course, that makes the bad news pretty obvious. The Web site rates Detroit’s dubious achievers 24th among the league’s 32 teams, in terms of all-time performance.

There’s nothing cheesy about the Packers, though. The Web site places them tops in the league, followed by the Cowboys, the Giants, the Bears and the 49ers.

Curiously, the NFL's latest dynasty, the Patriots, are only No. 12.

The list is posted on insidebayarea.com.

Lions' first-round pick sentenced to probation, must pay $52,000 for bar brawl

2008-06-29T12:47:00.000-04:00

FREE PRESS STAFF AND NEWS SERVICES • June 26, 2008

Lions rookie offensive lineman and first-round pick Gosder Cherilus was ordered Wednesday to serve one year of pretrial probation for his role in a Boston bar brawl in which a patron was seriously injured, the Boston Globe reported.

Cherilus also was ordered to pay the victim $52,000 toward his medical bills.

Cherilus and teammate DeJuan Tribble, stars at Boston College, were celebrating Cherilus’ 23rd birthday with teammates at a bar last July when they intervened in a confrontation between a patron, Sean Maney, and a State Police sergeant, Joseph Boike, a part-owner of the place.

Maney testified in Boston Municipal Court that Cherilus grabbed him in a two-arm choke hold and dragged him across the room while Boike and Tribble repeatedly punched him, according to the Boston Globe. Maney testified that he and Cherilus slammed into a table, that he lapsed in and out of consciousness, that Cherilus and Tribble kicked him, and that he suffered a spinal injury that required surgery.

Boston Municipal Court Judge Paul K. Leary ordered the players to stay away from Maney and ruled that the charges against them would be dismissed if they abide by the court order and stay out of trouble for a year. Each was charged with one count of assault and battery and one count of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (a shod foot).

Leary issued the ruling after the players and Maney reached an agreement to resolve the case.

"The lesson I learned," Cherilus told the Globe, "is not to try to break up any more fights."

Maney also has filed a civil suit against Cherilus, Tribble, Boike, and The Greatest Bar.

This week, it was revealed rookie linebacker Jordon Dizon, the Lions’ second-round pick, was arrested six days before the NFL draft on suspicion of drunk driving, driving the wrong way on a one-way street and failure to provide insurance.

The Lions traded their 15th overall pick in the NFL draft to Kansas City, moved down to No. 17 and took Cherilus over the likes of Illinois running back Rashard Mendenhall and Pittsburgh offensive tackle Jeff Otah.

Cherilus has the football character coach Rod Marinelli wants and fills an immediate need. He is a big, tough, strong lineman with a mean streak who likely can step in and start at right tackle, a position that caused problems for the Lions last season.

"Is it a glamorous guy coming in? No," Marinelli said after the draft. "But for a coach, it is."

Marinelli visited with Cherilus at the Senior Bowl and in a predraft visit at team headquarters in Allen Park. He described Cherilus as "an extremely serious guy about what he does" and said he had a good gut feeling about him.

"I love football," Cherilus said. "I'm not the type who's going to be satisfied just getting the job done. I want to go after guys and be aggressive, let them know we're very good offensive linemen. We're aggressive. We're nasty."

2008-06-29T12:41:00.001-04:00

Vegas sets odds on Roy Williams hold out at 10:1
June 26, 2008

Steve Schrader's quick hits

• BetUS.com has set the odds at 10-1 that Roy Williams will hold out from training camp.

MY THOUGHTS
Wow, you really can bet on anything. I'll bet he doesnt hold out. If he was, why would he show up and practice? wouldnt we have heard something by now?

Why was Lions QB Jon Kitna using an Ohio State golf bag?

2008-06-29T12:37:00.001-04:00

BY CARLOS MONARREZ • FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER • June 26, 2008

Attention, Michigan Wolverines. Jon Kitna needs the help of your football team on Nov. 22.

That's when Michigan visits Ohio State. If the Wolverines lose their fifth straight to the Buckeyes, the Lions quarterback faces another year of scarlet-and-gray misery because his best friend will force him to use an OSU bag, as he did during his pro-am round.

"We have a standing bet every year on the Michigan-Ohio State game," Kitna said. "The loser has to carry the opposite bag for a whole year. So that bag's been with me for two years now.

"I keep having to answer the same question over and over. But at some point, when Michigan wins, he's going to have to carry that maize-and-blue bag, and it's going to be awesome."

Herman Moore: Lions can be contenders; Scott Mitchell was good enough for us to win

2008-06-29T12:34:00.001-04:00

FREE PRESS STAFF AND NEWS SERVICES • June 26, 2008

Former Lions wide receiver Herman Moore recently appeared on WDFN-AM (1130). Here's a portion of the interview:

When you look back on the career, obviously no Super Bowl we all know that history here in Detroit, was ‘91 your most fun year despite the Utley situation?

Moore: It was because it was the year I came into the league and it was fulfilling something that didn’t start out as a dream, but as I became better player and ended up going to college, once it became a reality, it was one of the highlights of my life, thus far, and also unfortunately there was some tragedy that had taken place with the Lions. It was a tremendous opportunity that was presented and I’m glad to have been a part of it.

You had some unbelievably successful seasons. You had the record for the catches in a year, that offense with you and Brett (Perriman) and Johnnie (Morton) and some running back named Barry. When you look back at it you guys were pretty good but you couldn’t get over that hump.

Moore: I can’t understand why. When you look at the other teams and the talent they had I think we just made very costly mistakes at critical times, throughout our career, and we were supposed to go to the next level and unfortunately we never quite got there. We definitely, without a doubt, had the talent. We had the individuals who were capable of allowing us to, really propelling us to the next level. Unfortunately for that era and that team we never quite did it and it’s unfortunate because if you look back at the players we had, we had some great players and we had some guys that were very dedicated and believed in what we were doing. That’s what happens, but you don’t live and regret. I look at the Lions right now they’ve had some very disappointing seasons over the last few years, but every year there’s optimism. I think they have a fairly good amount of talent especially in some key areas. If they can fill some voids and do it quickly I think they can be contenders.

Contenders this year?

Moore: I don’t know if they can be contenders this year they got off to a great start last year and had what was considered a collapse on the second half of the season. Once you have that feeling no matter how you got to 6-2, I think they’re going to be very hungry to get back to that point and to get off to a great start I think coach is going to do a great job motivating them, because they know what it feels like. They have that taste, once you get that, I think they needed that. Although they had the collapse I think it will be enough to get them off to a great start this year especially if the pieces will fall in place.

I know you had some good years with Scott Mitchell but do you think if you guys had a really good quarterback it would’ve made a difference?

Moore: A lot of people want to bash Scott; I will admit Scott and I are friends. Scott had some critical mistakes at the worst times that you could imagine, but I think he was good enough for us to win. I’ll use Rex Grossman as an example. Chicago, they did a tremendous job of putting an extraordinary defense out on the field, it propelled them, it allowed them to make the Super Bowl, unfortunately they had to have some offense to win the Super Bowl but they didn’t have that piece but you can get there. I think Scott Mitchell was a better quarterback than Rex. We had enough to get there, but unfortunately, once you get to the playoffs you don’t have a second chance. If you don’t win those games, which we were in the playoffs quite a few times during our tenure, we just unfortunately didn’t win any games; we didn’t win any of them.

Joey Harrington rated the worst QB in NFL history

2008-06-29T12:30:00.001-04:00

FREE PRESS STAFF AND NEWS SERVICES • June 25, 2008

Chase Stuart of Pro-football-reference.com recently updated his list of the worst NFL quarterbacks of all time. He originally created the list in 2006, but updated it to reflect recent stats. The list is made entirely off statistical evaluation. Here are the 10 QB's who topped the list:

1. Joey Harrington
2. Rick Mirer
3. David Carr
4. Ryan Leaf
5. Frank Tripucka
6. Mike Taliaferro
7. Gary Huff
8. Kim McQuilken
9. Alex Smith
10. Kent Nix

After the list, Stuart made this clarification about Harrington:

To be clear, Joey Harrington probably isn’t the worst quarterback of all time in an absolute sense. But in terms of being so far below average, but far enough above miserable to earn more playing time, Joey Harrington hurt his team more than any other QB in NFL history. If Harrington had been worse, he would have played less, and he wouldn’t have set back the teams he played on. To put it another way, if you had the choice of getting Joey Harrington for 2,538 attempts, or Roger Goodell for 9 attempts you would certainly choose Goodell. At least after he’s gone, your team has a chance.

Scouting Report: Sean McHugh

2008-06-29T12:27:00.000-04:00

by Tom Kowalski
Sunday June 29, 2008, 12:05 AM
SEAN MCHUGH

2008 Scouting Report

When discussing the running back position during the off-season, coordinator Jim Colletto said something interesting. He said the coaches still haven't decided whether it's going to be "three-three or four-two.'' What Colletto means is that they're not sure yet whether the Lions will keep three tailbacks and three fullbacks or four tailbacks and two fullbacks.

Here's where it gets interesting, especially for a guy like Sean McHugh, who is currently listed as a fullback and would likely be that No. 3 fullback. The reason the Lions would consider three fullbacks is because that guy would have to be versatile and play another position, too. And that fits McHugh, who could also play tight end.

However, that could also include tight ends Michael Gaines and Casey FitzSimmons, who are also taking some time at the fullback position.

McHugh is going to have to distinguish himself at fullback, where he fits the new blocking scheme because he can block with power on the inside but also has enough agility for the change-of-direction stuff they want on the fly. McHugh is a decent receiver, but that's not how he's going to make the roster. McHugh has to prove that he can be the most flexible and efficient between the two positions. He also needs to keep improving on special teams.

Lions attend Kevin Jones workout

2008-06-29T12:24:00.001-04:00

by The Associated Press
Saturday June 28, 2008, 8:48 PM

Saline — Kevin Jones went through a workout Saturday in Saline and four NFL teams watched the running back sprint and cut just five months after major knee surgery.

Dr. D.S. Ping -- who has been helping Jones rehabilitate his right knee -- said the Miami Dolphins, Green Bay Packers, Pittsburgh Steelers and Detroit Lions sent representatives.

The Cleveland Browns called, Ping said, and asked for a video of the workout

Jones did a shuttle run on wet grass in 4.3 seconds, ran around cones and caught passes.

"All the teams basically said they were amazed by what Kevin can do," Ping said.

The Lions cut their former first-round pick in March with one year left on his contract after he hurt his knee late last season, adding to the injury woes that have stunted his success in the league.

Jones missed the first two games last season recovering from a foot injury that also sidelined him for the last three games of 2006. He ran for at least 70 yards in five games, including a season-high 105, before hurting his knee Dec. 23 against the Chiefs.

A few months later, the Lions released him.

The franchise was interested enough, though, to send director of pro personnel Sheldon White about 45 minutes west of Detroit to witness the workout.

"Sheldon said what impressed him was Kevin's burst after standing still," Ping recalled. "He also liked how Kevin picked himself up and finished a drill when he slipped on the grass that was really slick because of a lot of rain."

Ron Hughes, the Steelers' college scouting coordinator, was also impressed.

"Ron told me he thought Kevin ran really well," Ping said.

Dr. James Andrews performed the surgery on Jones' right knee in January and told him it would take up to 10 months to get back on the field. Jones, though, expects to go through non-contact drills during training camp with the team that signs him.

"I honestly feel like I'm ready to play right now," Jones insisted earlier this month.

Jones has said New England, Chicago, Green Bay, Tennessee, Tampa Bay, Denver, Kansas City, Philadelphia, Buffalo and the New York Jets were among the teams showing interest in him.

Jones is vying for a job along with free agent running backs such as Shaun Alexander, Chris Henry, Ron Dayne and Cedric Benson.

He ran for 3,000-plus yards over four seasons in Detroit, including 1,133 yards as a rookie in 2004.

Scouting Report: Anthony Cannon

2008-06-29T12:18:00.000-04:00

by Tom Kowalski
Saturday June 28, 2008, 12:03 AM
ANTHONY CANNON

2008 Scouting Report

Cannon is going to be pressured this training camp by veteran Gilbert Gardner, who has a little bit more playing experience. The two players are competing for the backup weakside linebacker spot behind Ernie Sims.

Cannon hasn't gotten much playing time, but that's because Sims has been so durable in the first couple of years and hasn't given Cannon many opportunities. The Lions coaching staff remains high on Cannon, though, and likes his progress so far. Cannon has good speed and hits well but consistency remains an issue.

Cannon finished fifth on the team in special teams tackles despite missing five games early in the season with a hamstring injury. Essentially, that's where Cannon has to make his move in winning the backup job and, with the roster as tight as it's going to be, there's no guarantee the Lions are going to keep seven linebackers. Those preseason snaps - on defense as well as special teams - are going to be crucial in sizing up this competition.

Scouting Report: Shaun McDonald

2008-06-29T12:09:00.001-04:00

by Tom Kowalski
Friday June 27, 2008, 12:04 AM
SHAUN MCDONALD

2008 Scouting Report

While he won't top the career-high 79 catches that he had last season because of the change in offensive philosophy, McDonald is still Detroit's No. 3 receiver and should get a lot of looks on third down.

He had a reputation of a guy who wouldn't catch the ball in traffic over the middle, but he's clearly done away with that perception. McDonald doesn't have great speed, but he has very elusive quickness and led the Lions receivers in acquiring first downs last season.

McDonald has missed all of the off-season workouts after having minor knee surgery but he's expected to be completely healthy for the start of training camp.

While McDonald will be in the slot for almost all of Detroit's three-wide sets, he probably wouldn't replace Roy Williams or Calvin Johnson in the starting lineup if they miss any time. While Mike Furrey doesn't have McDonald's speed, he appears to be a better fit on the outside where he can do a better job of challenging cornerbacks for deep balls.

McDonald's value is on the inside where he does a good job of using his quickness and smarts to get open. McDonald has seen enough defenses to know where the soft zones are and he's good at exploiting them.

Gosder Cherilus sentenced to probation for role in 2007 bar brawl

2008-06-29T12:06:00.000-04:00

Posted by Justin Rogers | MLive.com June 26, 2008 13:07PM
Categories: Statewide
Detroit Lions' first round draft pick, Gosder Cherilus, has been ordered to serve one year of probation, and was fined $52,000, for his role in a 2007 bar brawl. Sean Maney, the victim in the case, suffered a broken neck during the altercation.

June 26, Boston Globe: Maney, 29, a software engineer from Watertown, testified in a preliminary hearing that Cherilus grabbed him in a choke hold and dragged him across a dance floor before they crashed into a table. Maney said Cherilus and Tribble punched and kicked him while he lay on the ground.
"I thought I was going to die up there that night," he testified.

Cherilus, a 6-foot-7-inch, 314-pound offensive tackle who was selected 17th overall by the Detroit Lions, said in a Globe interview soon after the incident that he did not harm Maney and was acting solely as a peacemaker. Tribble, a 5-9, 190-pound cornerback who was drafted in the sixth round by the San Diego Chargers, also told the Globe he did nothing wrong.

"The lesson I learned," Cherilus said last year, "is not to try to break up any more fights."

Scouting Report: Aveion Cason

2008-06-29T12:04:00.000-04:00

by Tom Kowalski
Thursday June 26, 2008, 12:03 AM
AVEION CASON

2008 Scouting Report

In breaking down Aveion Cason, there is nothing that he does with great productivity, but there are a lot of things which he does efficiently and that's why he always seems to find his way onto a roster. Cason has played seven years in the NFL but only has five career starts.

Cason has enough speed to run the ball, he's quick and smart and can be a good receiver out of the backfield, he can cover on special teams and he can also return kickoffs.

Cason might find it hard to land a spot on Detroit's roster this season for two reasons: There is a lot of competition at that spot (with players who share much of the same versatility) and coordinator Mike Martz is no longer in town. Cason, who played for Martz in St. Louis, had an advantage over other backs because of his knowledge of the system. Cason, though, doesn't have that edge anymore.

Still, Cason has three factors working in his favor and they are, in order, experience, versatility and speed. Tatum Bell is fast, too, but he doesn't have Cason's versatility. Brian Calhoun is fast, too, but he doesn't have Cason's experience or dependability. But, because Cason doesn't have that one big skill that he can hang his hat on, he'll always be expendable.

If Cason doesn't make the 53-man roster, though, don't write him off. Cason never seems to have as much value on the final cutdown date as he does when the games actually begin and coaches begin scrambling for versatile guys who have done it before.

Lions bagging aerial circus for blue-collar offensive approach

2008-06-25T11:03:00.001-04:00

By Kevin Seifert
ESPN.com
Updated: June 24, 2008

Lions coach Rod Marinelli, left, is hoping a simple approach (solid defense combined with a grind-it-out running game) translates into enough victories to make a playoff run in 2008.

The feeling in Detroit is that coach Rod Marinelli finally has collected a group of core players who espouse his blue-collar, hard-working attitude. Whether that revelation will translate into more victories in 2008 is a matter for debate.

Marinelli will implement a simplified offense and is bringing at least five new defensive starters with him to training camp. Although it is hard to judge actual progress before contact drills begin in training camp, multiple players noted a more positive atmosphere during practices this spring.

What we learned in minicamp

After firing offensive coordinator Mike Martz and promoting offensive line coach Jim Colletto, the Lions are following through on their plan to emphasize the running game. Colletto is installing a new zone-blocking scheme, which gives linemen an area of responsibility rather than a specific player.

NFL.com Video

Lions head coach Rod Marinelli says he likes the attitude of his young players.

Such transitions take time, and it's only fair to assume that the Lions' offensive line will be a work in progress during training camp. Detroit has the veterans necessary to make this style work -- especially on the left side with tackle Jeff Backus and guard Edwin Mulitalo. Rookie right tackle Gosder Cherilus faces a stiff learning curve, but the Lions plan to throw him into the starting lineup immediately.

On the flip side, Colletto gave players far less verbiage to worry about during spring practices. Martz's playbook has been pared down considerably, and Colletto is emphasizing quality over quantity. Repetition was a key area of emphasis during minicamp.

Marinelli also appears to have added some stability to his defense by signing several players -- including cornerback Brian Kelly and safety Dwight Smith -- who have experience in his Tampa 2 scheme.

Still unresolved

We all know the Lions want to run the ball more this season. But after the departures ofveterans Kevin Jones and T.J. Duckett, can you name the remaining members of the Lions' backfield? If so, congratulations. It's no easy task.

For now, veteran Tatum Bell has been penciled in as the starting tailback, based on his success in a zone-blocking scheme while playing in Denver. But it wouldn't be a surprise to see rookie Kevin Smith -- a third-round pick from Central Florida -- emerge as a candidate for the starting job during training camp.

Smith has the kind of warrior mentality that appeals to Marinelli. Smith refers to his offseason workouts as building "armor" for the season and is proud of his physical style -- one that would fit well into the ball-control offense Marinelli is envisioning.

In addition to Smith and Bell, another candidate for the job is Brian Calhoun, a former third-round pick who has struggled with knee injuries.

Injury analysis

Two key defensive players -- linebacker Ernie Sims and defensive lineman Cory Redding -- had arthroscopic shoulder surgery during the offseason and didn't spend much time on the practice field in minicamp. The Lions downplayed their surgeries, calling them cleanup procedures, and said both players would be ready for training camp.

Sims is one of the team's best players and occupies the premier playmaking position in this defense at weakside linebacker. He hasn't missed a game in two seasons with the Lions and it would be a serious blow if he loses playing time.

Time for stepping up

Although the Lions want to re-emphasize the running game, much of their personnel remains geared toward Martz's passing offense. Potentially, the Lions could have one of the league's best receiving duos in Roy Williams and Calvin Johnson.

Lions fans sometimes are frustrated with Williams' inconsistency, and there were rumors that Detroit considered trading him before the draft. But it appears Williams will go to training camp with the Lions, and in reality, the bigger issue facing the team's passing offense is Johnson's development.

Considered a can't-miss prospect, Johnson had a relatively quiet rookie season in 2007. He caught 48 passes but is convinced that a back injury limited his progress for most of the year.

Johnson has been healthy this spring and is determined to give the Lions the kind of downfield playmaker they thought he would be when they drafted him. The Lions' scaled-back playbook could benefit Johnson as much as anyone, and he said during spring practices that he felt far more comfortable in the offense.

Training camp start date: July 23

Scouting Report: Cory Redding

2008-06-25T02:28:00.000-04:00

by Tom Kowalski
Wednesday June 25, 2008, 12:06 AM
CORY REDDING

2008 Scouting Report

Redding is coming off two seasons that couldn't be more different. In 2006, after being moved from defensive end to the "three technique'' tackle position, he prospered in the 11 starts at this new position. He had eight sacks and no tackle in the game had more. Redding was very active, disruptive and showed up on film everywhere.

Last year, after a rough off-season with the franchise tag, Redding was mediocre. He showed flashes, but that sustained brilliance was missing and he recorded just one sack.

There is a temptation to believe that once Redding got the big money, he no longer had the hunger or drive and that his game reflected it. Knowing Redding's core values, though, that isn't likely to be the case. The contract stuff did affect him, but it did so in terms of off-season workouts (which he missed) and his attitude (which was a little bitter at the start).

Redding still has the motivation to be one of the best at the position and, interestingly, the loss of fellow tackle Shaun Rogers shouldn't hurt him. It doesn't really make sense from a logical standpoint, but the numbers don't lie - Redding was much more effective when Rogers was out of the game.

This year, Redding will most likely be lining up with veteran Chuck Darby, a solid run defender who isn't going to draw a lot of double-teams. But getting doubled didn't limit Redding in 2006 when he turned in his monster year. If the Lions are going to get any production out of their defensive line this year, Redding knows it has to start with him in the middle. He has to use that quick first step and his massive strength to collapse the middle and give his outside rushers a chance to get to the quarterback.

(By the way, the "three technique'' tackle means that he lines up on the outside shoulder of the guard (between the guard and tackle) -- regardless of whether he's on the strong or weak side of the formation. The nose tackle lines up at the "one'' -- which means he's positioned over the center's shoulder.)

Report: Lions rookie LB Dizon charged with DUI

2008-06-25T02:27:00.000-04:00

Posted by Philip Zaroo | MLive.com June 24, 2008 10:49AM
Categories: Breaking News, Statewide

Mike Itchue | MLive.com
The Daily Camera reports that rookie LB Jordon Dizon was arrested in Boulder, Colo. six days before the Detroit Lions made him their second-round draft pick.Jordon Dizon, the Detroit Lions' rookie linebacker from Colorado, is being charged with a DUI in Boulder, according to the Daily Camera. The 22-year-old was arrested on April 20 – six days before being drafted by the Lions in the second round – for driving the wrong way down a one-way street, and reportedly had a blood-alcohol level of .097 (.08 is the legal limit).

Though he told the newspaper he regrets the incident, Dizon has plead not guilty and directed all questions to his attorney, Peter Schaffer.

Daily Camera, June 23: "I was very polite to the officer. I did everything he asked me to and I acted like a man," Dizon said. "It's a bad situation and I'm sorry that it happened."
According to Boulder police records, officers found Dizon parked facing south on northbound 13th Street, near Walnut Street, at 2 a.m. April 20. Police officers said Dizon was cooperative and told them he had only stopped briefly to pick up a friend.

Police observed the smell of alcohol on Dizon's breath and asked him to consent to voluntary roadside tests, according to the report. Dizon admitted to drinking two margaritas earlier in the evening, according to police records.

Schaffer said his client passed a breathalyzer test, but there is no mention in the arrest report of such a test being administered.

Officers arrested Dizon and he later consented to a blood test.

Scouting Report: Edwin Mulitalo

2008-06-25T02:25:00.000-04:00

by Tom Kowalski
Tuesday June 24, 2008, 12:02 AM
EDWIN MULITALO

2008 Scouting Report

When the Lions signed Mulitalo as a free agent last season, they did so because they wanted to add more bulk and muscle at the left guard position. It's going to be interesting to see how Mulitalo adapts to Detroit's new zone-blocking scheme that puts a premium on movement and agility.

Mulitalo has had those skills in the past - it's not the strength of his game, but he can do it. The big question, though, is whether he's still good enough and agile enough entering his 10th NFL season. Regardless, don't expect Mulitalo to be in jeopardy of losing his starting position.

Remember, coordinator Jim Colletto coached him when they were with the Ravens so Colletto has a very good idea of what he can do on the run and the scheme will reflect that.

A better run blocker than pass protector, Mulitalo sometimes has issues with stunts and games, but he's very difficult to bullrush. He can be beat with a quick first step, but if he recovers and gets his hands up, he can be tough against a counter move.

Perhaps the best thing about Mulitalo is that he brings some stability to a position that has been a revolving door for the last six or seven years. While Mulitalo might not be the perfect fit at this point, he's definitely good enough to win with and and he's another guy who adds some attitude and toughness to the team.

Shaq is just too funny

2008-06-24T03:31:00.001-04:00

Still Going Strong

2008-06-23T01:20:00.001-04:00

As the Franchise Celebrates 75 Seasons, Hanson Remains a Key Piece to the Puzzle
By Chrissie Wywrot
Detroitlions.com
June 20, 2008

Hanson was part of the press conference announcing the franchise celebration of 75 seasons. (Photo: G. Smith)

ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- Though he is entering his 17th NFL season, Jason Hanson doesn’t feel his strength is diminishing.

He still has all of the physical ability to get his job done and is therefore looking forward to just another year of Lions’ football.

But while this may feel like just another year for Hanson, this is a special year for the Detroit Lions franchise as it looks to celebrate it’s 75th season.

“Detroit has a lot of history,” said Hanson. “I think, lately with us not doing well, it gets lost that there’s a lot of history with the team and some of the best players that have ever played the game have played for the Detroit Lions.

“I think it’s neat for these new guys and for the community – for everybody – with the 75th season to remember that there’s been a lot of great things about the Lions and a lot of great players.”

One of the ways the franchise will honor those great players is through the naming of a 75th Season All-Time Team. A committee has been named and fans will vote both online and via paper ballot to piece together who will be on that team.

As one of the greatest kickers in Lions’ history, Hanson is naturally on the ballot.

“It’s always been one of the great blessings of my career to be in Detroit for my whole career,” said Hanson. “(To be on the ballot is) special, (but) there’s been great kickers with the Lions. You just do your job.

“But to kind of be the ‘old man’ now, as guys joke, is kind of cool in the sense that I’ve been with the Lions for my whole career.”

Hanson is the leading scorer in franchise history with 1,659 points and holds all of the team’s kicking records.

Even after 16 years of NFL football, Hanson still gets nervous before big kicks. He alleviates that pressure by staying in the game by constantly kicking on the sideline. (Photo: G. Smith)

So, as he heads into his 17th NFL season, the question is: how does he remain so consistent?

“I have a routine and I stay on the sideline and try to always stay in the game,” he said. “I don’t do very well sitting on the bench, putting a hat on and then standing up a few minutes before I kick and getting loose. I get more nervous that way – I kind of have to stay into it.”

Hanson gets nervous?

It’s hard to believe such a seasoned vet who has shown such cool, calm consistency over the years could actually get nervous, but it is a reality of the position.

“My base personality isn’t like, ‘oh, this is no big deal,’ or ‘this is going to go in.’ It’s like, ‘oh, man, this is big,’ or ‘I’ve made them all week but what if I miss this one?’” said Hanson. “You have to have the discipline of learning how to, in the big moments, at least do what you’ve always done. Then the best part is actually gaining control of it and having your best focus.”

Through all his years of kicking, Hanson still considers himself learning how to do it well.

“There are times I’ve done it real well and there’s times (I haven’t),” he said. “And (doing) that doesn’t guarantee you perfection. It’s not as if trying real hard would guarantee I never miss.

“But obviously if you make most of them and people are surprised when you miss, it’s because you’re able to – in the big moments – at least do that. Focus in and do what you’ve always done.”

Throughout the past 16 years, Hanson has one of the steadiest legs in the NFL, but he doesn’t evaluate his season based on kicking percentage.

He actually looks at what he was able to do in the big moments to determine whether or not he had a good season. Last year – as Detroit fought for a playoff berth – Hanson would consider his season okay, but not one of his best.

“Statistically (it was) fine,” he said. “But overall, it was real disappointing in the sense that there were a couple kicks that I missed that were crucial kicks and that’s what I work for and those are the moments (the team wants) me to come through.

Being around as long as he has, Hanson sees the loyalty of Lions' fans and is hoping to be part of delivering them a winner in 2008. (Photo: G. Smith)

“One time I got another chance against Minnesota and made it. But then against Dallas missed one with six minutes left. It was a huge kick and didn’t come through. Those things are major disappointments and there’s no real physical way to train for them, it’s just the matter of coming back mentally and being ready to get it done.”

Hanson has never been one to shy away from the realities of the team. He knows things haven’t been the way fans would like them to be in recent years, but he sees the possibility of change on the horizon.

“It’s got to be different,” he said. “We say it every year, but I think we’re just building and building and building. We hit bottom and we’re on our way out. (Heading into this year), we kept a lot of the guys that I think help us win and that are great locker room guys. We’ve added some talent.

“It should just get better. There are no excuses for it not to.”

Throughout his lengthy career, one thing Hanson has seen consistently is the loyalty of the fans.

He has seen ups and downs from a team standpoint but, through it all, the Lions’ faithful have remained.

“They’ve been great fans and you wish you had a product that matched their support,” said Hanson. “I think it’s coming, but they really are – they’ve got to be – some of the best, if not the best fans.”

As the most-tenured veteran in the locker room, Hanson will often remind his teammates what it will be like when they realize success the way they are hoping to this season.

“I keep telling the guys in the locker room that if we ever could start winning and getting it done like we’re supposed to, this town would be unbelievable,” said Hanson. “I remember some games at the Silverdome when we were playing well and you had 80,000 people going crazy. At Ford Field we’ve just had a taste of it a couple times, but it could just be amazing. I’d love to see it start to happen.”

Lion Hall of famer: On the Lions next season, Matt Millen and the team's losing

2008-06-23T01:18:00.000-04:00

culture
June 22, 2008

Hall of Famer Lem Barney discusses the Lions:

Can the Lions win next season? I think the Lions can. Every man during every play has to give their all. And everybody has to stay healthy. Last year they were pretty rattled in the secondary.

What is your opinion of Matt Millen? Hey, that's not a fair question. You are going to get me in trouble. It's hard for me to say. I will be a Lion the rest of my life.

But? I think he has the capability to be a good general manager. He's just had some ups and downs. ... You can't just blame Matt. Players have to want to win, too. You have to be hungry enough. Look at what Boston did -- (the Celtics) were hungry. One guy can't do it by himself. That's why it's called a TEAM. Together ... everyone ... accomplishes more.

What areas of the team do you like or dislike? Receiver positions have been pretty good. Running game needs some work. So does the protection of the quarterback. Jon Kitna is a pretty good quarterback. But he needs time.

Is there a losing culture inside Allen Park? Is there even such a thing? No. And no. All behavior is learned. Winning behavior is learned. Losing behavior is learned. It just takes a concerted effort. From every man. Study the game plan.

Predictions for 2008? I think they can be better than .500 ball. They were on track last year. Then injuries. Then a letdown.

Lions Hall of Famer rebounds from poor choices, preaches hope, optimism

2008-06-23T01:17:00.001-04:00

BY SHAWN WINDSOR • FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER • June 22, 2008

The stranger shot Lem Barney a glance as soon as he walked through the front door. It was around dinnertime in the lobby of the Southfield Police station on a recent Wednesday night, and quiet.

Barney noticed the stare instantly.

The Hall of Famer was sitting in the station lobby waiting to head upstairs to the jail, where a dozen or so inmates would be gathering to hear him offer a chance at salvation.

"Sorry to stare so long when I came in," the stranger stammered, "but you looked familiar. I was trying to figure out who you were."

"Lem Barney," he announced emphatically.

"The football player?"

"YES, SIR!"

"Nice to meet you."

And they shook hands.

Within seconds, Barney welcomed the stranger into his embrace, introducing him to Rick Gibson, Barney's colleague from Hope United Methodist in Southfield who was at the jail to help Barney preach to the inmates, introducing him to the reporter tagging along, to his repertoire of high-wattage grins and sing-song cadence and his endless supply of aphorisms:

" 'It's nice to be important,' my momma always told me, 'but it's more important to be nice.' "

In Barney's world, everybody is a "brother, man" or a "sister, man." In Barney's world, everything is "beautiful, man" and everyone is "blessed, man." In Barney's world, loving dogs means you're adept at animal husbandry and watering plants means you're a horticulturist and enjoying a little weed doesn't mean "you were sitting and smoking all of Jamaica, man."

In Barney's world, his parents weren't cooks.

"They were culinary scientists," he says.

And they raised him to believe that Joy stands for "Jesus, oh, yes!" -- even if he lost sight of that for a while.

"I took right turns when I should have turned left, and I kept going straight when I should have turned around," he said. "But I thank God for saving an old wretch like me."

This is why he was at the Southfield Police station, and why a group of inmates were willing to listen to this impeccably dressed, 62-year-old former Lion and Hall of Fame player. A man who survived a plunge into the sins of the celebrity life before pulling himself from the muck. Were it not for the gray on the side of his head, you could easily imagine him taking the field again, blanketing the secondary and giving quarterbacks nightmares.

Still, despite his street cred and his charisma and the book he is carrying under his arm -- "God's Game Plan, The Athlete's Bible" -- the first question of the night is about something more pressing.

"So," an inmate asked as the prisoners were taking their seats in the mess hall, "are the Lions going to win this year?"

"I think they are going to win it all this year, man," Barney replied.

Then he paused.

"Nah, man, I'm kidding. I'm giving you hope."

Hope is Barney's business these days. And he spreads it wherever his days take him. To churches. To Coney Island restaurants. To better-dad conventions. To schools. And to prisons.

For those efforts, he recently was named a recipient of the Brown Bomber jacket -- given in Joe Louis' name to those who show commitment to community involvement and working with youth. He will be honored today at Cobo Center.

The honor comes 41 years after Barney arrived in Detroit, fresh from Mississippi. The city was smoldering then. "I moved here three days after the riots," he said.

In between, Barney turned himself into an icon, made choices that chipped away at that status, and eventually threw himself into the most challenging scrum he has ever faced: the battle to save souls.

His game plan is simple.

"I'm just being Lem Barney," he said.

Pray. Read the Bible. Work out.

Barney, Weger form unlikely duet
The Lions took Barney with their second-round draft choice in 1967. He'd played at Jackson State, the same small Mississippi school that later produced Walter Payton. Barney had come up in a poor but strict and religious home.

"But we never went hungry," he said.

He was fast and quick and possessed great balance, traits that allowed him to take great risks on the field as a cornerback.

On the field, he fit in immediately. In his first game, he intercepted the first pass Green Bay legend Bart Starr threw his way. He returned it 24 yards for a touchdown. In his last game of his rookie year, he had three picks in one quarter against the Minnesota Vikings. He was named defensive rookie of the year.

Off the field, his all-out mentality in practice irritated the veterans. And when it was time to go out with the boys to the bar, he usually ended up eating ice cream with fellow rookie Mike Weger.

Weger and Barney broke ranks in more substantial ways, too. Weger had grown up in Oklahoma before moving to Ohio. But one day in camp, he started singing an old blues song that stopped Barney in his tracks.

"Where did you hear that?" he demanded.

"On the radio," Weger replied, sheepishly.

"No white guys know that music!"

From that moment, they began singing together. In the locker room. On the bus. On the sideline during practice. They became one of the most formidable left sides in the defensive backfield in football -- Weger was a safety. They even joined the Navy Reserve together.

The two asked the Lions if they could room together on the road.

"And that just wasn't done in those days," Weger said. "I can remember stories of teams cutting black players just because a team had an odd number of black guys on the road. They would rather cut him than put him with a white guy."

Said Barney: "We broke a barrier. We were the first black and white roommates in the NFL."

Still, the arrangement lasted only two years. As Barney's fame rose, so did the pressure on him from black activists, some of whom didn't appreciate his rooming with a white guy.

"It was tough on Lem," Weger said. "He was just a fun-loving guy."

Around the same time, Barney started hanging out with the Motown guys. In 1970, he introduced himself to Marvin Gaye by knocking on his front door in Palmer Park.

The next year, the two were traveling the country in a Winnebago, and Barney was singing backup on Gaye's classic, "What's Going On."

"Those were the days, man," Barney said.

He'd smoked his first joint with Gaye. It opened an enticing but daunting world.

"It was the times," said Mel Farr, the running back who roomed with Barney after Weger. "A lot of 'Let's make love, not war.' Get a little high, etc. Some guys took it further than others.' "

Barney went on to appear in "Paper Lion," the movie version of George Plimpton's book about the team. He also made "The Black Six," a motorcycle flick about returning veterans from Vietnam.

The script had a plot that called for trouble. In some ways, it foreshadowed his own life.

From Lions to MichCon to pulpit
Barney retired in 1977, after 11 seasons, seven Pro Bowls, 56 interceptions and 11 touchdowns. He went to work for MichCon. His job was community relations, or, in other words, to be Lem Barney.

During this time, Weger lost touch with him.

"I'd heard through the grapevine that Lem was struggling with drugs and women and money," Weger said.

In March 1993, Barney hit bottom. In a MichCon company car heading south on I-75, he smashed into a ramp. The cops found four roaches (marijuana butts) and cocaine. Barney blamed hitchhikers. He told the court they had left the paraphernalia in his car while he'd run inside a gas station.

A year later, he beat the case. But it came with a price. MichCon fired him. Maybe worse, he'd broken the one rule his father had laid down all those years ago.

"Whatever you do," Lemuel Barney told his son, "don't taint the family name."

Only a year before, he'd been elected to the Hall of Fame after being eligible for seven years. (Many, including Weger, thought he wasn't voted in earlier because of questions about his lifestyle in the 1970s and '80s.)

The public embarrassment that followed cost him his job and his name. Farr stepped in and gave him a job at one of his auto dealerships. That lasted until 2002, when Farr was forced to sell his dealerships because of predatory lending practices. Barney distanced himself from his friend.

"He didn't want his name tainted again," Weger said. "It was too bad. By then, Lem couldn't tolerate it. He was so far along in his change of character that he walked away."

After the bust, Barney had reached out to Weger.

"He called me out of the blue and said, 'I (screwed) up.' I told him I never stopped believing he was a good person. And he went about changing his life around."

After leaving Farr, Barney became a lay minister at his church, Hope United. He was preaching.

"He was so proud," Weger said.

These days, preaching fills his calendar, either the gospel of Jesus, or the gospel of Lem.

Sinai Grace Hospital hired him to work in community relations, to be himself, to shake hands and smile just as he used to do with MichCon.

He has reconnected with old friends -- Farr was slated to present Barney with his Brown Bomber jacket. He has remarried -- he divorced his first wife in 1999. He has reconnected with the Lions.

"He's our go-to guy," said Tim Pendell, the team's director of community relations. "Yeah, he's had his ups and downs. But he's one of the finest, warmest, most genuine people I've ever met."

And he's singing with his former roommate again. On any given day, Barney might get a call from Weger.

"And I will start singing," he said.

"And I will jump right in," Barney added.

And the voices ride a telephonic wave around metro Detroit, a couple of guys making music as if it were 1967 all over again.

Scouting Reports: Don Muhlbach and Kenneth Moore

2008-06-23T01:15:00.001-04:00

by Tom Kowalski
Monday June 23, 2008, 12:04 AM
DON MUHLBACH

2008 Scouting Report

A very reliable longsnapper who is going to make the squad on that talent alone. In the past, the Lions have attempted him to put him at other positions - like linebacker and tight end - but they've finally come to the conclusion that he's not cut out for any other role.

That doesn't mean that Muhlbach isn't a good athlete. In addition to tight and timely snaps, he does a good job of blocking and also getting downfield in coverage. Muhlbach is still under a long-term contract and, because there won't be any significant competition at training camp, he's one of those players who already has a roster spot nailed down.

KENNETH MOORE

2008 Scouting Report

Detroit's fifth-round pick was drafted because he's been dependable in games, has decent speed, excellent hands and has some return skills. While Moore was very productive as a receiver - he caught almost everything thrown his way - most of his catches were on short routes and quick throws. That won't hurt him much in Detroit, which plans on using more of that scheme this season.

Moore, though, will have to win the No. 5 receiver position with his work on special teams. The problem is that he doesn't have great speed - he's been timed at 4.5 in the 40 - so he's not a big threat to go the distance.

Because he's got good hands, though, Moore will be dependable on returns and if he shows a knack for making the first guy miss and getting extra yardage, he'll have a shot to make the club.

Scouting Report: Devale Ellis

2008-06-23T01:13:00.001-04:00

by Tom Kowalski
Sunday June 22, 2008, 12:06 AM
DEVALE ELLIS

2008 Scouting Report

Because of a knee injury that sidelined him for the entire 2007 season, Ellis has kind of drifted into no-man's land, but watch out for this kid. Ellis has a great deal of speed and he should be a factor in the special teams competition.

The Lions are looking for that No. 5 receiver who can return punts and kickoffs and can also be effective in coverage, especially at the hawk position. Ellis only had a few shots during the 2006 season but he showed that he could do those things.

Ellis had just four punt returns that year, but popped one for 48 yards and, on his six kickoff returns, he averaged 23.2 yards. Ellis has also been around long enough that he knows the offense so that's not going to be a problem.

Ellis will basically be competing with fifth-round draft pick Kenneth Moore for that final roster spot at receiver. Ellis has a lot of things going for him, including experience and speed, but he's got to show that he's completely healthy - and can stay that way.

Scouting Report: Stanley Wilson

2008-06-23T01:12:00.001-04:00

by Tom Kowalski
Saturday June 21, 2008, 12:00 AM
STANLEY WILSON

2008 Scouting Report

Wilson, who becomes an unrestricted free agent after this season, has one last chance to show that he can fit in the Tampa Two system. Wilson, who was drafted one year before head coach Rod Marinelli took over, still has the speed that made him a third-round draft pick, but he's still struggling with the defense.

Wilson, who was playing cornerback with a lot of confidence at the time, started the final four games in 2006 and it appeared that he was going to be a factor in the secondary. Wilson, though, struggled at the start of last season and, after starting the first five games, he was benched.

One of the knocks on Wilson coming out of Stanford was that he wasn't a big hitter and that's obviously a strike against him in the Tampa Two defense where jamming receivers off the line and stepping up into run support are keys to the scheme. Wilson is never going to be the prototypical Tampa Two corner, but he's got enough ability to get the job done.

The biggest factor in Wilson's game is confidence. When he's got it, he's a productive player. When he's thinking too much or worried about his mistakes, he becomes a liability. Last year, Wilson was under a lot of pressure as the starter and it might have affected him. Now, clearly in a backup role, he should have a chance to develop and regain the confidence that he had at the end of the 2006 season.

Kevin Jones shocked Lions cut him, working out better than ever

2008-06-20T09:25:00.000-04:00

Former Lion gearing up for comeback in NFL
June 20, 2008

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Kevin Jones darted to the right, planted his foot, pivoted and sprinted back across a patch of grass.

"That is what teams can't believe I can do," Jones said Thursday morning after doing a shuttle run in 4.3 seconds.

Soon, NFL teams will get a chance to witness what seems like a remarkable comeback from ACL surgery.

Jones has a workout scheduled for scouts on June 28 in Saline.

In a town about 40 miles west of Detroit, the former Lions running back has been rehabbing his surgically repaired knee at Brookside Golf Course, a pool and in the basement and dojo of a holistic medicine practitioner and sports agent.

"I've never worked out like this and I feel great," Jones said.

Dr. James Andrews performed the surgery on Jones' right knee in January and told him it would take up to 10 months to get back on the field.

Jones believes he will be able to go through non-contact drills with the team that signs him during training camp next month.

"I honestly feel like I'm ready to play right now," he insisted.

New England, Chicago, Green Bay, Tennessee, Tampa Bay, Denver, Kansas City, Philadelphia, Buffalo and the New York Jets are among the teams who have shown interest in Jones.

"I think I'll get signed in the next couple of weeks," he said. "But it really doesn't matter when it is — as long as it's before the season."

Jones is vying for a job along with free agent running backs such as Shaun Alexander, Chris Henry, Ron Dayne and Cedric Benson.

The Lions cut their former first-round pick in March with one year left on his contract after he hurt his knee late last season added to the injury woes that have stunted his success in the league.

Jones missed the first two games last season recovering from a foot injury that also sidelined him for the last three games of 2006. He ran for at least 70 yards in five games — including a season-high 105 — before hurting his right knee Dec. 23 against the Chiefs.

A few months later, the Lions released him.

"It caught me off guard because a couple weeks before that, everybody with the Lions was saying they were looking forward to having me back after seeing how well I was recovering," Jones said. "But I also understand the situation because I was going into the last year of my contract, coming off two years with injuries, and Roy Williams' contract was going to be up at the same time, too."

A message seeking comment was left Thursday with Lions president Matt Millen.

When the Lions announced their decision to release Jones, Detroit coach Rod Marinelli said the team decided it was the right time to make the move as it prepared for the draft and offseason workouts.

Jones ran 1,133 yards as a rookie in 2004 and 3,000-plus yards over four season with the Lions.

Dr. D.S. Ping is confident things are going to work out well for Jones.

The holistic-medicine practitioner and sports agent, who does not represent Jones, has been leading Jones through workouts six days a week.

Ping has performed heat acupuncture on Jones' knee, worked him out in his basement gym, jiujitsu dojo and on a golf course for sprinting, shuffling and cutting and in a rec-center pool.

"The scouts are going to be amazed at what they see next week," Ping said.

Scouting Report: Dan Campbell

2008-06-20T09:22:00.001-04:00

by Tom Kowalski
Friday June 20, 2008, 12:07 AM

One of the biggest disappointments last season was when Campbell suffered a relapse of his elbow injury early in the year and played in just two games. At the time, Campbell was Detroit's only strong blocking tight end and when he went out, one of the strengths of the running game went with him.

Campbell still has an issue with his elbow but, this year, the Lions are going to be extremely cautious in bringing him back. That's why they signed free agent Michael Gaines and will have him running with the first unit when the Lions open camp.

Gaines is a good blocker, but Campbell has always brought something extra to the job. Campbell is not only very good in the strength and technical aspects of blocking, but he brings an attitude and toughness to the game and the locker room. And that's one thing head coach Rod Marinelli misses with Campbell sidelined throughout the off-season workouts and probably the early portions of training camp - the professionalism that Campbell brings to the field.

As a receiver, Campbell wasn't used much with the Giants or Cowboys, but he had a career year in his first season with coordinator Mike Martz - averaging 14.7 yards on his 21 catches and scoring four touchdowns. Campbell, whose previous best was 11.4 yards per catch with the Giants in 2001, could still be a target in Detroit's new offense. Because the Lions want to throw the ball quicker on shorter routes, Campbell could top his career-high of 22 receptions (Giants, 2002) but he won't be the deep threat he was with Martz around.

Going into his 10th year - and missing most of the last two seasons with injury - there could be the assumption that Campbell is nearing the end of the line. But if his elbow is healthy - and, again, the Lions are going to be very careful there - there's no reason why he can't return to play a big role in the offense.

NFC rankings: running backs

2008-06-19T01:35:00.001-04:00

Posted: June 14, 2008
Sporting News correspondents

More: AFC running back rankings

In the latest installment of NFL offseason position rankings, SN's correspondents break down the running backs in the NFC.

1. VIKINGS: They have the best 1-2 punch in the league with Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor. Peterson has a rare blend of speed and power and freezes defenders with his moves. Taylor is less explosive but runs just as hard.

2. EAGLES: Brian Westbrook is the NFL's most dangerous all-around back. He's almost unstoppable in the open field. Correll Buckhalter is a reliable power runner, and newcomer Lorenzo Booker is a pass-catching threat.

3. REDSKINS: Clinton Portis can still break open a game on any carry. Ladell Betts hits the holes quickly, has good acceleration and is an excellent receiver. Fullback Mike Sellers is a powerful blocker and capable short-yardage back.

4. GIANTS: Few teams can match the depth in the Giants' backfield. Brandon Jacobs is a load but must become more durable. Derrick Ward averaged 4.8 yards per carry in 2007, and Ahmad Bradshaw has the speed to become a star.

5. COWBOYS: Marion Barber will get his shot to start. He's a battering ram who can get the tough yards and close out games. The team hopes rookie Felix Jones will provide the big-play threat it lacked the past couple of years.

6. RAMS Steven Jackson has an imposing blend of speed, power and pass-catching ability, but durability was a problem in 2007. Antonio Pittman and Brian Leonard haven't established themselves as viable options.

7. 49ERS: Frank Gore is a tough runner between the tackles and has the receiving skills to thrive in new coordinator Mike Martz's offense. Michael Robinson and DeShaun Foster are solid backups with good receiving skills.

8. FALCONS Not only can newcomer Michael Turner pound defenses with his 237-pound body, but he has big-play speed. Jerious Norwood also has breakaway ability, and Ovie Mughelli is a bruising lead blocker.

9. PACKERS: Ryan Grant was a revelation in his First year as a starter. He's big, moves the pile and is a home run threat. Brandon Jackson is shifty and can churn out yards between the tackles. DeShawn Wynn must mature fast.

10. BUCCANEERS: Even without Cadillac Williams, who will spend most of '08 rehabbing his knee, this is a strong unit. Earnest Graham is a workhorse, and Warrick Dunn and Michael Bennett provide a change of pace.

11. CARDINALS: Edgerrin James still can squeeze 5 yards out of nothing, but he doesn't provide many big plays. Backup Marcel Shipp is a tough inside runner but lacks speed.

12. PANTHERS: With rookie Jonathan Stewart's strength inside and DeAngelo Williams' speed outside, the Panthers appear to have a nice combination. But Stewart is coming off toe surgery and Williams still has to prove himself.

13. SAINTS: Reggie Bush, who averaged 3.7 yards per carry and dropped too many passes in '08, must prove himself all over again. Deuce McAllister is coming off surgery on both knees. Pierre Thomas has proved he can fill in effectively -- at least for a short stretch.

14. SEAHAWKS: They made a lot of changes, but it's hard to say they'll be better. Julius Jones hits the hole hard but averaged 3.6 yards for Dallas in '07. T.J. Duckett has good size.

15. BEARS: Cedric Benson's job is in jeopardy after he was arrested twice this spring. If Benson goes, rookie Matt Forte likely will start, with Adrian Peterson as the backup.

16. LIONS: Third-round pick Kevin Smith likely will start, and his one-cut style fits the team's new zone-blocking scheme. Tatum Bell is the biggest name among the backups.

Interior Line Development

2008-06-19T01:12:00.002-04:00

Rookie Andre Fluellen Finding Help and Camaraderie Amongst D-Line Vets
By Chrissie Wywrot
Detroitlions.com
June 18, 2008

ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- While it isn’t necessarily labeled as a mentor-pupil relationship, Chuck Darby and Andre Fluellen are connected in many ways.

Darby, an eighth-year veteran, has been successful as a nose tackle in the Cover 2 system. He is 6-0, 297 pounds, and carries a big punch with the strength of getting off the line of scrimmage.

Fluellen, a rookie out of Florida State, has played the three-technique – or undertackle position – throughout his collegiate career. He is 6-2, 296 pounds and also has the strength of getting off the line of scrimmage.

“When I look at all the younger players, I most definitely want them to have a long, bright future in the NFL,” said Darby. “Just looking at them and all the talent that they have, all they need are small things to help them out and get even better and better each and every day to go out.”

EXPERIENCE vs. A NEW START
Darby and Fluellen are on opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to NFL experience, but both are embarking on their first season in Detroit.

Darby is the projected starter at nose tackle while Fluellen will be learning both interior line positions so he will be able to back them up if necessary.

“One thing about this defense: it’s real tough when you’ve got to play the three-technique and the nose,” said Darby. “Because the three-technique, you’ve got a little time to gather; the nose, it happens real fast.

“That’s going to be the big thing for him making that transition from college to the NFL – playing two positions: D-tackle and nose guard. But I most definitely know he can do it. He has great hands, great quickness and leverage. That’s going to help out a whole lot.”

The biggest difference between the nose tackle and the undertackle is the position off the line of scrimmage. The nose tackle – Darby’s position – plays right up against the center. That means that once the ball is snapped, he has immediate contact.

The undertackle – Cory Redding’s position – plays off the line a little bit, giving him more approach time.

The two positions are different, so Fluellen will have a challenge when it comes to learning them both but – as Darby cited – his skill set will work to his advantage.

“What they drafted me for is getting off the ball; explosion,” said Fluellen. “That’s what I do and a lot of times I can get a little out of control, so that’s what Coach Marinelli and Coach (Joe) Cullen are trying to control (with) me so I can get off, make plays and things like that.”

THE D-LINE DYNAMIC
The two men Fluellen is learning under are two strong leaders within the defensive line position group.

Darby has not only spent seven seasons in the league, but he has spent five of those under Marinelli while in Tampa Bay. He has also started on two Super Bowl teams, winning a ring with the 2002 Buccaneers.

Redding has played on the interior line for two seasons and is a strong leader within the Lions’ locker room. He has a fiery dynamic and will give all he’s got each and every play, presenting a strong player to emulate.

“(What I have gotten from them so far is to) just relax,” said Fluellen. “Especially when I am practicing – I want to go at everything full-speed. They were like, ‘just calm it down and get your techniques right first and then once you get right then you can do it like that.’

“It’s kind of helped me relax and turn down a gear a little bit.”

As a first-year Lion, Darby sees how leadership is developing in this position group with a mix of strong veterans and new, young talent.

“I really think what I’ve learned looking at this group is that we’ve got a lot of leaders on this defense,” said Darby. “We’ve got a lot of players that lead by example. My job is to be a leader – I’ve been around a long time – but (I’m) just looking at these young players and how they are developing themselves to be great leaders also.

“But looking at everything as a whole, you’ve got Cory Redding who comes out day-in and day-out doing exactly what he’s supposed to do. He’s most definitely leading the pack and I’m right there adding a small touch to this great grind.”

SHADOWS OF TALENT
Defensive linemen under Marinelli experience the past.

Tackles watch film of Warren Sapp while ends watch film of Simeon Rice. Both played under Marinelli in Tampa and both flourished during that time.

“The way they played is the way that I want to play,” said Fluellen, “and I really feel that’s why Marinelli drafted me – because he kind of sees that in me.”

To watch film of Sapp is to see a man who never quit and was always giving it everything he had, regardless of the circumstances. It could have been gameday or a Friday afternoon after practice – Sapp gave it everything and that is what Marinelli looks for in his players today.

“I watched a lot of film of (Sapp) in college, too,” said Fluellen. “It’s crazy, some of the things he’s done. It’s not something nobody can do, but the way he perfected a lot of things is just kind of mind-blowing – the techniques and the perfectionist that he was.”

That feeling overtook Fluellen when he visited the Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio with his fellow rookies a couple weeks ago.

“It’s one thing to be a great NFL player and it’s another thing to be a Hall of Famer,” he said. “That’s all-time greatness and nobody can take that from you. It really made me feel like there is something bigger than just being a good football player in the NFL.

“We all need to strive to have a bust put in the NFL Hall of Fame. That’s what I took from it.”

Scouting Report: Corey Smith

2008-06-19T00:42:00.002-04:00

by Tom Kowalski
Thursday June 19, 2008, 12:05 AM
2008 Scouting Report

Like most of Detroit's defensive linemen, Smith played better in the first eight games than he did in the last eight. Smith had 21 tackles and a career-high 2 Â½ sacks in the first half but those numbers tailed off to 11 and zero, respectively, in the second half.

It should've been just the opposite, though, because Smith got more opportunities in the second half after Dewayne White was limited by his arm injury. The entire unit, though, went into such a malaise that no single player could pull them out of it.

Smith is a pass-rushing specialist and good special teams player and it might appear that his job could be in jeopardy with the arrival of third-round pick Cliff Avril, who has many of the same talents. With the loss of Kalimba Edwards, though, there shouldn't be a numbers problem with the roster and it's hard to believe that head coach Rod Marinelli will allow a solid backup pass rusher to get away.

While Smith knows the one-gap defense very well and rarely makes mistakes, he can still be a liability against the run because he's only about 250 pounds. As much as the Lions want to hope that he'll be more of a factor there, it's not likely to happen.

MY THOUGHTS
I am hoping that Smith gets more playing time. He gets in the backfield alot when he is playing. You have to have guys to get in the backfield consistantly. He may not ever be a starter but I think he should get more plays.

Lions rookie sticks it to Navy, sort of

2008-06-18T11:13:00.002-04:00

June 14, 2008

Look for Lions rookie safety Caleb Campbell on Army recruiting posters any day now.
OK, not really. But some folks in and around the nation's service academies say that Campbell's situation in Detroit could give Army's athletic programs an edge over rivals Navy and Air Force.

The Army is letting Campbell, a seventh-round pick in April's draft, pursue his Lions career while completing his military obligations as a recruiter and in the reserves under the Alternative Service Option
program.

Meanwhile, Navy pitcher Mitch Harris, a 13th-round pick by St. Louis in last week's baseball draft, was told Thursday to forget about doing the same.

Navy Secretary Donald C. Winter ruled that Harris must serve a five-year active-duty commitment, starting next week.

"At this point in time, the nation being at war takes precedence," Navy spokeswoman Lt. Karen Eifert said. "We need all of our manpower to be deployable to meet their service obligation."

That's where the Black Knights could gain an athletic advantage.

"Our coaches are now operating under a significant handicap when recruiting head-to-head with Army," Navy athletic director Chet Gladchuk said. "It may not be reflected on the playing field today, but I can guarantee you that it will result in a competitive disadvantage down the road."

So while Campbell never beat the Midshipmen during his college career, he has annoyed them -- at least indirectly.

Rouge preservation
British Columbia Sen. Larry Campbell -- no relation to Caleb -- introduced a bill this week aimed at preventing the NFL from putting a franchise in Canada. The bill was introduced in response to the decision to hold eight Bills games in Toronto over the next five years.

Such an expansion would mark the end of the Canadian Football League, Campbell warns.

"As proud Canadians and fans of the CFL, we must make every effort to defend our own brand of football," Campbell said.

And what a brand it is, eh, Charles Rogers?

Press clipping
• Bob Hille, Sporting News, on the Red Wings: "They lifted the Cup again. Good thing. If Detroit had lost, the city was going to start going by 'Bad NFL Draft Town.' "

Scouting Report: Jon Bradley

2008-06-18T02:20:00.002-04:00

by Tom Kowalski
Wednesday June 18, 2008, 12:04 AM
2008 Scouting Report

Bradley is another guy whose role will change as the team's offensive philosophy shifts once again. Bradley, the former defensive tackle, was shifted to fullback during camp last year because the Lions didn't have the thundering blocker they needed at that spot. Bradley did a pretty good job but the Lions never really got their running game going for a variety of well-documented reasons.

Now that the Lions are going to a different zone blocking scheme that stresses more agility and change-of-direction ability, the Lions have asked Bradley to lose some weight - and get under 300 pounds - to be more productive in that role.

Bradley, who will compete with rookie Jerome Felton and veteran Sean McHugh for the starting job, still won't be a major part of the offense in terms of handling the ball. He carried it just five times last year (for nine yards) and had three receptions (for 10 yards).

The one thing that might hurt Bradley is that he doesn't have the speed of the other fullbacks and that could hurt when it comes to special teams production.

MY THOUGHTS
I am pulling for Bradley. He is a huge guy who actually moved pretty good for his size and if he can lose the weight i see him making some noise and being a little more productive than we think. It all hinges on how much weight he loses and how agile and how much speed he gains.

Scouting Report: Paris Lenon

2008-06-18T01:55:00.002-04:00

by Tom Kowalski
Tuesday June 17, 2008, 12:03 AM

It's hard not to like Paris Lenon. The seven-year veteran is one of those guys who has good all-around athleticism, knows how to play the game, has a burning competitive spirit and just refuses to stay off the field.

During his early years with the Packers - where he was on the practice squad as a rookie and then started 12 games four seasons later - the knock on Lenon was his quickness. He has good speed but he wasn't fluid in the defense and looked slow in making plays.

Lenon arrived in Detroit two years ago and flourished in the Tampa Two system because it allowed him to couple his football smarts with his athletic ability. Lenon was one of the first linebackers on the team to "get it'' and showed how effective the system could be. Lenon was very good in covering backs and, because he trusted his keys, he rarely allowed them much yardage after the catch.

Because he doesn't have the big power to play the middle, the Lions wanted to move him back to his more natural position on the strong side. However, the Lions are going to keep Lenon in the middle until rookie Jordon Dizon proves he can handle the position.

MY THOUGHTS
Paris isnt a bad linebacker but i think it isnt too long before Campbell is up and running at SLB and he will be either out or on the bench. Hopefully Dizon can take control of the MLB position so Lenon will have a much better year on the strong side. The position really does suit him better and we would have 3 good starting LB's that can cover and tackle.

Scouting Reports: Dizon and Campbell

2008-06-18T00:07:00.004-04:00

by Tom Kowalski
Monday June 16, 2008, 12:15 AM

Mike Itchue | MLive.com
Both Jordon Dizon and Caleb Campbell have the potential to help the Detroit Lions' defense, but each also comes with question marks.2008 Scouting Report

If truth be told, the middle linebacker the Lions really wanted in the recent draft was Jerod Mayo because he has all the skills the head coach Rod Marinelli was looking for.

The Lions took Dizon in the second round and he appears to have the same skill set as Mayo, except for one thing -- he's not the powerful stop-em-dead-in-their-tracks-and-turn-em-sideways hitter.

It's difficult to believe, though, that there was a linebacker in the draft who has better instincts than Dizon, who may not be a punishing hitter, but is a tackling machine nonetheless. Dizon has very good speed, can get quickly down the middle to cover his deep third and moves very well sideline to sideline.

The toughest part of the job for Dizon will be absorbing all the facets of the Tampa Two because his position has to be the quarterback on the field. Not only does he need to be mistake-free in his one-gap responsibilities, but he has to make all the calls in the huddle.

Until he gets in a few regular season games and shows his stuff, there's going to be the question of whether Dizon - at 6-0 and 230 pounds - can physically handle the rigors of the running game in the NFL. (Of course, Ernie Sims raised much of the same concern when he entered the league two years ago and dismissed that rather quickly.)

And, like Sims, Dizon will be "covered'' by defensive linemen in the scheme, but he'll still have to handle centers and guards who reach the second level. Detroit's coaches, though, believe Dizon's instincts will negate some of those problems because he reads plays so well - and so quickly - that he gets to the action before the blockers can get to him. And, yes, that half-step advantage in moving to the ballcarrier can make all the difference in whether a linebacker gets knocked off the tackle or makes the stick.

Dizon will start training camp as the backup linebacker to Paris Lenon and it'll be interesting to see how quickly he can move into the starting job. Remember, there was a bone of contention between Marinelli, who doesn't think a rookie can adequately handle the middle in his first year, and team president Matt Millen, who believes that the right player can get the job done. Marinelli wanted Dizon to start out on the strong side and then eventually work his way into middle when he had a strong grasp on the system.

The compromise is that Dizon will stay in the middle, but will have to prove to Marinelli that he can be effective before he gets promoted. Marinelli doesn't have many issues with Dizon having the physical abilities but he needs to make sure Dizon can nail down the mental part of it.

CALEB CAMPBELL

2008 Scouting Report

There are a couple of reasons why the Lions switched Caleb Campbell, a seventh-round pick out of Army, from safety to outside linebacker. The first is that Campbell has the size (6-2 and 230 pounds) to be an effective linebacker and the second is that the Lions currently have a logjam at safety and Campbell has a better shot of making the 53-man roster at linebacker.

Campbell is probably a better fit at linebacker at this level because his background is rich in stepping up to support the run. While he clearly has the toughness and tackling ability to be effective, the target on his chest has changed. The position change means that Campbell will have to deal more often with offensive linemen instead of just tight ends and running backs.

In the passing game, though, Campbell shouldn't have too much difficulty in making the transition. He understands zones and it won't take him long to learn the concept of the defense which puts an emphasis on breaking on your keys, not the ball.

While being effective in the defense is going to be important, Campbell will most likely have to make the team as a special teams player. That's where he'll have to make his biggest contributions and the door's open because the Lions want to make several upgrades in those areas.

By the way, if he doesn't make the final roster, Campbell is a top candidate for the practice squad because he has a lot of upside and, during practice, he has the versatility to play a lot of different positions.

MY THOUGHTS
Dizon is sounding more and more like a guy who got sold to the fans by the media who wasnt that great of a player. Remember when they kept saying that about Mayo too. Dizon, going by what you here from Marinelli is fast, is agile, an can cover.

Now as far as Campbell goes, every fan is rooting for him to make it.Not every Lions fan but every fan and some who arent football fans. I am going to say he will make some noise on special teams this year but i think he will get in some games as well. Someone always gets hurt and Campbell is just a guy who only knows one speed and you know he is already getting labeled " A Marinelli guy"

Scouting Report: Manny Ramirez

2008-06-18T00:03:00.002-04:00

by Tom Kowalski
Sunday June 15, 2008, 12:05 AM

Ramirez might be the poster boy for what's been wrong with the Lions for the past several years - and none of it has anything to do with Ramirez himself.

Ramirez, at 6-3 and 325 pounds, is a brawling type of offensive lineman who brings plenty of muscle and was the kind of player the Lions were looking for when they were building their offense last year. That's why Ramirez was selected in the fourth round - the highest round in which Detroit drafted an offensive lineman since 2001.

This year, though, the Lions have altered their zone-blocking scheme and are putting a lot more emphasis on quickness, agility and getting to the second level to clean up linebackers. That's not the strength of Ramirez's game. If Ramirez had been eligible for the draft his year, not only would the Lions have passed on him in the fourth round but, because he doesn't fit their scheme, he probably wouldn't have been drafted by Detroit at all.

With the constant change in head coaches and offensive and defensive coordinators over the years - at least one of them has been changed in every season of president Matt Millen's regime - the Lions have failed to build any continuity and that's been reflected in the constant turnover of their roster.

The Lions are working on trying to get Ramirez to the point where he can be effective in their style, but perhaps they shouldn't go too far in changing him. After all, by next season, the Lions might change again and be looking for that brawling type of offensive lineman.

MY THOUGHTS
Well hard to argue with Tom. I was excited when I saw we drafted this guy but now that we are changing our schemes he now is just another wasted pick. Hmm, where have I heard that before? I hope he can change a little and use his strength but also work on his weakness. I would hope to keep Ramirez and even more that he excel in our new system but it doesnt look good for him right now.

Lions: Notebook : Johnson, Williams focus on positive

2008-06-14T03:32:00.001-04:00

Friday, June 13, 2008

It's been an offseason with many receivers around league unhappy about their contracts.
Mike O'Hara / The Detroit News
ALLEN PARK -- In an offseason of discontent for many NFL receivers, Calvin Johnson and Roy Williams act and sound like happy summer campers.

They ended the official phase of the Lions' offseason program on an upbeat note Thursday, with the promise it can carry over to the regular season.

Johnson is building on a rookie season that was below expectations, mostly because of a back injury. Williams is steering clear of any flak caused by receivers who have threatened boycotts and asked for trades because of unhappiness over contracts.

"Don't put me in that mix," Williams said. "I'm sitting fine. ... I've always cooperated with the Lions -- done my part trying to help this team win. I'll continue to do that."

Williams is in the last year of a five-year contract, signed in 2004 when the Lions drafted him in the first round. He has been consistent in saying he's not concerned with his contract, which will pay him $5.8 million in salary and bonuses this year.

Johnson, a regular in the offseason program which began March 17, missed some recent practices because of what he called "a family issue."

Johnson went home to Atlanta, where his father, Calvin Sr., underwent heart surgery.

"He's doing fine now," said Calvin, back at workouts Tuesday.

The offense has been scaled back with a change in offensive coordinators (from Mike Martz to Jim Colletto).

And with that, the Lions expect to run more and use more two-receiver formations. That should play to the strength of Johnson and Williams, both big, physical players with speed.

"We learned a lot," Johnson said of Colletto's system. "We're a lot better route-runners. Every position has gotten better."

Johnson, who caught 48 passes and had five touchdowns last season, also will play at 230 pounds, at least 5 fewer than his rookie season.

Extra points
Quarterback Jon Kitna expects help from rookies on both sides of the ball.

"Obviously, Calvin was pretty exciting, but it seemed like the guys they got in the draft this year really have a good football IQ," Kitna said. "Both sides. And our defensive backfield -- the new guys they added, it's a lot of fun competing against them."

... Kitna and Williams aren't conceding their status as the team's best bowlers to Johnson, who won the high-game award with a 243 Wednesday.

"It's a conspiracy theory, just like the NBA," Kitna said. "They want to see the face of the team, up-and-coming guy."

Said Williams: "As far as our league goes, I'm the commissioner. ... He can get his own belt."

Mitch flashback: The ascension of superstar Herman Moore

2008-06-14T03:25:00.002-04:00

BY MITCH ALBOM • FREE PRESS COLUMNIST • June 13, 2008

Editor's note: Story originally published on Oct. 30, 1995.
He slammed the ball between his legs, then bounced up and down, then whacked himself in the helmet with both hands, then shook his fists at the crowd. I guess this is what you'd call a touchdown dance. That, or he ate some really bad Mexican food before the game.

Either way, it was his third touchdown in 26 minutes, the capper to an awesome half of football by an increasingly awesome player. You'll forgive me if I don't get overly excited about the big picture, the Lions' 24-16 victory over Green Bay, because I have watched this dance too many times before, Detroit winning just enough to keep you interested, then losing when it matters. I will not be fooled. The Lions are 3-5. If they make the playoffs, I'll take back everything I've said about them. Until then, we're just watching wheels spin.

I, however, will sing the praises of the tall gentleman known as Herman Moore, who began in this town as a skinny No. 1 draft choice, and has gone from promising to impressive to dangerous to -- and I do not use this word loosely -- superstar.

This is not exaggeration. I see Moore as the third-best receiver in football right now, behind only Picasso himself, Jerry Rice, and the ebullient Cowboy, Michael Irvin. Rice is still in a class of his own, but Irvin and Moore are an arm's length apart, and considering one is on a team heading for the Super Bowl while the other probably will be home for the holidays, Moore might be even more impressive.

"He is an amazing player," quarterback Scott Mitchell said, after Moore accounted for all the touchdowns and 147 yards of Detroit's offense Sunday.

"You know you might not hit him in the hands, or the numbers, and he's still going to make the catch."

Even if there's blood in his eye.

Moore was seeing red -- his own

We didn't mention that? Well, most viewers didn't realize it either. On Moore's second touchdown, a 69-yard catch-and- burst over the middle, a Green Bay linebacker took a swipe as Moore passed and ripped the skin above his eye. Within seconds, Moore was bleeding like a prizefighter.

"With about 30 yards to go I started to see red," he recalled. "I thought it was sweat, but it was blood."

No matter. He kept going -- in fact, he hit the afterburners and outraced the Green Bay defense the way a Porsche outraces a Yugo. Who knows how fast he might have gone had he been able to see straight?

This fifth-gear speed -- a la Jerry Rice -- was one of two things Moore did Sunday that proved his membership in the elite class of receivers. The other came on his third score, late in the first half, when he went down the sidelines, looked over his shoulder and saw Mitchell's pass coming short.

Moore adjusted, slipped behind the defender and caught it before the guy knew where he was, then spun off and danced into the end zone. A 29-yard score. It was ballet that could have gotten him into Alvin Ailey.

This was impressive enough. The fact that it was Moore's idea puts it over the top. "I suggested to Scott a few weeks ago, when we were playing the Packers, that the way they play defense, we could throw it short and still complete the pass. We did it today. That was designed."

He not only catches the passes, he comes up with the plays?

How do you not like that?

Don't worry, he'll be back at the hop

Before the season, Moore did an interview on WJR radio, in which he was asked what a "successful" season would be in his mind, statistically speaking.

"Ninety catches," Moore said.

Ninety catches? It sounded bold. But here we are, halfway through the season, and Moore already has 55 catches and nine touchdowns -- not only ahead of his dream pace, but way ahead of the Lions' record book. In the history of this franchise, no receiver has caught more than 77 passes or 15 touchdowns in a single year. If he stays healthy, Moore will smash those marks easily. So he will be, for this season anyhow, the greatest receiver in Lions history.

If you ask me, this is just the beginning. Here is a truly gifted athlete, a former track star who trains in the off- season with his track star wife. But he is not breakable, like some speedsters. He's tough. He catches in traffic. When I asked how much of his potential he had reached, at age 26, this is what he said:

"Honestly? Maybe 65 percent."

That would be bragging on someone else. Moore, however, is serious -- almost studious -- when it comes to the game. He knows his 6-foot-4 height and the advantage that gives him. When you ask about Rice and Irvin, he doesn't genuflect. "Those are the elite receivers, but I feel I work as hard as they do. And if I get used the way they do, I think I can do similar things."

Right now, this is still Barry Sanders' team. But week after week, the enemy radar turns more to Moore. When it splits evenly -- and with Brett Perriman, we might be looking at the best receiving tandem in the NFL right now -- this team's offense will be held back only by the accuracy of Mitchell's arm and the blocking on the line.

It's a sweet thing to think about. Forget for a moment, the Lions' agonizingly erratic performance. With each passing week, we are witnessing superstar clay, hardening in the mold. We may even have to learn that touchdown dance.

"It's the Bunny Hop," Moore said sheepishly. "I used to do it in college. I had to do something. The crowd was cheering, I just wanted to stay in the end zone longer."

Don't worry. Something tells me he'll be back.

Lions remain on track for getting faster on offense, defense

2008-06-14T03:21:00.000-04:00

BY NICHOLAS J. COTSONIKA • FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER • June 13, 2008

It was the kind of question that has led to trouble for Jon Kitna in the past.

After the Lions finished their last practice of the off-season Thursday, a reporter asked the quarterback if he had confidence this group of players could take the next step.

"Yeah," Kitna said.

"Simple as that?" the reporter pressed.

"Yeah," Kitna said.

Awkward pause.

"Well," Kitna continued, "I mean, you know, I guess I should say, 'No, we'll win three games this year,' something like that."

Laughter.

Kitna has often said that the Lions will be disappointed if they don't win 10 games, because that means they probably won't make the playoffs, and he has often gotten grief about it.

What is he supposed to say, then? That he doesn't have confidence?

This time he kept it simple and cracked a little joke.

The Lions feel good about themselves, as they usually do this time of year. They have one week of off-season conditioning left before their summer break.

But the bigger tests come when they report to training camp July 23 and open the season Sept. 7 at Atlanta.

"You've got to have confidence to play in this league," wide receiver Mike Furrey said. "We have the confidence. We've had it for the past two years. The question is: Are we going to be able to put it together?"

In his third off-season as Lions coach, Rod Marinelli has more of the type of team he wants in many ways. He has praised the players for being lean and fast. He has drilled them on the basic things he wants.

"I think it put us in a position where the players have a good base of what is expected of them," left tackle Jeff Backus said. "We all understand the scheme and why we're doing things the way we are. It's going to give us a good base going into training camp."

On defense, the addition of veterans who know the Tampa Two system has had a noticeable effect, tackle Cory Redding said.

"Everybody's moving quicker, because those guys are bringing their knowledge from playing in the system," Redding said. "When they get out there and run it right and run it fast, the other guys behind them see how it's supposed to be run."

On offense, there have been more dramatic changes with Jim Colletto replacing Mike Martz as coordinator.

Kitna has concentrated on the mechanics of running the offense, which gives him more control at the line of scrimmage. The linemen and backs have worked on the new zone running scheme. Everyone has worked to master a smaller number of plays.

Wide receiver Roy Williams said the Lions had only 30 or 40 passing plays and maybe 10 running plays. They had more than 200 plays in their game plans last year.

"I'll tell you what: With the plays that we've got in, we're going to be real good at them," Williams said.

"We all know it," Furrey said. "We all know what's going on. We've had eight weeks now to just basically fine-tune it. Now we've got five weeks to go home and get ready to come back physically. We won't have any excuses coming into the season. We need to show up and play some football, and that's it."

Overall, there is a different feeling around team headquarters. The edginess Martz brought is gone. Some players who didn't buy in are out.

"The atmosphere is awesome," Backus said. "I think Rod has done a tremendous job of doing it his way and getting what he wants out of us and making changes when changes need to be made. I'm excited to see what happens this season."

Rogers giving Browns much-needed nose job

2008-06-14T03:12:00.002-04:00

By John Clayton
ESPN.com
(Archive)
Updated: June 11, 2008
BEREA, Ohio -- Too many teams the past three seasons ventured into a 3-4 defense with their noses out of joint.

Of the six worst run defenses in terms of yardage allowed last season, three of them ran 3-4 schemes. That mediocrity is incredible when you think about it. An average 3-4 defense should rank among the top 15 in stopping the run because of its alignment, because four linebackers are free to rush to the ball carrier. But if the nose tackle doesn't draw two blockers, the 3-4 scheme has problems.

The Browns are among a handful of teams that failed the past few seasons in making the conversion to a three-man line because they didn't have that type of nose tackle. (The Browns ranked 27th against the run in 2007.) But after an astute offseason trade, Cleveland believes it has remedied that problem. In fact, former Detroit Lions defensive tackle Shaun Rogers has many Browns front-office execs seeming snobbish.

After seven years in Detroit, Shaun Rogers is now the key to the Browns' revitalized run defense.

Rogers has the looks of a great nose tackle even though he's never played the position. On one play in Tuesday's minicamp practice, he drove center Hank Fraley 6 yards into the backfield with his sheer strength. Minicamp practices aren't like those in training camp, when shoulder pads are on and hitting is live. Minicamps are rehearsals with minimal contact, but it's clear from watching these daily dancing sessions that Rogers has all the skills to be a good nose.

In Detroit, Rogers was a dominating defensive tackle in a 4-3 scheme. At times, he was unblockable. But as seasons progressed, years of losing diminished his enthusiasm. The trade to the Browns has given him a new start and a huge challenge.

"I'm excited to be here learning my new role,'' Rogers said. "It's different going between the 4-3 and the 3-4 to be a noseguard. Being a noseguard takes a lot of the aggressiveness away when you are making your first step getting off the ball. There is a more 'read and react' feel to it. You have to be patient and unselfish in this defense, so I'm working on a few character flaws.''

As a Lion, he was considered the team's best defensive player for years. Though he endured seven losing seasons with the Lions, Rogers has been to two Pro Bowls. The Lions' scheme allowed him to just fire off the line of scrimmage and attack, hoping to dominate those in front of him. In the 4-3, he had one gap and one responsibility -- get to whoever had the ball.

Guards and centers will tell you Rogers and longtime defensive tackle Sam Adams had two of the best first steps in football. A 350-pound defender with a great first step is almost impossible to block. In Detroit, Rogers was like a quick-draw gunfighter.

"A lot of my game is to get on people quick and sort of maul them and take control of the line of scrimmage early in a down,'' Rogers said.

But nose tackles in a 3-4 scheme aren't gunfighters. They are like sumo wrestlers in a carnival. They charge into a guard and a center if they are good. It's a two-gap job: Nose tackles must read the play and be responsible for blocking the holes around the center.

Looking at Rogers in practice brings visions of Jamal Williams in San Diego. Williams also has a good first step and was able to use it when the Chargers went from a 4-3 to a 3-4 in 2004. In the past four years, the Chargers have made the easiest transformation to a three-man line, and Williams was the main reason.

Where Rogers resembles Williams, at least in minicamp, is how he can use that first step to drive back the interior of a blocking scheme. Nose tackles are successful if they simply occupy two blockers and aren't moved off the line of scrimmage. The good run-stopping nose tackles prevent a guard or a center from getting to one of the four linebackers.

"I think it's been better than expected," Browns general manager Phil Savage said of Rogers' conversion to nose tackle. "He's done some good things on the field.''

Savage acted like a two-gapping nose tackle in making the Rogers trade in the sense he read and reacted. Savage traded a second-round choice to Green Bay for Corey Williams, who is making the transition from a 4-3 tackle to left defensive end. Rogers was all set to go to the Bengals in a trade, but the Bengals backed out at the last minute. Savage reacted and traded a third-round pick and cornerback Leigh Bodden.

For the first time in head coach Romeo Crennel's four seasons in Cleveland, the Browns have the right bodies for a three-man line. Corey Williams is an ideal 320-pound run-stopping end on the left side. Robaire Smith can provide penetration at right defensive end. He's also 320 pounds. Shaun Smith, a 325-pounder who made the transition from a 4-3 defensive tackle to 3-4 nose tackle last year, can be the top lineman off the bench. Ahtyba Rubin, at 315 pounds, is an interesting sixth-round pick who has nose-tackle potential.

The Browns ranked 30th, 29th and 30th in run defense the past three years. If Rogers and Williams pan out, the Browns can start thinking about becoming a top-10 run defense.

"Our defensive line for the first time looks like a Romeo Crennel defensive line,'' Savage said. "Everybody is well over 300 pounds and they have the movement skills you need. I would hope the additions of Shaun Rogers and Corey Williams will do for the defense what Joe Thomas and Eric Steinbach did for the offensive line.''

The additions of Thomas and Steinbach in 2007 ended years of blocking woes and allowed the Browns' offense to reach new plateaus. Finally, running backs had solid holes on the left side. Quarterback Derek Anderson had time to throw. The Browns went from an offense that averaged 14.5 and 14.9 points a game in 2005 and 2006 to averaging 25.1 points per game last season.

"We were doing a two-on-two drill the other day, and we had Thomas and Steinbach blocking on Rogers and Kamerion Wimbley,'' Savage said. "Those are four legitimate blue-chip-caliber players. We're getting there as a team. We have almost one guy in every group who is a bona fide upper-echelon player. That's exciting for us. We haven't had that for a number of years.''

What's also important for the Browns is how Rogers meshes with his teammates. So far, he appears to be fitting in just fine. He dines with the defensive linemen after practice. He and Corey Williams challenge each other in learning the new techniques of the 3-4.

The more Rogers learns, the better the Browns' run defense likely will be in 2008.

Scouting Report: Kalvin Pearson

2008-06-14T00:19:00.002-04:00

by Tom Kowalski
Saturday June 14, 2008, 12:04 AM
2008 Scouting Report

A special teams demon, Pearson was signed as a restricted free agent this season (the Bucs declined to match the offer sheet). The Lions had already signed veteran free agent Dwight Smith so they didn't grab Pearson to compete for a starting safety position.

However, Pearson (who has previous experience in the Tampa Two system) gives Detroit some insurance for depth in case Daniel Bullocks has any setbacks in returning from last season's knee injury. Pearson also gives a big boost to Detroit's coverage teams, which were not consistent at all last year.

Pearson has decent speed but his value is in his recognition and hitting ability. Pearson has decent hands and can make a play when he's in position, but he's not strong in one-on-one coverage or adjusting quickly in the open field.

Pearson has a pending legal matter that, depending on the outcome, might result in a relatively small league-mandated suspension this season. While his absence shouldn't cripple the overall defensive effectiveness, it could have an impact on Detroit's special teams production.

MY THOUGHTS
With what he has been accused of, he should be released if it is true. One thing that the Lions ha vent had to worry about is the Pacman jones of the world. We haven't had that and now Pearson is bringing it in. He maybe a special teams wizard but if it is true, and no i didnt mean if convicted, he should be released. Just because a guy is found innocent, doesn't mean he didn't actually do it. We can only wait and see.

Scouting Report: Dan Orlovsky

2008-06-14T00:08:00.002-04:00

by Tom Kowalski
Friday June 13, 2008, 6:08 AM

2008 Scouting Report

Because Orlovksy is on a one-year deal and will become an unrestricted free agent next season, the Lions are likely to lose him without ever really knowing what they had.

With Drew Stanton likely to get any spare playing time that Jon Kitna allows this season, Orlovsky will be - once again - relegated to the No. 3 spot. As much as Orlovsky likes being in Detroit, his driving motivation is to play and that's why he'll likely sign elsewhere next year. After all, Kitna will still have a year left on his contract and Stanton will be waiting in the wings.

Orlovsky is currently ahead of Stanton in the battle for the No. 2 position. However, if all things are equal (or even close), Stanton will win the backup job because of his draft status. It'll be a significant development if Orlovsky wins that battle, but it's going to be tough to do.

Orlovsky has a strong arm, is bright and has decent mobility, but he hasn't played a single down in the regular season in the last two years. He made two appearances in his rookie season but only attempted 17 passes (completing seven for 62 yards). After head coach Rod Marinelli joined the team two years ago, he believed it was more important to keep playing Kitna - even in meaningless late-season games - than seeing what the team had in Orlovsky. As a result, the Lions, who traded up to draft Orlovsky in the fifth round, are likely to lose him without ever knowing if he has the talent to play.

MY THOUGHTS
It really is a shame. I have liked Orlovsky since his rookie year. When he stepped in the huddle, even in the preseason, he seemed to take control of the team. That is something that to me is important to have in a QB. He will leave us and go to a team and in 2 years will start someplace.

Scouting Report: Ikaika Alama-Francis

2008-06-12T11:42:00.002-04:00

by Tom Kowalski
Thursday June 12, 2008, 6:03 AM

2008 Scouting Report

When a player like Alama-Francis is relatively new to the game of football - he didn't start playing competitively until he was in college - the early reports (and hopes) are that his skills in other sports (volleyball and basketball, in this case) will help him make the transition quickly. It's happened before - San Diego tight end Antonio Gates might be the best example.

However, when that same player struggles early with the nuances of football, the coaches will tell you "Hey, give him a break. He's only been playing football for a couple of years.'' And that's where the Lions are right now with Alama-Francis. They're still on high on him because of his raw skills, but it's time for him to show drastic improvement over his unproductive rookie season.

Alama-Francis was overmatched early in the season, seeing action in just two of the first nine games. A hamstring injury in practice sidelined him for another three games. He played in the final four games and had 12 total tackles but no sacks.

A few reasons the Lions are high on Alama-Francis are his explosiveness off the ball -- although he still has to do a better job of hitting the snap -- his non-stop motor and his hand quickness. Alama-Francis is still learning what to do in terms of hand placement but if he does a good job with that, he can be a productive player.

Alama-Francis will play mostly at left defensive end, but can also be moved inside on passing downs. With Shaun Rogers gone, the Lions are looking for more pass pressure from the inside.

MY THOUGHTS
One thing I liked is that his body changed from the first year to the second. That tells me he has been working hard. He is big and strong enough to play the left end, which is more for run support than pass rush, but has the quickness and strength to rush the passer. I think with having 4 guys up front that go all out on every play will help the pass rush this year and also the run. Nothing is more frustrating to a fan then to watch players that get paid 50 times more then we do and see them quit on a play or see them not try their hardest. It is easy to spot. This is one thing that 5-0 has not been accused of and more important to me, he has heart.

Megatron a probowler?

2008-06-12T11:38:00.003-04:00

Thursday, June 12, 2008
Lions: Notebook
Johnson rolls in tournament
Wide receiver throws a 243, including eight straight strikes, to win bowling tournament.
Mike O'Hara / The Detroit News
ALLEN PARK -- A break in the Lions' offseason workout routine was right up Calvin Johnson's alley.

Johnson, the Lions' second-year receiver and first-round draft pick in 2007, was the star of the team's annual bowling tournament at Thunderbowl Lanes on Wednesday.

Johnson won the team's high-game award with a score of 243. His high game included eight straight strikes, from the second frame through the ninth.

More than 100 people, including players, coaches and staff members, took part in the tournament, arranged by coach Rod Marinelli to give the team a diversion in its offseason workout program.

Johnson created a stir with his string of strikes.

"Everyone just gathered around," said Kathy King, day manager of Thunderbowl.

The last full-squad practice is today. The Lions will have conditioning drills next week.

Johnson was not available on Wednesday to comment on his bowling score.

Jones awaits call
Former Lions running back Kevin Jones could be getting a call from the Bears, who need help at running back after putting Cedric Benson on waivers on Tuesday.

Benson was charged with DWI in Texas. It was Benson's second incident involving alcohol in the offseason.

Jones, released by the Lions in March, is recovering from surgery on his right knee to repair a torn knee ligament.

A different take on the Lomas Brown story

2008-06-11T12:08:00.001-04:00

Brown likes what he sees in top pick Cherilus
Veteran, who will pass along tricks of the trade about playing tackle, enjoys rookie's attitude.
Mike O'Hara / The Detroit News
ALLEN PARK -- Lomas Brown will use all the tricks and techniques he acquired from playing offensive tackle for 18 NFL seasons to help tutor Lions rookie Gosder Cherilus.

Brown already has seen one quality he likes in Cherilus, the Lions' first-round pick from Boston College.

"I like the attitude," Brown said Monday. "That's what you need. You've got to start off with the attitude. I heard he's a dirty guy, and he likes to get into it. That's good. I want that."

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Brown was the Lions' first-round draft pick in 1985 and played 11 seasons in Detroit. He had other stops with Arizona, Cleveland, the Giants and Tampa Bay before retiring after the 2002 season.

Brown, who also has been used by the Jets to help D'Brickashaw Ferguson, was one of the most respected linemen of his era. His experience is invaluable.

Brown made the NFC Pro Bowl team seven times and played in 263 regular-season games. He started for the 2000 Giants, who lost to Baltimore in the Super Bowl, and was a valuable backup on the 2002 Tampa Bay team that won the Super Bowl.

Coach Rod Marinelli was an assistant at Tampa Bay for his one season with the Buccaneers. It turned out to be Brown's last year in the NFL.

Marinelli admired Brown's work ethic in practice, even when he knew he wouldn't start, and said it rubbed off on the rest of the players.

"He was the best scout-team player I've ever seen -- ever in my career," Marinelli said.

"I've never seen a guy run a scout team like that in my life. He worked. He was upbeat. He helped us win a championship. He brought something special."

Brown left the Lions after the 1995 season and signed with Arizona as a free agent. He has continued to make his home in Metro Detroit and remained close to the Lions.

Marinelli wants him to work with Cherilus in training camp. Brown has watched film of the big rookie and was at Monday's offseason practice.

Brown expects Cherilus to face the same problem as most rookies -- learning footwork to play tackle. Cherilus has been playing behind George Foster in the offseason workouts.

"It's just a matter of timing," Brown said. "That's going to come. He's a big guy (6-foot-7, 319 pounds), so he gets out a little slower. He's not going to see a lot of speed rushers on the right side. That's not going to hurt him as much.

"You've got to be disciplined. Your set has to be the same. It's got to be repetitious. You've got to be able to do it in your sleep. You can't think about your set. You've got so many other things to do.

"If I started with him, the first thing we would do is set. We'd graduate to hand placement and some other things."

High schools see Lions up close

2008-06-11T11:58:00.001-04:00

BY NICHOLAS J. COTSONIKA • FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER • June 10, 2008

Rod Marinelli coaches football in Allen Park. Tom Hoover coaches football in Allen Park.

The difference is that Marinelli coaches the Detroit Lions, whose headquarters is Allen Park, while Hoover coaches the Allen Park High Jaguars. But Marinelli doesn't see that as much of a difference.

Marinelli doesn't see much difference between Lions coaches and high school coaches and teachers in general. It's just a different level, a different environment.

"They're all teaching," Marinelli said. "What they're doing is the same as what we're trying to do -- teach."

So he showed them Monday. The Lions invited 10 high schools from across southeastern Michigan to send seven players, two coaches and a teacher to an off-season practice. They attended meetings, took a tour of the building and got an up-close look on the field.

Hoover was thrilled after watching offensive coordinator Jim Colletto instruct the linemen in the classroom and then move the lesson outdoors.

"Every single guy in there was glued to the screen, and he was showing them what he wanted," Hoover said. "And then when I watched practice out here, they did it at full speed, under fire. He's an excellent teacher. I saw it before, during and after."

Before he became coach of the Lions, before he was the defensive line coach at Tampa Bay, before he rose through the college ranks -- Southern Cal, Arizona State, Cal, Utah State -- Marinelli started as an assistant coach and history teacher at Rosemead High, his alma mater, outside Los Angeles.

His coaches and teachers had a huge impact on his life, and he has never forgotten it.

Last June, the Lions opened their last off-season practice to the public and held it at Detroit Renaissance, so coaches and players from the Public School League could see how pros went about their business.

This year, the Lions tried something different. They picked 10 schools -- from Jackson to Detroit, from Riverview to Warren.

"We really tried to get a broad spectrum of representation," said chief operating officer Tom Lewand, who added the team was considering taking a training camp practice "into the community."

Marinelli wanted to limit the number of people to keep the experience intimate. He asked the coaches to pick players they wanted to come -- maybe guys who needed inspiration, maybe guys who deserved a reward, maybe a young guy on the rise.

"For my kids, it's just the work ethic and how they're running around in practice from drill to drill and then from team to team," Ann Arbor Pioneer coach Jeremy Gold said. "Just getting these kids to understand that this is a fast-paced deal. You have to be in great shape to go for two-hour practice."

Marinelli also asked the coaches to pick a teacher who doesn't coach.

"I thought that was a real benefit for them to see what goes on here," he said. "It just helps them to relate to a student better. ... I just wanted to show why players like this stuff. ...

"The classroom teachers were able to see it's the same thing -- presenting material, how you present, changing the environment of a room, voice inflection, all those type of things. It's all the same."

Chicago Tribune: Former Lions RB Jones waits to hear from Bears

2008-06-11T11:47:00.002-04:00

Posted by Philip Zaroo | MLive.com June 11, 2008 08:13AM
Categories: Former Players
The Chicago Tribune is reporting that ex-Detroit Lions running back Kevin Jones is hoping to hear from the Chicago Bears, who just cut their running back, Cedric Benson, but still have second-round pick Matt Forte.

Jones, who spoke with Lions Insider Tom Kowalski a couple of weeks ago, is recovering from knee surgery.

Chicago Tribune, June 11: Jones, a former first-round pick of the Detroit Lions, hopes to hear from the Bears, according to a source close to the player.
Jones' agent, Blake Baratz, did not return a message Tuesday. His client has worked out for New England and Tennessee this off-season without striking a deal. Jones, released by the Lions in March, will hold a personal workout for scouts June 28 in Saline, Mich., to prove he is fully recovered from a torn ligament in his right knee, suffered in last season's home finale against the Chiefs.

MY THOUGHTS
Yes, thats right. Another chance for a former Lion to come back and bite us in the butt. If he signs with the Bears he will put up some big numbers and not get injured just to spite us.

Scouting Report: John Owens

2008-06-11T10:37:00.002-04:00

by Tom Kowalski
Wednesday June 11, 2008, 6:00 AM
2008 Scouting Report

Owens was signed in the middle of last season because the Lions wanted to add some muscle to their running game and Owens can provide that. Although, he's a big guy - 6-3 and 275 pounds - he can play low to the ground and knows how to utililize his leverage. Owens has good speed and decent hands, but he's never looked comfortable with his route-running or catching the ball.

He had just one reception for nine yards in his seven games with the Lions last year. He had one catch for 21 yards in the first two games of the season when he played with the New Orleans Saints. A former Detroit fifth-round pick in 2002, Owens played for two-plus years with the Lions before he was released. He had stops in Chicago and Cleveland before landing with the Saints in 2006.

With Dan Campbell and Michael Gaines already on the roster, Owens' future could come down to a battle with Casey FitzSimmons for the No. 3 spot. It will all depend on what the Lions are looking for out of that position. If they want a guy who's a better receiver than blocker, it'll be FitzSimmons. If they're looking for a guy who is a better blocker than receiver, it'll be Owens.

MY THOUGHTS
It is hard to say what the Lions will do here. On one hand they have Dan Campbell who has been injured the past 2 seasons and they want to have some 2 tight end sets. With Gaines being one blocking TE and hopefully Campbell being the other they could keep Owens and let Fitzgerald go and if need be, have Sean McHugh ( McHugh switched to FB this year and should be the 3rd FB on the roster )play some TE again this year. On the other hand Fitzgerald is a pretty good recieving TE. If he could get better at blocking then this is the better situation but since he has been here for several years and hasnt got any better at blocking. I say we will keep Owens and let Fotzgerald go unless something drastic happens.

Former Lion Brown helping Cherilus adapt to NFL

2008-06-11T10:24:00.002-04:00

by Brian VanOchten | The Grand Rapids Press
Wednesday June 11, 2008, 1:27 AM

ALLEN PARK -- In his post-NFL career, former Detroit Lions left tackle Lomas Brown has spent a lot of time teaching the fundamentals of football to up-and-coming prodigies attending his summer camps around the state.

His latest project: First-round pick Gosder Cherilus.

Brown, a seven-time All-Pro selection, is lending a helping hand during Organized Team Activities to help Cherilus learn the finer points of the game.

In offseason drills, Cherilus, a 6-foot-6, 319-pound right tackle chosen 17th overall out of Boston College, has been less than impressive so far.

"I watched the big fella, and I love the attitude," Brown said following Monday's voluntary session. "I see he's got a tremendous punch (getting off the line of scrimmage) but, like any new guy, the footwork is bad. He's not going to see a lot of speed rushers on the right side, so it's not going to bother him that much.

"It just needs to improve."

Brown insists he can help Cherilus adapt to the NFL.

The occasional ESPN commentator, who is conducting football camps in Lansing, Adrian, Rochester Hills and Grand Rapids this summer, has offered his services to the Lions to continue working with Cherilus once training camp opens next month.

He sees a lot of untapped potential.

"It's rare you get guys (in the first round of the draft) who come in and make an impact right away," Brown said. "Once he gets the pads on and he has a little success out here, that'll help his confidence. People might not have a good opinion about him from what they see right now, but give him a little time.

"I remember when we drafted Herman (Moore, 1991 first-rounder, 10th overall). The first two years, Herman couldn't catch a cold. He was horrible. It was like, 'We spent our money on who?'

"The more reps he gets, he'll be better."

The same approach applies, according to Brown, whether he's teaching and preaching basic concepts to NFL players or summer campers.

Brown also is hosting a charity golf outing July 27 at Quail Ridge Golf Club in Ada. All proceeds benefit brachial plexus palsy research at the University of Michigan.

NFL Hall of Famer Barry Sanders is scheduled to headline the tournament. He is expected to be joined by former Lions Moore, Ron Rice, Stephen Boyd and Luther Elliss, ex-Cincinnati Bengals running back Ickey Woods and others.

In the meantime, Brown is having fun mentoring Cherilus.

He told him Monday to keep focusing on the fundamentals.

"You're set has to be the same. It has to be repetitive. You have to be able to do it in your sleep," Brown said. "I'd like to keep working with him.

"I went up against William Gay, a pretty good veteran defensive lineman, every day in practice as a rookie. That helped my progress a lot," he added.

So, upon first glance, what's Cherilus' best attribute?

"He's got a nasty attitude," Brown said with a huge smile. "I like that. You can't teach that."

MY THOUGHTS
When Brian Van "comb over" says Gosder has been less than impressive, you have to take it with a grain of salt. He is by far the most negitive writer for the Lions. I love the fact the Lomas Brown is working with Gosder. You should have as many former greats around as you can. Lomas was always the smallest LT in the league and had to have the best footwork and technique to play at a probowl level. Having Lomas there also says alot about Marinelli letting former guys come in and help. Herman Moore wanted to do that for Roy Williams a few years ago and was denied. These former players really do want to see this team do well and you should take advantage of that whenever possible. If Gosder can pick up some one on one time with the best LT in Lions history, you better believe he will be a much better player this year for it.

Scouting Report: Keith Smith

2008-06-11T10:14:00.004-04:00

by Tom Kowalski
Tuesday June 10, 2008, 6:01 AM

KEITH SMITH 2008 Scouting Report

During the rare times the media is allowed to watch the OTA workouts, Smith showed increasing signs that he'll be the team's best downfield on-ball defender. Smith, who re-signed as an unrestricted free agent, does a very good job of keeping tight coverage, locating the ball and then making a play.

There are a lot of corners who can keep tight coverage but fewer players do a good job – and have the confidence – to turn and locate the ball. Fewer still have the ability to then make a play on the ball.

Smith, though, isn't as consistent on intermediate routes and his biggest problem is in run support - a necessity for a Tampa Two corner. It's not that Smith will shy away from contact or won't stick his nose into the action, but his tackling skills just aren't solid.

A former third-round pick (2004), Smith took a long time to develop, but his progress has been coming more rapidly lately, partly due to the coaching of coordinator Joe Barry and partly due to his own dogged determination. Smith has also been more effective on special teams the last two years and his production there should increase as well.

MY THOUGHTS
Smith also had a year of regression when former d-coordinator Donnie Henderson had Smith in the dog house the whole year. He didnt like him and it showed. Last year with Barry he showed a ton more than what Henderson saw. I really think that Kieth Smith wil be our starting cornerback for years to come. He may not be there this year but i would be suprised if he isnt starting next year.

2008-06-09T15:32:00.002-04:00

Sporting News: Dewayne White Lions' only pass-rush threat
June 8, 2008

The Lions are rated dead last in the Sportsnews.com's off-season position rankings for defensive ends in the NFC. Here is how they size up Detroit's strengths in the conference:

16. Lions. Dewayne White is Detroit's only consistent pass-rush threat. On the other side, the team will rotate veteran Jared DeVries and second-year player Ikaika Alama-Francis, who remains too raw to be consistent.

MY THOUGHTS
Whats funny is they completely skip over the fact that Redding had * sacks the year before and has hampered with injuries most of the year. I dont want to hear from someone who has never seen 5-0 play about how he plays. He was injured for the first half of the year. Avril will be a pass rush specialist for us as well.

Camp countdown '08: Detroit Lions

2008-06-09T14:48:00.002-04:00

Posted: June 9, 2008
Tom Kowalski
For Sporting News

Sporting News continues its breakdown of all 32 NFL teams while counting down to the start of training camp. Today's team is the Lions:

With at least six new starters on defense and a completely different offensive philosophy, the Lions continue to be a team in transition -- for the eighth straight season.

Coach Rod Marinelli, in his third year on the job, still found it necessary to make sweeping changes in the offseason because he still hadn't rid the locker room of mediocre performers and negative influences. Marinelli has been successful in tearing the team down completely and building a corps of disciplined players with the right attitudes.

After changing coordinators in each of the last two years, Marinelli has also found a coaching staff that is in line with his philosophy and teaching techniques. Overall, the foundation has been set, but because it's all still relatively new on both sides of the ball, a legitimate playoff run is probably too much to expect.

Offense

Former offensive line coach Jim Colletto replaces the departed Mike Martz as coordinator, and the changes will be drastic. Colletto will keep Martz's three-digit passing attack and all the terminology, but he'll cut the playbook to a fraction of its original size.

Colletto will stress two big changes in philosophy: he'll put more emphasis on the running game and, when throwing the ball, he will make sure it gets into the hands of gifted wide receivers Roy Williams and Calvin Johnson.

Defense

This is the third season of the Tampa 2 scheme in Detroit (the second under coordinator Joe Barry), and the Lions are coming off a season in which they were the worst in the league (in yards and points allowed).

The problem in the past hasn't been the system, but the ineffective players running it; that's why more than half the starters will be new. Several of those players, including tackle Chuck Darby, cornerback Brian Kelly and safety Dwight Smith, played the defense under Marinelli in Tampa Bay.

Breakout candidate

Wide receiver Calvin Johnson: The second-year receiver was largely ignored in the offense last season, but should be a big-time target this year.

The Detroit quarterbacks will have much more freedom this year to throw to Johnson if they like the matchup, even if it's in bracket coverage.

Bottom line

Lost in the team's 6-2 start and ultimate 7-9 finish last season was the fact that the Lions got blown out in four of their losses. How bad was it? The Chargers and Vikings both scored on each of their first-half possessions, while the Eagles scored six first-half touchdowns.

The Lions had success early because they were getting a slew of turnovers (they led the league for most of the first half of the season), but they were terrible on third down and couldn't keep their defense off the field. With changes throughout the roster, especially defensively, the Lions will be better.

They've got so far to go, however, that reaching the .500 mark would have to be deemed a successful season. SN prediction: 3-13, fourth in NFC North.

MY THOUGHTS
3-13? Are they kidding? This is another case where everyone loves the losing Lions. If they don't think that the Lions will be better than 3-13 then I wonder who they have winning the north. Who ever predicted that we win 3 games probably has Green Bay winning the north at 13-3 and of course they should get better since they only lost one of the greatest QB's in NFL history. He can only do things that 99% of all other QB's cant do in the pocket or with his arm. The Bears have a drunk for a tailback, who is soft and cant run well anymore and a QB who either cant stay healthy or throw to the recievers. Dont forget that Tommie Harris cant stay healthy either. The Vikings have no QB and their pass defense last year was terrible.

2008-06-09T14:45:00.002-04:00

2001 Lions lose out again: They're not among NFL's all-time worst
FREE PRESS NEWS SERVICES • June 8, 2008

The voting isn't over yet, but it looks like the Detroit Lions are safe.

USA Today is asking readers to vote for the worst NFL team of all time, and the lowly 2001 Lions aren't in the running for the dubious honor.

The Lions finished that season 2-14. After losing their first 12 games, they went 2-2 in their last four, sparing them a place among history's most inept. Believe it or not, there was one team even more lame that season -- the Carolina Panthers finished 1-15.

The voting continues through today, June 8, but so far the 1976 0-14 Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a strong candidate for the unwanted distinction.

MY THOUGHTS
All I can say is, THANK GOODNESS. We do not need that kind of award.

2008 Scouting Report:LANDON COHEN

2008-06-09T14:25:00.002-04:00

by Tom Kowalski
Monday June 09, 2008, 5:02 AM

Cohen, the seventh-round draft pick out of Ohio, has almost everything going against him. Because of NFL rules and the timing of his academic school year, Cohen has missed a great deal of off-season work. For a complex one-gap system like the Tampa Two, that's going to put him behind and make it tough for him to catch up.

An even more daunting task for Cohen is the numbers game. The Lions already had two veteran backup defensive tackles in Shaun Cody and Langston Moore and added to that with third-round pick Andre Fluellen. To make the 53-man roster, Cohen would probably have to beat out two of those players and that's not likely to happen.

At just under 300 pounds, Cohen has the speed and quickness the Lions are looking for in a tackle, but he's a raw talent. It's going to take some time for him to develop, but it appears - for this season at least -- that's going to have to happen on the practice squad.

MY THOUGHTS
When I first saw the pick i was not expecting him. Like Tom said, we already had 2 backups and a 3rd rounder but here is the other thing you have to look at. He is a quick DT which is exactly what Marinelli wants on the front 4. Next, Cody hasn't shown us anything up till now and Fluellen was injured last year. You have to back guys up with more players when there are questions about the ones in front. Unless something drastic happens Cohen will be on the practice squad but you never know. Anything can happen once training camp starts.

SCOUTING REPORT:Gosder Cherilus

2008-06-09T13:56:00.002-04:00

by Tom Kowalski
Monday June 09, 2008, 5:02 AM
GOSDER CHERILUS
2008 Scouting Report

If the Lions had stayed in the 15th overall spot in the first round, it's likely they would've selected Virginia guard/tackle Branden Albert because his draft grade was higher than Cherilus'. The Lions, though, traded down two spots and took Cherilus because they were looking for a right tackle and Cherilus played right tackle. While Albert was rated higher, there was still some question of how he would make the transition to tackle (the Chiefs, who traded with Detroit, took Albert).

Cherilus, at 6-7 and 320 pounds, has the ideal size for the right side, can be powerful in the running game and has a very high competitive and nasty streak. Just as importantly, he's a hungry player who is always striving to get better.

For all of his positives, Cherilus still has to battle bouts of inconsistency because his focus can sometimes wander. The Lions coaches don't appear too concerned about that part of his game because they believe, as he faces top-level talent week after week, his intensity will rise as his competitiveness comes out.

Cherilus will probably go into camp as the No. 2 right tackle behind George Foster, but the Lions shouldn't wait too long in elevating Cherilus to the starting unit. Yes, it's important that Cherilus earn the position, but it's just as important that he get as much playing time as possible with the starting right guard and tight end because chemistry is crucial. With the zone blocking schemes the Lions will use, it's even more important for the players to get a feel for each other and work as a unit.

MY THOUGHTS
One of my favorite things about a player or person is desire. You show me a guy who has desire and I will show someone who is going to be a success in almost anything they do. It is an old saying but if you work hard enough you can acomplish almost anything. I see that in Gosder and combined with his size and strength it puts not only Gosder but the Lions in a good position to be successful.

Roy Williams can only wait to find out Lions' plans

2008-06-08T12:56:00.002-04:00

MICHAEL ROSENBERG
June 8, 2008

I've heard a lot of excuses for an NFL player missing voluntary off-season workouts, but none as hilarious as Roy Williams'.

Williams missed the Lions' organized team activities two weeks ago. He said he missed Monday's workouts because he accidentally booked his flight a day late. He missed Tuesday's workout because of bad weather. And then he figured, why come for one day? So he skipped Wednesday.

For those scoring at home: that brings Williams to a total of three excuses. But don't worry, everybody! Williams pinky-swears he isn't bothered by his contract. Williams is in the last year of his deal and has not been offered an extension.

Of course he must be irritated, and you know what? It doesn't matter. Williams has no leverage. All he can do is try to play well and sign a deal after the season. The Lions will have the upper hand then, because they can slap the franchise tag on him.

It will be interesting to see what happens if Williams has a pretty good but not great year and the Lions are bad. Will he want out? Will they overpay him, as they have done with others?

These are legitimate and fair questions for the future. Meanwhile, Williams will remain a Lion, and probably a good one.

MY THOUGHTS
I think Roy will have a pro bowl year. With the Lions dedicating themselves to running the ball and forcing the safety's up into the box that will give Roy and CJ some wide open spaces to get the ball. Roy will sign a new deal and be a long time Lion.

Scouting Report: Artose Pinner

2008-06-08T09:41:00.002-04:00

by Tom Kowalski
Sunday June 08, 2008, 5:03 AM
ARTOSE PINNER
2008 Scouting Report

After leaving Detroit in 2005, many Lions fans probably think Artose Pinner went on to have a very productive career. After all, the last time they saw him, Pinner was in a Vikings uniform and helped kill the Lions in that game, rushing 29 times for 125 yards and three touchdowns in Minnesota's 30-20 victory.

In the last two years – other than that game against the Lions – Pinner only carried the ball 19 times for 107 yards (and that included one carry for 49 yards).

Pinner, though, won't make the Lions roster for his ability to carry the workload - that's going to go to rookie Kevin Smith. Pinner's value comes in his ability to run in short yardage and goal line situations and also his special teams contributions. Pinner is a heady player who has good quickness, is built low to the ground and knows how to use his leverage.

The Lions are loaded at running back going into camp with Smith, Tatum Bell, Brian Calhoun, Aveion Cason, undrafted rookie Allen Ervin and Pinner. Each player brings something a little different to the table and it's going to be a tough call for the coaching staff but you can wager that special teams coach Stan Kwan will have a big voice in the final decision.

MY THOUGHTS
I say that he will make the roster and contribute a few carries per game. I think he will be on special teams mostly but i wouldnt be shocked to see some good carries this year. Someone always gets hurt and Kevin Smith is a rookie so he will probably wear down later in the year.

Scouting Report: Langston Moore

2008-06-07T20:24:00.002-04:00

by Tom Kowalski
Saturday June 07, 2008, 5:05 AM
LANGSTON MOORE
2008 Scouting Report

Moore once again finds himself in a tough situation because he doesn't have any draft "status.'' Moore will have to win a roster spot - for a backup defensive tackle position - with Shaun Cody (a former second-round pick) and Andre Fluellen (a current third-round pick).

Moore is going to be a tough guy to knock out of the rotation because, although he isn't flashy, he's been dependable. He's strong against the run, plays the defense well and also added some pass pressure to his game last season. He only had two sacks, but he showed he could pressure the pocket and can be part of the rotation on all three downs.

Moore, who was originally a sixth-round pick by the Bengals in 2003, has also impressed coaches because he can step up his game against the more elite competition - he had a season-high seven tackles against the Giants last year.

Because Fluellen, barring any unforeseen circumstances, pretty much has a roster spot nailed down, the battle for that fourth DT roster position will probably come down to Moore or Cody. Cody has more natural ability, but Moore has been the more productive player over the last two years. This is going to be one of those training camp battles that will be very interesting to watch.

MY THOUGHTS
The more i see Langston the more i like him. He has improved a pretty good amount since arriving in Detroit. I thought he was showing enough that we didn't need to go out and get another DT but either way it doesn't matter. All it does is create more competition and makes the cream rise to the top. Either show out or your out of a job.

The Newest Rookie Rusher

2008-06-07T02:31:00.001-04:00

DE Cliff Avril Learning Under Head Coach Rod Marinelli and the Tutelege of Lions' Vets
By Chrissie Wywrot
Detroitlions.com
June 6, 2008

ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- One can only assume what it must feel like to be Head Coach Rod Marinelli’s personal project.

Regarded as the best defensive line coach in the league, Marinelli expects nothing short of excellence from his front men and isn’t afraid to let them know it.

Last year, Ikaika Alama-Francis was the lone rookie in Marinelli and Defensive Line Coach Joe Cullen’s heralded position group. This year, the Lions have a pair of first-year, third-round defensive linemen: Andre Fluellen and Cliff Avril.

“It’s kind of crazy to have the head coach looking over you at all times,” said Avril. “But at the same time it’s a good thing because he likes the (defensive) line and he has a lot of good tips. He’s a real good coach.”

Avril came to Detroit out of Purdue, where he spent just a year-and-a-half as a defensive end. He began his collegiate career as an outside linebacker before his coaches moved him to the line.

“I moved mid-season my junior year to defensive end,” he said. “It was a good move because I probably wouldn’t be in the NFL if it wasn’t for that. I was definitely moved to D-end because of my speed. I think we needed more speed up front to help out Anthony Spencer, who’s with the Cowboys right now.

“They basically did it for the team.”

It’s the speed that had the Lions zoned in on him early in the scouting process.

Described as a ‘tweener’ heading into the NFL Draft, many thought Avril was too small to play defensive end at the professional level and projected him as a 3-4 outside linebacker. But Marinelli and the Lions’ coaching staff liked Avril’s speed around the edge and, in Detroit’s one-gap system, he is a great fit.

“We’ve had somewhat of a successful history of taking undersized, fast, tough guys and implementing them into our system,” said Defensive Coordinator Joe Barry. “They flourish. We feel that Cliff is in that mold. He’s about 6-3, 255 pounds and ran the fastest 40(-yard dash) of all the defensive linemen at the combine.

“He has explosive quickness and had a really good vertical and broad jump at the combine. Those are things that really jumped out at us.”

Avril actually has experience in this type of system from what he ran in college. When the coaching staff at Purdue moved him to defensive end it wasn’t due to a system change – it was because they thought he could best help the team as a defensive end.

He says he thinks about what it would have been like to have been drafted as an outside linebacker, but there is no going back – he’s a defensive end.

“I’ve thought about it but I’m a D-end and I just try to get better at that,” said Avril. “I can improve. I’m just trying to get better daily. I’m starting to realize more and more it’s a job – it’s not like college. But you have to always be on point and I’m just trying to get better every day.”

One of the ways he is trying to get better is by picking the brains of his veteran teammates.

“It’s always good to get tips from the vets, especially guys who have been here for awhile,” said Avril. “I talk to Dewayne (White) a lot, I talk to (Jared DeVries) a lot – (I talk to) all the D-linemen, actually. They’ve all got tips, they’ve all been here for awhile and I’m just trying to learn and get better.”

White plays on the same side of the line as Avril: right end.

Typically, the right end is the smaller, speed guy due to the reality that they are presented with more one-on-one match-ups. NFL offenses also tend to run to the offensive right (the defensive left) and set up the tight end on the right, so left defensive ends are usually double-teamed and have to play the run more often than the right ends.

“I give him pointers,” said White of Avril. “I’m trying to show him some of the pitfalls of this league and what not to do. I’m giving him some encouragement.

“He’s really talented. (He’s) a real quick guy and he just needs to be guided and coached. Coaches are helping him, but (there are) some things you can’t go to coaches for. So he asks me – he asks all the players.”

One thing Avril – and many of the other drafted rookies, for that matter – presents is humility.

He understands the reality that he hasn’t made the team yet, and knows he is fighting for a spot on the 53-man roster.

“(I’m) just looking to learn (and) looking to get a spot on the team,” said Avril of training camp, which will begin at the end of July. “Nobody has a guaranteed spot on the team so I’m definitely just trying to compete with the guys and hopefully can be a part of the squad and get better.”

Though the team is unable to conduct padded practices throughout the offseason, Avril already feels he is improving under Marinelli’s tutelage.

“My hand speed needs to get a little better compared to the vets, but it’s definitely getting better and better,” he said. “I’m learning a lot from (the) Coach(es); especially Marinelli. He knows what he’s talking about. He’s had quite a few D-linemen that have been real successful. I’m starting to see that it’s working for me, but I still have a long way to go.”

One defensive end Marinelli compares Avril with is Simeon Rice, who played under Marinelli in Tampa from 2001-06. Over that time period, Rice accumulated 69.5 sacks.

“(He shows me film of Rice) all the time,” said Avril. “He showed me film of him, actually, when I came to visit before the draft and he’s still showing me film on him to this day. I’m definitely trying to be like him – he’s a great pass-rusher.”

Comparing himself to defensive ends is a new thing for Avril, who spent the majority of his collegiate career believing he would enter the NFL as a linebacker.

“I used to watch Shaun Phillips from Purdue; Rosevelt Colvin,” said Avril. “But they (would) sometimes get in a three-point stance and stuff like that, so I used to watch them a lot. But now I try to pattern it behind all the good defensive ends like Simeon and a few other guys in the league.

“I’m just trying to get there (with) the lighter guys who are faster. Trying to get there.”

Rank the 10 best running backs in NFL history.

2008-06-07T02:20:00.002-04:00

It started with eight great football minds and seemingly a simple request.

By the time all was said and done, Don Shula, Marv Levy, Dan Reeves, Robert Smith, Jerry Richardson, Floyd Reese, Jack Bushofsky and Emmitt Thomas had thrown around nearly four dozen names, debated the merits of runners who had seemed flawless when they entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame and helped pare a list to include only the most elite of the elite. (Click here for bios of panelists.)

With lots of input from those eight, ESPN.com subjectively developed a list that spanned different eras, took changes in the game into account and came to this conclusion -- Jim Brown was the best running back ever.

Top 10 RBs of All Time
Don Shula, Marv Levy, Emmitt Thomas, Jack Bushofsky, Dan Reeves, Jerry Richardson, Robert Smith and Floyd Reese helped ESPN.com evaluate the best running backs in NFL history. ESPN.com weighed their contributions, balancing rankings with anecdotal evidence and statistics to create the following list: (ZOOM gallery)

1. JIM BROWN
Career: Upon retiring before '66 season, the Browns' RB was all-time leader in rushing yards (12,312), all-purpose yards (15,549) and touchdowns (126).
Quick quote: "Incredible combination of speed and power. As a defensive back, I'm happy he retired just as I came into the league, because my career might have been a lot shorter if I had to tackle him.'' -- Thomas

2. BARRY SANDERS
Career: Sudden retirement in '99 came with the Lions' RB trailing only Walter Payton on the all-time rushing list. Ran for more than 1,500 yards in a season five times.
Quick quote: "He's the only guy I've ever seen who could hurt defenders without touching them. He'd have them twisting their ankles and running into each other.'' -- Reese

3. WALTER PAYTON
Career: Played on mediocre Bears teams until late in career but retired as leading rusher (16,726) in history.
Quick quote: "The most complete back ever."' -- Shula

4. EMMITT SMITH
Career: Smith, who played 13 seasons for Dallas and two for Arizona, took over as all-time rushing leader in '02. His 164 rushing touchdowns are the most in history.
Quick quote: "Phenomenal and extremely tough player. Incredible balance and leverage.'' -- Reeves

5. GALE SAYERS
Career: Knee problems forced him to retire in '71 after seven seasons with the Bears. At 33, he was the youngest person selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Quick quote: "I used to watch him and say, 'How can anybody be that good?'" -- Levy

6. LADAINIAN TOMLINSON
Career: The Chargers' RB has at least 1,200 rushing yards and 50 receptions in each of his first seven seasons.
Quick quote: "He brings as much versatility as any running back ever has.'' -- Smith

7. MARSHALL FAULK
Career: Began career with Indianapolis in '94 but was traded to St. Louis in '99 and became cornerstone of "Greatest Show on Turf." First running back in history to lead his team in receptions in five different seasons.
Quick quote: "Could have been an All-Pro as a wide receiver.'' -- Bushofsky

8. O.J. SIMPSON
Career: The Bills' great became the first player in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards in a season when he gained 2,003 in '73.
Quick quote: "He had it all. He had the same type balance as Jim Brown, and he could just keep going and going.'' -- Reeves

9. LENNY MOORE
Credentials: One of Johnny Unitas' key weapons for the Colts, he scored a touchdown in 18 straight regular-season appearances between '63 and '65.
Quick quote: "He may be underappreciated, but he was very similar to what Marshall Faulk has been more recently.'' -- Richardson, who was Moore's teammate for two years in Baltimore.

10. ERIC DICKERSON
Credentials: Reached 10,000 rushing yards in 91 games (the fastest pace in history) and rushed for 2,105 yards in '84. Played for Rams, Colts, Falcons and Raiders.
Quick quote: "He didn't look fast, but he was so long-legged that he could go the distance.'' -- Reeves Barry Sanders, Walter Payton and Emmitt Smith were right behind him. Gale Sayers, LaDainian Tomlinson, Marshall Faulk, O.J. Simpson, Lenny Moore and Eric Dickerson also made the list.

"I came into the league in 1965, and that was Jim Brown's last year," said Reeves, who played for the Dallas Cowboys before going on to coach the Denver Broncos, New York Giants and Atlanta Falcons. "There hasn't been anyone quite like him since, and I don't know that there ever will be. He had the size to run over people and the speed and elusiveness to make them miss. Nobody has ever had that combination quite like him."

Richardson, the first former player since George Halas to own a team when he was awarded the expansion Carolina Panthers, watched Brown from the sidelines.

"Everyone knows Jim Brown was great," said Richardson, who played receiver for the Baltimore Colts in 1959 and 1960. "But unless you saw it up close, I don't think you can truly appreciate the combination of power, speed and agility he possessed."

At a position that players with all sorts of different styles have had enormous success, Brown is the prototype of all prototypes. That's why he was the relatively easy choice for No. 1. At 6-foot-2 and 232 pounds, Brown played for the Cleveland Browns from 1957 to 1965.

Brown owned the NFL career rushing record with 12,312 yards when he suddenly walked away from the game to pursue a movie career. That record has been passed to Payton and now Emmitt Smith, but Brown's status has endured.

"There are a lot of ways you can look at the numbers," said Bushofsky, who worked in scouting and personnel for Tampa Bay, Indianapolis, Carolina and Washington for four decades. "But I think when you're talking about the best ever, you have to boil it down to how many times they touched the ball, rushing and receiving, and how many times they scored. You can't argue with Jim Brown on that."

In 118 career regular-season games, Brown scored 126 touchdowns (106 rushing, 20 receiving) while carrying 2,359 times and catching 262 passes. He scored once every 20.7 times he touched the ball, and he averaged 5.2 yards a carry and 104.3 rushing yards a game.

Reeves, Bushofsky, Thomas and Richardson each voted Brown first on their ballots. Shula split his first-place vote between Brown and Sanders, who finished No. 2. No panelist rated Brown lower than third.

"The only reason I'm not putting him No. 1 is because of his size," former Minnesota Vikings running back Robert Smith said. Smith rated Brown No. 2 behind Sanders. "He was running against defensive linemen who were the same size as him. That would be like a running back today running against 11 defensive backs. But that's not Jim Brown's fault."

Balancing act

Each panelist was asked to take into account the changes in the game. For example, Brown began his career when the NFL played a 12-game regular season. The league switched to a 14-game format in 1961 and to the current 16-game schedule in 1978.

Each submitted a ballot and agreed to make his top choice public, though some asked that the order of the rest of their lists be kept private. Each also talked extensively about the running backs on his list and, in many cases, about the players left off his list.

The ballots were calculated, but the result of the vote was used only as a guideline as ESPN.com assembled the final list. In some cases, less weight was given to votes from those who played with or coached a player, whereas more weight was given to impartial votes.

When it came to statistics, panelists were asked to try to think in relative terms. Players such as Brown didn't have as many opportunities to assemble as gaudy statistics as Tomlinson, who is ranked No. 6 and is the only active player on the list.

"To narrow it down to just 10 is nearly impossible," Reeves said. "I'm sitting here with a list of 40 or 50 guys, and you could make a legitimate case for every single one. You have to take in a lot of different factors and try to balance it all out."

Balance was what ESPN.com sought most as it tried to put every candidate into perspective. Panelists such as Levy, 82, and Shula, Richardson and Bushofsky, who are in their 70s, were relied upon heavily to present the case for the running backs some of the younger panelists never saw play.

Old-timers such as Red Grange, Marion Motley, Paul Hornung and Joe Perry received votes, but Brown and Moore (No. 9) were the only running backs who began their careers before 1965 to make the list.

"A lot of people forget about Lenny Moore or don't even know about him," Bushofsky said. "But he could stand the test of time. He was basically Marshall Faulk before Marshall Faulk."

Moore played for the Baltimore Colts from 1956 to 1967. He never came close to rushing for 1,000 yards in a season, but he was a combination halfback/flanker who produced 12,451 total yards and 113 touchdowns. Moore helped clear the way for running backs such as Faulk and Tomlinson to become huge parts of the passing game. Moore also played for, arguably, some of the best teams in history, and he helped his case by helping Johnny Unitas become one of the best quarterbacks ever.

Emmitt Smith: Big on results, not flash

Playing on a team that was a big winner wasn't necessarily a requirement to make the list. Super Bowl titles might have helped Emmitt Smith's status. He's the all-time rushing leader (18,355 yards) and played on three Super Bowl championship teams with Dallas. Along with quarterback Troy Aikman and receiver Michael Irvin, Smith formed "The Triplets" and, no doubt, also was aided by an exceptional offensive line and strong defense.

"I think production counts for a lot, and Emmitt always produced," Shula said. "He may not have been as flashy as some other guys, but he gave you results. He was a big part of the reason that team was so good."

Conversely, Sanders, Sayers, Simpson and Eric Dickerson made the list without playing for teams that won championships, and Payton's Chicago Bears didn't reach the Super Bowl until nearly the end of his career.

"I don't want to take anything away from Emmitt at all," said Robert Smith, who ranked Emmitt Smith at No. 6. "But I would have liked to have seen Barry Sanders running with that team. When you factor in size and the team he was playing with, Barry was probably working with the least of anybody and he still got the most out of it."

At 5-foot-8 and 203 pounds, Sanders was blessed with exceptional speed and cutting ability but was cursed because he landed with the Detroit Lions, who lost during much of his career. But Sanders did help the Lions win a playoff game in the 1991 season (the franchise's only postseason victory since 1957).

Before the 1999 season, Sanders, who was closing in on Payton's all-time rushing record, stunned the football world by retiring. He later admitted his decision stemmed from frustration over Detroit's lack of success and concerns about the franchise's future.

"I just wish that Barry Sanders hadn't retired when he did," said Thomas, who will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in August. "He still was at the top of his game and could have gone on a long time."

Sanders wasn't the only runner on the list whose career ended prematurely. Sayers entered the league in 1965, but two major knee injuries ended his career by 1971. No player on the list drew more varied opinions than Sayers. Levy split his No. 1 vote between Sayers and Payton while two other panelists left Sayers off their lists, saying his career wasn't long enough.

"If Sayers didn't have the injuries, he would have been the best player in history," Levy said. "He was the smoothest, most unbelievable athlete ever."

Bushofsky, who voted Sayers at No. 3, acknowledged that he's a fan of durability. "But I'll make an exception on this one," Bushofsky said. The guy averaged 5 yards a carry and almost 12 yards a catch. You can't leave him off."

Who's left out

Plenty of other great running backs were left off the list.

"I'm looking at the rest of my list and seeing guys like Curtis Martin, Thurman Thomas, Jim Taylor, Terrell Davis, Tiki Barber, Fred Taylor and Marcus Allen," Reeves said. "It's very hard to leave names like that off."

All those names got strong consideration. So did Earl Campbell, Franco Harris, Tony Dorsett, Larry Csonka, John Riggins and Shaun Alexander. On the flip side, Simpson did make the list, despite his postcareer legal issues.

Simpson, who became the first to break the 2,000-yard barrier in 1973, appeared on six of the eight ballots and was rated as high as No. 2.

"People may want to forget it now," Reese said. "But for a time, O.J. was the face of the NFL."

The faces have changed with time. From Brown's power to Payton's grace to Sanders' speed, the qualities of the best running backs are constantly evolving. These days, Tomlinson is the standard for running backs.

Tomlinson, Alexander, Fred Taylor and Adrian Peterson were the only active running backs to receive votes from the panel. Alexander and Taylor came close to making the list. Peterson, who will enter just his second season after an outstanding rookie campaign with Minnesota, will have to put in much more time.

Tomlinson already has been in the league for seven years and has 10,650 rushing yards and 3,375 receiving yards and 129 touchdowns.

"If Tomlinson keeps going the way he is, call me back in a few years," Shula said. "We might have to put him at the top of the list. If Peterson keeps playing like he did as a rookie, call me back in 10 years and we might have to redo the whole list."

Scouting Report: Michael Gaines

2008-06-07T00:40:00.002-04:00

by Tom Kowalski
Friday June 06, 2008, 5:04 AM
MICHAEL GAINES
2008 Scouting Report

Gaines might be a younger version of veteran Dan Campbell. Gaines is strong in the running game and, while he doesn't pile-drive anybody, he doesn't lose contact and he doesn't make many mistakes. In the passing game, Gaines could be something of a hidden gem. He's got good hands and and good quickness and should be able to find some soft zones between wideouts Roy Williams and Calvin Johnson.

Last year with Buffalo, Gaines didn't see a lot of action in the passing game. He only caught more than two passes in just two games and his 8.6 yards per catch is more of a reflection of Gaines' role in the offense than his downfield speed or ability.

With the Lions bringing Campbell (elbow) along slowly throughout training camp, Gaines will get plenty of opportunities to show what he can do. Don't be surprised if the Lions start using a lot of two-tight end formations to add some muscle to their running attack. That alignment also gives quarterback Jon Kitna some solid options in the play-action game.

Gaines will add some speed at certain special teams positions, but has yet to show he can be an explosive player in that part of the game. Overall, Gaines should get a great deal of playing times this season and, at some point down the road, will likely replace Campbell as the No. 1 tight end.

MY THOUGHTS
With the contract he was given he will need to be the starter or play up to that type of standard. He seems to be a Dan Campbell clone but just not as good. Not bad but he seems like he isnt as good in the blocking aspect as campbell. Campbell is one of the best blocking TE's in the NFL. To be right up there with him says alot. I am hoping he will give us a good 3rd option on play fakes. I keep hearing he has good hands but until i see it on the field i wont just say he is our guy.

Williams preparing for the 2008 season

2008-06-06T00:44:00.002-04:00

THURSDAY, JUNE 5

Wide receiver Roy Williams has been in Michigan for some of the team’s offseason conditioning program. Obviously, he was in Allen Park for the mandatory mini-camp in mid-May, but he has also worked out at the team facility and participated in some of the OTA sessions.

When he isn’t in Michigan, Williams spends his time in his hometown of Odessa, Texas and has been working out there as well.

Williams: “Offseason conditioning’s been great. I’ve been down in my Texas heat. I work out throughout the day. I’m in ‘Power Cuts’ class, which is weight aerobics, and that’s at 5:50 in the morning. So I’m in there getting my Richard Simmons on in the mornings and lift weights in the afternoon. Then I run again in the evening. The offseason has been going real good.”

When it comes to running, Williams has actually called his teammates to reference what the team is doing in Allen Park.

Williams: “I run in the afternoons. I change that up depending on what these guys are doing up here; I try to call my teammates and see what they did and run what they ran. I’ve also got some Nike stuff – a parachute and (other things) – to work on my explosion off the ball. I do a lot of different variations.”

The Lions are looking forward to the consistency of bringing their top four receivers back from a year ago: Williams, Calvin Johnson, Shaun McDonald and Mike Furrey.

But who those players line up against during OTAs and mini-camp practices has changed and Williams has definitely taken notice.

Williams: “It’s a little different. I won’t say that we upgraded players because I don’t want to downgrade anybody. Fernando Bryant was my guy. But we’ve got Leigh Bodden – a real good football player – Dwight Smith is real smart back there and Brian Kelly is as smart as they come. We’ve got three good guys in the back; that’s going to help us win. Out here practicing I try to get on those guys talking about how old they are; especially Brian Kelly, I talk about how old he is. But those guys are real smart and they’re going to help us out.”

Of course with every Williams’ compliment comes a little jab here and there.

Fifth-year cornerback Keith Smith – who actually came in with Williams in 2004 – has mentioned the benefit of going against big receivers such as Williams and Johnson.

When asked about the positives of going against a talented secondary, Williams couldn’t help but stick up for his own position group.

Williams: “I mean, they can’t cover us out here but they try. Keith does a really good job of playing the deep ball; I don’t think anybody can catch a deep ball on this guy. He shut me down and Calvin down on the deep balls. But other than that, they can’t cover us out here. We’re too big, we’re too good and we make them look small.”

Now that the week is over, the Lions are looking ahead to four more OTA practices. Williams has headed back down to Odessa and is planning to continue his workouts prior to training camp at the end of July.

Williams: “I’m just going to keep doing my workouts. I’ll be out in the sun more because it’s going to be 100-degrees-plus in Texas. So I’m going to get out there and get my sauna work in; running at the same time and get my wind up so when I come to training camp guys will be breathing hard and it won’t be hard for me.”

MY THOUGHTS
Roy has to thank Martz for his much improved off season training program. When he came into Martz's first training camp he found out how much he hadnt done in the offseason. It also shows what kind of team player Roy is. You arent hearing about him being pissed off and bitching to the media. He is calling the guy's who are at the OTA's and running the same as all of them. I wish he was with the team as well as they do but at least he is doing the same activities.

Furrey is pleased with the direction of the Lions' offense

2008-06-05T11:16:00.002-04:00

WEDNESDAY, MAY 28
Wide receiver Mike Furrey has had two different seasons since signing with the Detroit Lions in 2006.

In his first year, Furrey was Detroit’s No. 2 receiver, complimenting Roy Williams, and caught a team- and conference-best 98 balls for a personal-best 1,086 yards. Last year – after Detroit drafted Calvin Johnson and added Shaun McDonald via free agency – Furrey was part of a quartet of talented wideouts, finishing with 61 catches for 664 yards.

Furrey on his mindset after having two very different seasons: “I think the mindset is that this thing has got to turn over some time or another. We have a lot of great players and, especially on offense, we’re loaded. It’s just that we need to get our running game in there and we expect the same thing (out of the receivers).

“Hopefully three or four of us will be out there all the time playing, running around and catching balls, and hopefully Tatum (Bell) and Smitty (Kevin Smith) can pick the back foot up a little bit and we can be consistent in the run-pass and win some ball games.”

Now, as he heads into his third season in Detroit, things have changed once again for Furrey as the offensive coordinator he followed here – Mike Martz – is no longer with the team. But Furrey has been pleasantly surprised this offseason at the offense run under Offensive Coordinator Jim Colletto.

Furrey: “I didn’t know what to expect, to be honest. I knew what to expect from the defense in its second year under Joe (Barry), but I really had no expectations of what was going to happen here on offense. The first couple weeks it was just basic and simple and we were really cutting back, but now we’re starting to get a lot of chemistry.

“These last couple weeks have gone really well and mini-camp helped out tremendously. We’re just trying to feel each other out and get used to Colletto and get used to (Passing Game Coordinator Kippy Brown) and being able to put this whole thing together. I’ve been really pleased to see how this thing came together because I really didn’t know what to expect. I’m really happy right now.”

Though Colletto is taking a different approach in regards to the running game, Furrey doesn’t see much changing in regards to the scheme.

Furrey: “He’s taking the offense, which he understood, and he’s making it where it’s more feasible for guys to go out and just play the game. (There is) less thinking and it is a little bit more basic. To me, it makes it easier. Being in Coach Martz’s offense, I loved playing in it so I obviously know the offense. But with Colletto, he’s going to have a pretty good running game and hopefully we’ll be able to counter that with our passing attack. Nothing’s really going to change.”

While nothing is going to change from a schematic approach, there is no telling what will happen in regards to ball distribution.

Furrey: “We won’t be throwing the ball 70 times anymore, which I’m not complaining about because it was awesome to throw the ball 70 times (laughter). But in this league, you have to have a running game, especially in the third and fourth quarters, which we missed last year. Hopefully we’ll be able to control the game a little bit better with the running game.”

As far as his personal game is concerned, Furrey isn’t looking to tag any statistical expectations on himself. He is simply looking to get into the best shape possible and prepare as best as he can for training camp and the upcoming season.

Furrey: “I feel like I’m in better shape now than what I’ve ever been physically. I took some time off when the season was over and went down to Pensacola, Florida for a couple of weeks before we came back (for the offseason program). I did a program down there and I’m lean and feel good – I’m eating right for the first time. No more McDonald’s or Wendy’s so it’s been pretty good.”

Now, Furrey will focus on finishing the last two-and-a-half weeks of the offseason program.

Furrey: “The biggest thing that I try to work on is my strength and conditioning. I feel that I’ve been blessed to be able to run pretty good routes and catching the ball and that kind of stuff – I’ve had a knack for it for a pretty long time. So my thing is to just make sure the older I get, the better I get in shape going into the season. It’s good to do that now but it will be pretty neat here in a couple weeks when we start our six-week (break to) get ready for training camp.”

During that six-week hiatus, Furrey also participates in events with his foundation, The Mike Furrey Foundation (www.mikefurreyfoundation.com). Coming up soon is his annual fundraiser, the Mike Furrey Foundation Golf Tournament.

Furrey: “The foundation is doing great. It’s been blessed. It’s really booming right now and we’re excited. We’re getting ready to have our big tournament here at the end of June. It’s a great day, it’s a great event. We’re excited. It’s at Tarton Fields, Dublin, Ohio and we have a Hawaiian luau the night before for all the celebrities. So we’re picking Dominic’s brain right now about how to throw a luau. We’re excited.”

Scouting Report: Chuck Darby

2008-06-05T10:29:00.002-04:00

by Tom Kowalski
Thursday June 05, 2008, 5:04 AM
CHUCK DARBY
2008 Scouting Report

Another one of those former Tampa Bay/Tampa Two players who once played for Rod Marinelli, Darby should bring some consistency to the defensive tackle position. No, he's not going to make the eye-popping plays that Shaun Rogers did, but Darby will bring two things that Rogers didn't - a non-stop motor and mistake-free discipline in the system.

While Rogers could be a hugely disruptive force, there were also too many times when he'd freelance and leave his one-gap responsibility - leaving his teammates vulnerable.

Darby is very strong against the run and uses his knowledge of the system to get the most out of his ability. He's not productive as a pass rusher, though, and will likely be replaced on passing downs. While Darby is light on his feet when it comes to executing stunts and twists, he simply hasn't been able to master pass-rushing counter moves to improve his effectiveness.

Darby suffered a torn patella tendon last season and missed the last half of the year, but he was durable before that. Darby has been taking part in all of the off-season workouts so there's no lingering issue with the knee injury.

MY THOUGHTS
The funny thing that most people have been beating this guy up about is that he is injury prone but has mainly one injury in his career. The big part that we lose by having Darby instead Rogers is pass rushing but how many games did he just not show up at all? Rogers is an unbelievable DT when he wants to be but only when he wants to be. Darby isnt a star but look at some guy's who just over achieve by going all out on every play. Almost every player will take a few plays off but Darby has always been known as the player who never takes plays off. So I look at it this way, when that center or gaurd takes a play off Darby will take advantage of it.

LIONS’ ROY WILLIAMS: “I’M NOT MAD”

2008-06-05T02:13:00.001-04:00

Posted by Michael David Smith on June 4, 2008, 3:52 p.m.
Last week we noted that wide receiver Roy Williams was one of five Lions who didn’t show up to voluntary organized team activities.

Williams’ absence was widely interpreted as the latest sign that he and the team’s top brass are not seeing eye to eye, but Williams said today that that’s not the case.

“I’m going to make a lot of money this year,” Williams. “You all can look it up. They owe me $5.8 million this year. So why would I be mad? I’m not mad. I’m not missing OTAs because I’m mad at the Detroit Lions. I’m missing because my flights got canceled. . . . I tried to get here two days in a row, and I just wasn’t coming for one day. I called the coaches. They knew where I was at. So it wasn’t a big deal.”

When it was pointed out to Williams that he could have caught a flight that would have gotten him to Monday’s OTAs, he said, “That was my fault. I booked it wrong. I booked it on the second instead of the first.”

OTAs are voluntary, which means Williams isn’t obligated to justify missing them. But it’s a little hard to believe that his contract status had nothing at all to do with his absences. Williams might not be mad, but it’s been well documented that he’s not crazy about the situation in Detroit, where he’s unlikely to get the long-term contract extension he wants. A happy player might have worked a little harder at finding an available flight.

Lions DT Shaun Cody wants more sacks, less weight, new contract

2008-06-04T11:38:00.002-04:00

BY NICHOLAS J. COTSONIKA • FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER • June 4, 2008

It was late one night in February. Shaun Cody was home in southern California, out to dinner with his girlfriend at a nice restaurant, enjoying his time away from work when he received a call.

He looked at his cell phone. It was his boss, Lions coach Rod Marinelli. Again.

"Just when they were putting on the candles," Cody said, laughing. "No."

Marinelli likes to put pressure on his players, and he has been putting pressure on Cody, a defensive tackle who has only 1 1/2 sacks in three seasons -- none since his rookie year.

Marinelli called him about once a week earlier this off-season. Sometimes it was a quick chat. Sometimes it was just a voice mail.

" 'You know, Shaun, you don't need to call me back. I just want to leave you with this,' " Cody said. "Then he'll drop you some jewel or nugget of pass-rushing wisdom. ...

"It was different every week. But he's always trying to remind you -- football, football, football."

The Lions are celebrating their 75th season in Detroit. Tuesday they brought four players who have worn No. 75 to the Detroit Lions Invitational, their annual charity golf tournament at TPC of Michigan in Dearborn.

Cody was included because he wears the number, but his Lions credentials don't quite match the others'.

Right guard John Gordy, a second-round pick in 1957, won an NFL title and went to three Pro Bowls in 10 seasons. Left tackle Jim Yarbrough, a second-round pick in 1969, played nine seasons. Left tackle Lomas Brown, a first-round pick in 1985, went to seven Pro Bowls in 10 seasons.

"You want guys to do well that wear that number," Brown said. "You want them to try to live up to that number. Hopefully, Shaun will get a chance this year to show what he can really do out there."

Cody, a second-round pick in 2005, played all 16 games as a rookie. But he played only six the following year. He dislocated the big toe on his left foot.

The thing stuck straight up. He sat out four games. He tried to come back, taping down the toe and taking a pain-killing injection, but he lasted only two or three snaps and went on injured reserve.

He played 15 games last season and said the toe was "OK."

"I think any time you have a severe injury like that, to come back it takes a whole year," said Cody, who recovered from a torn anterior cruciate ligament at Southern Cal. "When I did my ACL in college, it took about a year to come back. I figure this year I've had a chance to play on it for a year and get used to it and rehab it to its fullest. It feels great now."

Cody has been solid against the run, but he has struggled to penetrate into the backfield. That's why Marinelli's phone calls have focused on the pass rush.

"I think what's happened here is, I've been playing cautious," Cody said. "I know that my reps were limited last year. When you get in there, you really don't want to make a mistake. And that's the wrong way to play football. You don't want to worry about making a mistake. You just want to go out there and play."

Cody said he has been trying to trim his weight from about 305 to about 295. Wide receiver Mike Furrey picked up a plate of pastries at the golf outing and offered them to Cody, but Cody waved them away.

"I've got to lose 10 pounds, Mike," Cody said.

Cody, in the final year of his contract, is fighting for playing time -- and perhaps a roster spot -- even though the Lions traded Shaun Rogers. The Lions signed free agent Chuck Darby and drafted Andre Fluellen in the third round, with Cory Redding and Langston Moore on the roster.

"Last year I had no sacks, and that was disappointing for me," Cody said. "This year coming into a contract year and wanting to be a part of the Lions a long time, it's important for me to have a big year. I know that."

NOTEBOOK: Brown said he plans to work with the Lions' first-round pick, right tackle Gosder Cherilus. ... The Stanley Cup visited Lions headquarters in Allen Park on Tuesday before heading to Pittsburgh for Game 6 of the finals between the Red Wings and Penguins.

MY THOUGHTS
This is good news to me. He is trying to lose weight and is using his contract year as motivation to get better. Now on the flip side, will he go back to not working hard after getting a new contract? That is the big question. I like the idea of Marinelli calling and reminding him of football constantly.

Scouting Report: Brian Kelly

2008-06-04T11:28:00.002-04:00

by Tom Kowalski
Tuesday June 03, 2008, 6:06 AM
BRIAN KELLY
2008 Scouting Report

Kelly replaces Fernando Bryant (who signed with the Patriots as a free agent) and will give the team more of a physical presence. Not so much against the run because Bryant was more than willing to stick his nose into run support, but against the pass. Kelly has the size and strength to effectively jam receivers off the line of scrimmage, a staple of the defensive scheme. He isn't going to stop them in their tracks, but he's savvy enough to keep them from where they initially want to go.

Because of his many years in the Tampa Two system - Kelly is another of the many Lions defenders who once played for Rod Marinelli in Tampa - Kelly does a good job of reading routes in zone coverages. Kelly doesn't have great speed for downfield routes and can be exposed in man-to-man coverage.

There is an issue of injuries for the 32-year-old Kelly, who missed five games last year and all but two games in 2006.

The real value with Kelly, in addition to what he brings in terms of his physical ability and smarts is that, along with a few other former Tampa Two guys, he's allowed the Lions to make changes and upgrades without having to suffer through a learning period with the new scheme.

MY THOUGHTS
When i heard about this signing i was very excited. This is the first CB we have had that has any experience in the Tampa 2. I think he will be a good guy to have Smith learn behind. I know he had some injuries but i have a feeling he will have a good year and be healthy.

Scouting Report: George Foster

2008-06-04T11:18:00.004-04:00

Scouting Report: George Foster
by Tom Kowalski
Wednesday June 04, 2008, 6:04 AM

GEORGE FOSTER
2008 Scouting Report

Foster's situation is an interesting one because, for two straight years, he was benched for inconsistent play, but the Lions re-signed him as an unrestricted free agent anyway. The reason is because Foster can be very good for short stretches and could provide excellent depth at tackle. However, when Foster is forced to play an extended amount of time, his concentration wanes and his production plummets.

Foster has good footwork in pass protection, but can struggle with speed rushers on the edge. He also committed a bucketload of false start penalties in the first half of the season last year before correcting the problem. Foster is strong, but not dominant in run blocking.

The coaching staff keeps saying that Foster will be better in the new blocking system because it's basically what he ran in Denver and he's more comfortable with it. But Foster was benched in Denver and traded away so comfort can only account for so much.

When the Lions signed Foster, their plan was to draft an offensive lineman in the third round - after taking a linebacker and running back in the first two rounds. Foster was going to provide decent insurance in case the rookie struggled to start or make a contribution in his first year.

When that draft plan went awry, the Lions grabbed right tackle Gosder Cherilus in the first round and it's pretty clear Cherilus will be the starter. That's going to make it tough for Foster to make the team because Jonathan Scott, who is younger, is also more versatile because he can play both tackle positions. The Lions are likely to carry just one backup tackle (and one backup guard and another backup center-guard). Foster's fate might ultimately be decided by the coaching staff's confidence in Cherilus. If the coaches think Cherilus won't have any hiccups during his rookie year, then Foster might not make the team. If there's some concern, the Lions might carry nine offensive lineman to play it safe.

MY THOUGHTS
I think Foster will make the team but mainly be backup. I think he will be a good guy to bring in on short yardage situations and play as a 2nd TE. That way the coaching staff could get him focused on the situation and have him excell in small doses. I doubt he sees the field much more than that other than injuries hitting hard.

Lions' efforts catch Marinelli's eye

2008-06-04T02:28:00.002-04:00

Lions' efforts catch Marinelli's eye
Coach appreciates dedication at organized team activities, pours himself into teaching.
Eric Lacy / The Detroit News
ALLEN PARK -- Despite the absence of Roy Williams, Ernie Sims and others Thursday, Lions coach Rod Marinelli is pleased with the effort and dedication he's seen during organized team activities.

Marinelli's focus during the voluntary workouts is strictly on those who are present because he knows how important it is for players to get additional coaching and instruction.

"I put all my attention on the men that are here -- every ounce that I have," Marinelli said.
When asked about players who haven't attended team activities this week, Marinelli stressed these workouts are voluntary.

Marinelli doesn't want absences to affect the way he or anyone else does his job and doesn't want to fret about a lack of participation from certain players.

"The attendance has been outstanding," Marinelli said. "We had a couple of guys miss (Thursday's session). I know where they're at. I'll just leave it at that."

Other notable players absent Thursday included running back Tatum Bell and offensive tackle George Foster.

Defensive tackle Cory Redding and tight end Dan
Campbell were in attendance but went through individual workouts, while their teammates participated in on-field drills.

The Lions have eight voluntary organized team activities during the next two weeks.

New, simple approach
When asked about the difference between last season's offensive scheme under Mike Martz and new coordinator Jim Colletto 's approach, center Dominic Raiola made sure to be careful with his words.

"I never had a problem with Mike's offense," Raiola said. "He's one of the great offensive minds and I respect him for that, but this (new scheme) is definitely a lot more simplified and geared to running the ball first. Mike's (system) was geared to passing first; I don't have a problem with that."

Raiola knows the offseason will be crucial for all offensive players because there's new terminology, plays and check downs to learn. There's no time to rehash the past, he said.

"We don't even think of what was," Raiola said. "We just think about what we have now."

Smith snags attention
One player who has impressed throughout rookie camp, mini-camp and this week of OTAs is running back Kevin Smith , Marinelli said.

Smith, from Central Florida, has shown the team his ability to change direction quickly and make tacklers miss.

Smith's grittiness and intense approach to the game have caught Marinelli's attention.

MY THOUGHTS
I really like what Marinelli is doing with this team. He is weeding out all the guys who don't want to work on every play and practice hard. The Pistons are going through it right now with trying to weed out a few guys who don't show up every game. When you start watching film and see players walking around or just going through the motion it drives me crazy. Have some sort of competitive spirit.

West Point's Campbell is enduring criticism for pursuing an NFL career

2008-06-04T01:29:00.005-04:00

By Stan Grossfeld
Globe Staff / May 30, 2008
WEST POINT, N.Y. - Army cadet Caleb Campbell is sore.

He's just returned from the Detroit Lions' rookie camp, where he was in a classroom learning new defenses at precisely 4:45 a.m. At that time, even the West Point Military Academy looks like Sominex City. The grueling workouts ended after 8 p.m.

Such is life in the NFL for rookies.

"It was fun, actually," says the first Army football player drafted in more than a decade.

More fun than listening to critics who claim Campbell is avoiding Iraq, wasting taxpayers' money, and giving Army an unfair recruiting advantage over Navy and Air Force.

The 6-foot-2-inch, 229-pound strong safety, whose selection in the seventh round of the April draft was met with chants of "USA, USA" on national television and a hailstorm of controversy, is permitted to play for the Lions while on active duty provided he serves as a part-time recruiter on his offdays, according to the alternative service option program implemented by the Army in 2005.

After two years, if he remains in the NFL, Campbell can buy out his remaining three years of active duty in exchange for six years in the US Army Reserves. Meanwhile, he's been called everything from a hero to a punk, a money-grabber, a traitor, a coward, a deserter, and worse.

But Campbell, 23, vehemently denies he is trying to get out of going to Iraq or Afghanistan. "They're saying, 'Hey, you're not going to Iraq,' " he explains. "It's like I was on a plane, headed to Iraq, and they pulled me off the plane and said, 'Hey, you're going to play NFL football.' See, what people don't understand is I'm going to still be commissioned as a second lieutenant, I'm still on active duty. I'm still serving my country, I'm just doing it in a different way. It's not like I'm the only recruiter in the whole United States Army. I'm part of a recruiting unit. I came to the academy at a time of war. I thought I would be in the middle of it. But I have been given this extraordinary opportunity."

It seems everyone has an opinion on his career plan. "The worst was a handwritten letter," says Campbell, a native of Perryton, Texas. "It said, 'Please don't do this. How can you look your classmates in the eyes when they are serving their country and going to Iraq and you're taking the easier way out?' That hit me . . . But I'd be a fool not to take advantage of this opportunity."

Controversial opportunity
The Army has fielded so many interview requests that it scheduled a media conference call and then shut down press visits to West Point. It wants him to study for final exams and graduate. But through it all, Campbell remains remarkably calm - as serene as the lazy Hudson River, which winds its way around campus.
But in the ugly world of talk radio, there is righteous indignation. Roger Staubach, the great quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys, served five years after graduating from the US Naval Academy, including one year in Vietnam, before embarking on a Hall of Fame career. The Admiral, David Robinson, served two years before playing in the NBA. And Navy, in this time of war, isn't allowing anybody out early to play a sport, even after two years."We're taking the high road on this," says one Navy official, who requested anonymity. "They've been under the radar on this for years. We hope the Department of Defense will make sure the policy is the same for all of us."The Naval Academy and the Air Force Academy don't offer an alternative option.

Campbell says the overwhelming majority of e-mails he received were positive.

"There's 40,000 West Point graduates behind you," read one. Another is from overseas: "Go after the NFL dream and ignore anybody who says that deploying is the only way to serve. I'm in Afghanistan right now, and I'll happily tell anyone who disagrees with your choice that the world has enough 2LT's [second lieutenants] to let a guy with the potential for a pro career to give that dream a shot. If you represent us well as a player and a public figure, it's more than enough for me."

But, initially, Campbell's motives were even questioned by his fellow cadets.

"People were confused," Campbell says. "They would say, 'You took somebody's spot that wanted to serve this country by coming to West Point.' "

Some e-mails contrast him to Pat Tillman, the Army Ranger who died in Afghanistan by friendly fire after giving up a million-dollar NFL career. Campbell bows his head and bites his lip when Tillman's name is mentioned.

"Pat Tillman was an extraordinary man," says Campbell. "I think his legacy will live forever. What he did is very courageous. But you can't relate me to Pat Tillman, because he was just a far greater man. I mean, what he did was unbelievable, but that was his choice. Words can't describe the way I feel about him.

"We all fight for freedom in different ways. Each in our own way."

Army coach Stan Brock, who played 16 NFL seasons as a tackle, thinks Campbell will make the Lions.

"He's one hard-nosed kid," says Brock. "Based on work ethic, he's going to be as good as anybody they have."

Asked about the recruiting advantage Army now has over Navy, Brock, whose brother, Pete, played 12 years for the Patriots, went Belichickian. "It's not my job to worry about the US Naval Academy," he says.

Extra motivation
In Detroit, Campbell is being moved from safety to outside linebacker by coach Rod Marinelli, a Vietnam veteran. Team president Matt Millen's son was a teammate of Campbell's at West Point. Some people say Campbell will be kept on the team for sentimental reasons.

"I don't have a whole lot of sentimental," Marinelli told the Detroit Free Press. "That's just me. I like guys who run, hit, and tackle, and if he does that, then I'm pretty sentimental."

Campbell, who loves to hit, agrees.

"In all reality, this is a cutthroat business," he says. "This is the National Football League. We're talking about taking somebody's job that's supporting a family. If you're not good enough, you're going to get cut. That's the down and dirty on that."

In an awkward situation at rookie camp, Air Force's Drew Fowler is trying out for the same linebacker position as Campbell. Unlike Campbell, he will have to wait two years to play if he makes the team.

"I know from Fowler, Air Force is reviewing its policy," says Campbell. "He went around with my article in Sports Illustrated saying, 'Give us this opportunity.' "

Of the people who call him a coward - or worse - Campbell smiles.

"It doesn't bother me," he contends. "People have the right to free speech of their opinions. That's America. If we didn't have those opinions, this would be a boring place. If anything, it's motivated me to do bigger and better things. I don't listen to it. I turn it around so I'm going to get that extra run. If anything, I thank them for the extra motivation they've given me."

Stan Grossfeld can be reached at grossfeld@globe.com.

2008-06-04T00:44:00.002-04:00

Running forward: Brian Calhoun might finally fit in with Lions
BY NICHOLAS J. COTSONIKA • FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER • June 3, 2008

He's a running back. He's a third-round pick. He fits the Lions' new zone running scheme. And he sounds remarkably comfortable and confident.

But he's not Kevin Smith, the guy the Lions drafted this year. He's Brian Calhoun, the guy the Lions drafted two years ago.

Remember him?

Calhoun has played only 11 games over two seasons, with 14 carries and six catches. He suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament as a rookie and struggled with it last year.

Now, as the Lions go through their off-season program, with training camp in late July, he finds himself up against stiff competition -- Smith, Tatum Bell, Artose Pinner and Aveion Cason.

If some people are writing him off, Calhoun isn't offended. He doesn't rant and rave about a lack of respect.

"I mean, it's understandable," Calhoun said in a recent interview, "because I haven't played a lot the last two years."

That doesn't mean Calhoun thinks doubters are right, though. He thinks he is in the best position to succeed since coming to Detroit. He's healthy, the system suits him, and the competition, while stiff, is wide open.

"I'm confident in my ability and what I can do," Calhoun said, "and I think now that we have the system in place that's going to be able to show what I can do, it's going to give me a better chance to perform at a high level."

Many people were surprised when the Lions drafted Calhoun -- including Calhoun. He said he had never spoken to the Lions beforehand. He was hoping offensive coordinator Mike Martz had some secret plans for him.

But Kevin Jones was entrenched as the starting running back, and Calhoun had to learn Martz's system.

"His offense is pretty complex," Calhoun said. "It's tough to pick up for a regular player, let alone a rookie. I never really caught up to where I could have been a major contributor."

After appearing in seven games, Calhoun suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in practice. He came back last season but lasted only four games before the Lions put him back on injured reserve.

"At the time I was kind of frustrated because I felt that I was healthy, but I really wasn't," Calhoun said. "It didn't feel the same, obviously. I didn't have the burst. It was always sore. I never had swelling, but it was always sore, always bothering me."

And now?

"It's not sore," Calhoun said. "It's not tired. I mean, I feel great. My legs feel good. ... I really feel more confident in my knee than last year."

Calhoun said he began his off-season training earlier this year, the first week of February. He is taking better care of his body, stretching and warming up properly, eating better. After bulking up the past couple of years, he's back down to his old playing weight of 208 pounds, but a leaner, stronger 208 pounds.

"I haven't felt this good since I came out of college a couple years ago," Calhoun said.

The atmosphere was edgy under Martz.

"I mean, obviously, we all know last year and the last couple years, it was like walking on eggshells around here," Calhoun said hesitantly.

But Martz has been fired. The atmosphere has cleared, and new offensive coordinator Jim Colletto uses a zone scheme similar to the one in which Calhoun ran at Wisconsin.

Calhoun said he was shocked when the Lions released Jones but had no emotional reaction when the Lions drafted Smith and brought back Bell, Pinner and Cason. He said he was focused on getting himself ready to compete.

"I'm confident I can be the starter and carry the ball 20 times a game and do the things they want me to do, but I'm also confident that ... we have guys who can all do it," Calhoun said.

"We're all different. We're all different shapes, sizes. It's going to be interesting -- good interesting, not bad interesting. I'm excited for it, and I'm sure all the other guys are, too."

MY THOUGHTS
I hope this guy can do something. I was happy when we drafted him but was very confused and embarrased as a fan when i found out how we got him. It was our pick and all the scouts, coaches and Millen were in the room going at it trying to figure out who to draft. It was getting close to the end of our alloted time and everyone looked around and was asking " ok so who do we pick? " then someone yells from the back of the room " what about Calhoun from wisconsin? " We had never brought him in for a visit, went and talked to him or had anyone interview him. If he doesnt show something this year in training camp he is done.

Scouting Report: Kevin Smith and Jerome Felton

2008-06-02T14:17:00.001-04:00

Scouting Report: Kevin Smith and Jerome Felton
by Tom Kowalski
Monday June 02, 2008, 6:04 AM
KEVIN SMITH

2008 Scouting Report

If the draft had gone the way the Lions had hoped, they would've drafted linebacker Jerod Mayo in the first round and running back Ray Rice in the second round. After Mayo was swooped up early, the Lions had to change their strategy and, because they didn't get the linebacker in the first round, they had to pass on Rice and get one (Jordon Dizon) in the second.

At the start of day two of the draft, the Lions had the third pick in the third round and the only available running back they really wanted was Smith. The Lions wanted to make sure they didn't miss out so they traded up to get him. Over the next couple of years, it'll be interesting to see if the Lions actually caught a break by being "unlucky'' early in the draft.

The two biggest knocks against Smith are his lack of blistering speed and the fact he didn't face top-flight competition week in and week out. While speed is an issue, Smith is very fluid in his running style, cuts smoothly, doesn't stutter-step to change direction and hits his top speed quickly. The other strength of his game is his vision, a trait that helps separate the good ones from the great ones.

Barry Sanders used to say that he never looked at the first defender - he expected to make that guy miss - so he was always looking to see where the next defender was coming from. No one is saying Smith is the next Sanders but if Smith can continue to utilize that kind of vision in the NFL, his game will go to another level.

For all of his natural running ability, Smith works extremely hard on all other facets of his game. He studies the playbook in detail and wants to know what each player is supposed to do on each play. He's also a sponge when it comes to soaking up coaching tips, whether it's in how to run a pass route or set up a blitzing linebacker in pass protection. This kid is driven to be the best and has put in the time and work to try to achieve that.

Smith will go into camp as one of the backups behind veteran Tatum Bell and regardless of when he climbs in to the No. 1 spot, Smith is going to get the bulk of work when the regular season starts. It'll also be interesting to see how the Lions use Smith on third downs and obvious passing situations. Right now, they've got Brian Calhoun but Smith might pressure him for some playing time, as well.

MY THOUGHTS

This is exactly the kind of guy you need on this team. We finally have a guy who has some heart and wants to be the best and actually has the talent to get there. This guy is going to be our work horse for years to come. The way he speaks in interviews, you hear a fire in him. I hear the same thing in a guy for another Detroit team, Rodney Stuckey. They are not afraid and they want to be the best. Great picks and probably big stars for the city of Detroit for years to come.

JEROME FELTON

2008 Scouting Report

With the Lions stressing a different zone blocking system that was used last year, they need their fullback to be less of a bowling ball and more of a read-and-react blocker who can change directions on the fly. That's why the Lions grabbed Felton in the fifth round. A bright kid who played at a small college, Felton has shown good blocking skills and has good movement. He's not fast, but he's got quick feet.

Felton has also shown an ability to run the ball well in short yardage and goal line situations. Felton doesn't have a lot of power, but he's been effective because he reads the hole well and has decent drive in his legs. Felton, who starred at Furman, will have to increase his strength in making the leap to the NFL.

Felton will compete with veterans Jon Bradley and Sean McHugh at fullback and will also have to show that he can contribute on a variety of special teams. Lions offensive coordinator Jim Colletto said something interesting recently in talking about Detroit's running back situation. In the past, the Lions have only carried five total running backs but Colletto indicated that this season it might be six. Colletto said the breakdown might be "three-three,'' meaning they might keep three tailbacks and three fullbacks.

That number won't be solidified until late in training camp when the Lions coaches start putting the roster together and final numbers per position are nailed down. But it's pretty clear at this point that the staff believes they've got at least six backs worth keeping.

BRONCOS CUT TRAVIS HENRY

2008-06-02T13:44:00.001-04:00

BRONCOS CUT TRAVIS HENRY
Posted by Michael David Smith on June 2, 2008, 12:07 p.m.
The Denver Broncos announced today that they have released running back Travis Henry.

“Although Travis has the ability to be one of the top running backs in the NFL, we have to make decisions that are in the best interests of our organization and its goal of winning a Super Bowl,” coach Mike Shanahan said. “We did not feel his commitment to the Broncos was enough to warrant a spot on this football team.”

It’s not clear what Shanahan was referring to when he questioned Henry’s commitment. Henry has had multiple violations of the league’s substance-abuse policy, but in the past Shanahan has publicly supported Henry, including taking Henry’s side last year during Henry’s successful appeal of a positive test that would have resulted in a year-long suspension.

Henry signed with the Broncos as a free agent last year and played fairly well, rushing for 691 yards. But the emergence of youngsters Selvin Young and Andre Hall, plus this year’s rookie fifth-round pick Ryan Torain, plus the recent signing of Michael Pittman, means there wasn’t room for Henry in Denver anymore — especially if the coach questions his commitment.

Henry will now become an unrestricted free agent, and he’ll need to find work somewhere: He reportedly owes child support payments to the mothers of his nine children, and last year his lawyer said, “He doesn’t have any money.”

My thoughts
Why not take a shot on a guy like this. He can be a top notch running back. Why not upgrade your backfield and let either Calhoun or Cason go. Henry is a low risk, high reward signing. He can break tackles, get outside and run between the tackles. Go after him and sign him to a safe deal for the team but the opportunity to earn bonus's for preformance.

Scouting Report: Shaun Cody

2008-06-01T18:09:00.002-04:00

Scouting Report: Shaun Cody
by Tom Kowalski
Sunday June 01, 2008, 6:08 AM

Saginaw News file photo
Shaun Cody stretches before drills during training camp at the Lions' Allen Park facility on July 26, 2007 .SHAUN CODY
2008 Scouting report

The Lions didn't spend a third-round draft pick on Andre Fluellen because they've been thrilled with Cody's production over the last two years. What's been maddening for the coaching staff is that there's no reason why Cody should be so ineffective and inconsistent. He's got good strength and excellent quickness, but he just doesn't put it altogether on a regular basis.

A lingering toe injury limited him two years ago, but he was healthy enough last year and didn't get much accomplished. Of Detroit's regular eight-man defensive line rotation, Cody was the only player not to record a sack. And he was rarely disruptive and failed to create opportunities for other players.

Some members of the organization believe Cody's biggest issue has been his less-than-intense approach to the game and they believe Shaun Rogers' departure will help send the message. Perhaps, but Cody isn't going to get a lot of time to prove that he can step up his game.

While rookie Cliff Avril slotted as a pass-rush specialist and Ikaika Alama-Francis' ability to move inside on passing downs, the Lions are only likely to keep four defensive tackles. Cory Redding has a lock on one job while Chuck Darby (because of his Tampa Two experience) and Fluellen (because of draft status) likely will win two other spots.

That means Cody has to beat out Langston Moore for the final position and, if you were to base that competition solely on last year's production, Cody will be out of a job.

But now Cody has one last chance to have his production match his potential. The clock is ticking.

My thoughts

Cody plays like he has no heart, desire or any kind of pride. He hasnt done anything well in the NFl except cash paychecks. I think it will be hard to keep him even if he does show his talent this year. How can you trust someone who hasnt proved he even wants to be there?

Scouting Report: Alex Lewis

2008-06-01T14:07:00.002-04:00

Scouting Report: Alex Lewis
by Tom Kowalski
Saturday May 31, 2008, 5:03 PM
ALEX LEWIS

2008 Scouting Report

The Lions don't have to rush rookie draft pick Jordon Dizon into a starting role because Lewis gives them some insurance at strong side linebacker. Going into camp, the Lions are going to leave Paris Lenon in the middle - with Lewis outside - until Dizon proves he can be an NFL starter. If that happens, Lenon will shift outside and move Lewis into a backup role.

Lewis, at 6-0 and 230, is just a little undersized and he can struggle at times against the run, but he's got good instincts for the passing game. He does well in zone coverage but isn't a good matchup in one-on-one coverages with runnings backs or tight ends. That's not a huge issue, though, because the Lions play zones about 75 percent of the time.

Lewis, a fifth-year veteran, makes his biggest contributions on special teams - he was the team leader there with 26 tackles last season, including 16 solo tackles.

My thoughts

The other thing that really helps Lewis is his speed and agility. He is fast for a linebacker and it shows in his pusuit. He is a good backup and has been getting better every year and should start to push for more time on the field.

Scouting Report: Jason Hanson

2008-06-01T13:28:00.002-04:00

Scouting Report: Jason Hanson
by Tom Kowalski
Saturday May 31, 2008, 12:58 PM

Mike Itchue | MLive.com
Veteran kicker Jason Hanson watches Lions' minicamp in Allen Park on May 20.Jason Hanson

2008 Scouting Report

When a guy is entering his 17th NFL season - and he had some hiccups the year before - it's only natural to wonder if age has become a factor. With Hanson, though, that doesn't seem to be the case.

Hanson missed some crucial kicks last year, including a fourth-quarter 35-yarder that likely would've salted away a win against the Dallas Cowboys. Overall, Hanson missed a field goal from inside 30 yards and also missed a total of two from 30 to 39 yards. The only other time that happened in his career was in the year 2000.

The thing with Hanson - and why age doesn't appear to be an issue here - is that his "power'' numbers are still strong. Hanson converted on three of his four attempts from 50 yards and beyond and his touchbacks on kickoffs were the same - 13 - as they were last year. Hanson finished tied for seventh in the league in that category.

Hanson goes to great lengths to keep himself in tremendous physical shape so there aren't any worries yet about the physical part of his game. From the mental aspect, though, Hanson has to once again prove that he's automatic from 45 yards and in.

my thoughts

Jason Hanson had a couple misses last year but I believe he will have a good year this upcoming year. He is still kicking off which tells you his leg strength is still good. He has always been very accurate and I dont see anything that would suggest other wise.

Video: Kevin Jones' rapid recovery

2008-05-30T22:40:00.002-04:00

Video: Kevin Jones' rapid recovery
by Tom Kowalski
Friday May 30, 2008, 1:22 AM
ALLEN PARK — As Kevin Jones prepared to run a couple of 40-yard dashes – uphill – on Thursday, the former Detroit Lions running back yelled "Colletto" before dropping into his three-point stance.

It's not surprising that Jones is using Jim Colletto, Detroit's offensive coordinator, as motivation. After all, Jones believes Colletto was one of the driving influences in Jones being released by the team in March.

While Jones is eager to prove Colletto – and the Lions – wrong, the surprising thing is the speed at which he seems to be doing it. Just five months removed from ACL surgery on his right knee, Jones is running with explosion and can also do a series of lateral exercises.

"I know the NFL will be shocked," said Dr. D.S. Ping, who is spearheading Jones' rehab work. "He can go into (training) camp right now. All he needs is football conditioning. They told him it'd be a year and he's ready now."
Jones suffered the injury against the Kansas City Chiefs on Dec. 23 and had surgery a week later. He was told at the time that it would probably take a complete year for him to fully recover. With that information and the fact that Jones was scheduled to make $2.4 million in salary, the Lions decided to release Jones.

The Lions released Jones and defensive end Kalimba Edwards on March 13 and coach Rod Marinelli said in a statement: "While there are always a number of factors that go into this type of decision, we do believe these moves bring clarity to our roster and also eliminate some uncertainty heading into the draft that would have otherwise existed."
Jones, who came back early from Lisfranc surgery on his left foot last season, said he was disappointed in Marinelli's decision.

"I don't know if it's animosity. I'll see them again someday on the field and I'll take it out then," Jones said.

Despite his rapid progress, Jones said that he isn't likely to take part in any contact drills until late in training camp. That's coming on advice from Dr. James Andrews, the surgeon who performed the knee reconstruction.

About his situation with the Lions, Jones said he doesn't think of it terms of whether he was treating fairly or not.

"Fair? I'm not going to whine about it being unfair or anything like that," he said. "I'm not whining, my focus isn't on them, it's on getting back and getting with a team and getting a chance to start my career over. I'm young – I'm 25 – and I've still got a lot of games left."

Kevin Jones' road to recovery

Kevin Jones can be a great running back but when you are injured EVERY year you are not playing the whole year and then you have recovery. How many more times will he be able to bounce back from an injury?

Colletto gives jilted Jones more motivation

2008-05-29T17:37:00.001-04:00

Colletto gives jilted Jones more motivation
by Tom Kowalski
Thursday May 29, 2008, 1:17 PM
Just five months removed from reconstruction surgery on his right knee, former Detroit Lions running back Kevin Jones turned in an amazing workout before a couple of reporters on Thursday.

As seen in the video, Jones ran a couple of 40-yard sprints – uphill – and did some shuttle drills on grass. He did all of this after going through a rigorous training period.

Kevin Jones talks rehab and life after the Lions

"I know the NFL will be shocked,'' said Dr. D.S. Ping, who is spearheading Jones' rehab work. "He can go into (training) camp right now. All he needs is football conditioning. They told him it'd be a year and he's ready now.''

Before running his sprints, Jones yelled "Colletto'' as he got down in his three-point stance. Jones is referring to Jim Colletto, the Lions new offensive coordinator.

"I felt he was one of the reasons,'' Jones said. "Before I got let go, in the weeks leading up to that, I'd see on the Internet or (the Lions') website him saying they needed a guy who can make people miss, a back who can take it the distance. Well, I'm on the team and the starting running back so he's saying they need somebody else. I don't have any personal feelings toward him, it's just some extra motivation.''

Jones, who returned early from Lisfranc surgery on his left foot last season, was cut by the Lions in March.

"They were concerned about my foot and my knee being a factor at the same time,'' Jones said. "They said because of cap space they had to make some decisions. They said I had two significant injuries and it was the best decision to let me go.''

Jones, who was scheduled to make $2.4 million in 2008, will hold a workout for all NFL teams on June 28. Jones has already visited the New England Patriots and Tennessee Titans.

Kevin Jones talks rehab and life after the Lions

ROGERS BACKS OUT OF CANADA OPPORTUNITY?

2008-05-29T11:17:00.001-04:00

ROGERS BACKS OUT OF CANADA OPPORTUNITY?
Posted by Mike Florio on May 29, 2008, 4:22 a.m.
A couple of weeks ago, former Lions receiver Charles Rogers, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2003 draft, was reportedly close to signing with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League.

G.M. Jim Popp pegged the chances of Rogers joining the team at 80-20. Hopefully, Popp didn’t place any bets on the proposition.

According to the Detroit Free Press, Rogers has yet to sign with the team, and Rogers and his agent have not been returning calls from the Alouettes.

“We’ve never booked him a flight for training camp and haven’t received his contract,” Popp said.

Maybe Rogers has cultivated an opportunity in the NFL. (It actually took me three minutes to get that sentence typed properly because my hands were shaking from laughter.)

ESPN: Lions in trouble without clear future QB

2008-05-29T11:11:00.001-04:00

ESPN: Lions in trouble without clear future QB
Clayton writes Detroit would be affected if NFL can't get new labor deal before 2010
May 29, 2008

John Clayton from ESPN says the Lions will be in trouble if the NFL can't get a new labor deal before 2010. A portion of his column:

Teams with older starting quarterbacks could be in trouble in the next couple of years because no top quarterback will hit the free-agent market. Jon Kitna will be 37 and unsigned in 2010 and the Lions have done very little to find their long-term starter. Drew Stanton is the best hope for the future.
The first big decision for Detroit involves wide receiver Roy Williams, who will be a free agent after this season. Williams could be asking for top receiver money, which could be around $10 million a year. The Lions could franchise him next year, but that doesn't answer the 2010 question. Kitna, center Dominic Raiola, guard Edwin Mulitalo, safety Dwight Smith, linebackers Paris Lenon and Alex Lewis and halfback Tatum Bell are among the starters whose contracts are up over the next couple of years. The challenge facing the Lions is not so much whom they could lose as it is finding starters for the future.

Scouting Report: Dominic Raiola

2008-05-29T01:24:00.002-04:00

Scouting Report: Dominic Raiola
by Tom Kowalski
Thursday May 29, 2008, 12:01 AM
Ed. Note: Compare Lions Insider Tom Kowalski's 2007 scouting report on Detroit Lions center Dominic Raiola with this year's report below.

Dominic Raiola

2008 Scouting Report

Since he arrived in Detroit as a second-round pick in 2001, there have been two schools of thought on Raiola. Some believe he'll never reach an elite status because he's undersized and teams can take advantage of mismatches with powerful defensive tackles. Others believe Raiola is already approaching elite status because of his intelligence and athleticism - his ability to make a solid initial block and then spring to the second level to clean up linebackers. Raiola is also good on the outside and in open space.

There is evidence to support both theories. While there will be changes in some of Detroit's zone blocking schemes, they will continue to take advantage of what Raiola does the best - putting him on the move.

One of the significant changes in the offense - allowing the quarterback to call audibles - should play to one of Raiola's strengths. Because different plays require different blocking schemes and protections, they'll have to be done on the fly and Raiola is brilliant in identifying defenses. A couple of years ago, Raiola was awarded a game ball in a win against the Baltimore Ravens, who run one of the most complex and constantly changing defenses in the league. In that game, Raiola didn't make a single mistake in making calls on the fly.

The other thing about Raiola which can't be understated is his durability. It's interesting that for the last two years, the Lions really haven't had a clear backup center. They've had a couple of candidates that could've done it, but it was never a solidified position because it was never necessary. Raiola hasn't missed a game in his career and became a full-time starter in his second season.

I like Raiola but he has to get better at leverage against those bigger guys. what i think is missing on here is that he has trouble with the guys that have that quick twitch move, not nearly as much as the power DT.

Lions great Lomas Brown: Enough is enough ... it's time to produce

2008-05-28T01:49:00.004-04:00

Lions great Lomas Brown: Enough is enough ... it's time to produce Posted by Philip Zaroo | MLive.com May 28, 2008 00:03AM Categories: Audio, Draft, Former Players, Statewide He's made holes for Barry and protected Erik Kramer's rear. He saw ugly years with the Detroit Lions, but won a Super Bowl with Tampa Bay in 2002. Many questioned him over the years because he was an offensive tackle who was under 300 pounds – and a tall tackle at that. But Lomas Brown had the last laugh. Last year, Brown, who played for the Lions from 1985-1995, was nominated for induction to the NFL Hall of Fame. While he didn't make it in his first attempt, he says it's a "tremendous honor" to be mentioned with the immortals. As for the Lions, Brown likes what he's seeing from the team over the last couple of years. He's a fan of head coach Rod Marinelli, and is impressed with the recent draft, including first-round pick, offensive tackle Gosder Cherilus of Boston College. While he thinks Cherilus will have some growing pains, he thinks the big guy will go a long ways toward shoring up the rushing attack. Rod Marinelli, he says, just needs one thing to get the Lions straightened out: time. Once Marinelli gets his players in the system, which Brown admits has been part of the struggle over the head coach's first two years, things will fall into place. "I love Rod Marinelli," Brown tells MLive in a recent interview. "We spent a lot time together (in Tampa), and not just talking not just about Xs and Os, but talking about a lot of different things. So I have a lot of respect for Rod. "He just needs some time, and those guys need to be patient. And produce for the man. That's what it comes down to. Rod isn't on the field. He's not blocking, tackling, throwing any passes, catching any passes. It's (the players) who are doing it. So it's up to these guys to start coming through and really start producing. "It's been seven, going on eight years now. Enough is enough." Brown is promoting several upcoming camps and a golf outing he's holding. The proceeds from the camps will go toward reserach for brachial plexus palsy (also known as Erb's Palsy) at the University of Michigan Health System. The NFL Hall of Fame candidate is the father of nine-year-old Trey, who sustained the injury during birth. "It's more so a birth injury than a disease," he says. "Basically, they damaged the nerves, and his neck was damaged during birth. The lucky thing for us is my son's was a mild case. Whereas a kid with severe Erb's palsy, they can't have use of their limbs. "And a lot of people don't know this is a common birth injury. (Yet) a lot of insurances don't pay to have a lot of procedures or diagnoses, or even for braces." The performance enhancement camps will be June 27-28 in Lansing, July 11-12 in Adrian, July 18-19 in Rochester Hills and July 25-26 in Grand Rapids. The golf outing will be on Sunday, July 26. For more information, go to Lomas Brown's website. Listen to full interview to hear Brown talk about the Lions' changes along the offensive line, and how he feels about Marinelli as a coach:

Scouting Report: Buster Davis

2008-05-28T01:36:00.001-04:00

Scouting Report: Buster Davis
by Tom Kowalski
Wednesday May 28, 2008, 12:01 AM
Buster Davis

2008 Scouting Report

When discussing the size of Buster Davis, Lions head coach Rod Marinelli will make sure you get it right. "He's short, he's not small,'' says Marinelli of the 5-9, 240-pound linebacker.

Davis was a third-round pick last year by the Arizona Cardinals and eyebrows were raised when he was cut. The problem wasn't with Davis' football ability, it was with his attitude. He came into camp with a swagger he hadn't earned and didn't hit the playbook like he should have. He made too many mistakes and the Cardinals quickly ran out of patience.

Davis doesn't have great speed and his lack of size might cause him to get lost in traffic, but Marinelli really likes his instincts and hitting ability. The Lions will try him at middle linebacker were he'll have to win a backup role - and excel on special teams.

The Lions still aren't sure what they've got in Davis because he was on the practice squad for most of last season. That meant that Davis worked almost exclusively with the scout team and ran the opponent's defense. During this off-season, the coaches will see how quickly he can pick up the Tampa Two scheme and then, when camp hits and the preseason games arrive, evaluate how productive he can be on the field.

Kevin Jones

2008-05-27T01:46:00.000-04:00

No commitment: Free agent running backs Kevin Jones and Ron Dayne had impressive visits to Baptist Sports Park, Fisher said, but he reiterated there are no immediate plans to sign either player.

"They are obviously both proven players in the league and are possibilities for us if we put ourselves in a position where we need (a running back),'' Fisher said.

Patriots’ Fernando Bryant could be good fit

2008-05-27T01:38:00.001-04:00

Patriots’ Fernando Bryant could be good fit

01:00 AM EDT on Sunday, May 25, 2008

BY SHALISE MANZA YOUNG

Journal Sports Writer
FOXBORO — Fernando Bryant entered free agency a few months ago as a nine-year NFL veteran who was coming off his first injury-free season in several years and had more-than-respectable numbers to show for it.

But as the weeks passed, Bryant wasn’t getting a lot of interest. Then the New England Patriots started calling, and suddenly Bryant became like chocolate cake to a roomful people who don’t count calories: everyone wanted a piece of him.
“I had other offers, especially when I came on my visit here,” Bryant said after one of last week’s passing-camp sessions behind Gillette Stadium. “They all called to see how serious I was about coming here.”

But a number of factors led Bryant to choose the Patriots over other teams. He is friends with Kevin Faulk, Marcus Pollard and Richard Seymour, and new defensive backs coach Dom Capers was his defensive coordinator during Bryant’s rookie year with Jacksonville.

The opportunity to contribute to a winning team didn’t hurt.

Bryant, who signed a one-year contract with the Patriots, spoke highly of Capers, who likely had a hand in bringing his former charge to New England.

“You know what you’re getting with him,” he said. “He’s a coach of technique, and those are things I try to base my game on.”

Capers’ ability to teach technique will come in handy. Bryant has played on the left side for much of his career, but so has incumbent starter Ellis Hobbs. Bryant said there is some difference to playing on the right side, in terms of making reads and learning to pivot off the opposite foot.

But in a refrain familiar among Pats’ players, Bryant is ready and willing to do what it takes.

“The biggest thing for me is getting on the field and helping the team,” he said. “If it’s on the left side, it’s the left side. If it’s on the right side, it’s the right. If it’s nickel, it’s nickel.”

One thing that won’t change for Bryant is his dedication to giving back to the community. His charitable interests are many and varied, and he’s already talked to teammates about programs he can get involved with in New England.

“I believe (in the Bible verse) ‘To whom much is given, much is expected,’ ” Bryant said. “It’s probably just the way I was raised. I’ve been blessed to play this game. I don’t like fanfare; it’s just about giving back.”

The native of Albany, Ga., was the Detroit Lions’ man of the year in 2004, and last year he was honored at the Georgia State Capitol for his humanitarian efforts. In addition to his 25 Sports Foundation (named for his jersey number), which aids inner-city children through a variety of initiatives, Bryant also supports organ donation. His brother received a life-saving kidney transplant several years ago. Bryant also has provided Thanksgiving dinner baskets and relief supplies for Hurricane Katrina victims.

Last week, he mentioned that he’d also like to help military personnel.

“I understand that the freedoms that we have don’t come free. Someone is paying for the freedoms we have,” Bryant said.

Detroit coach Rod Marinelli told the Boston Globe last month that Bryant was released for salary-cap considerations and not his play. He was slated to earn $4 million with the Lions for the 2008 season.

“He gave a tremendous amount for us. He’s the consummate pro,” Marinelli said. “When he comes out he’ll know his job. He’ll do what the coaches want him to do. He’ll tackle. He’s very physical. He will not shy away. I think you’ll like that physical aspect of him."

Former U-M quarterbacks coach Scot Loeffler impressive in role with Lions

2008-05-27T01:36:00.000-04:00

Former U-M quarterbacks coach Scot Loeffler impressive in role with Lions
BY MARK SNYDER • FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER • May 23, 2008

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When Scot Loeffler joined his fellow Michigan assistant coaches on the unemployment line in December, many speculated he wouldn't be there long.
A few major colleges courted the quarterbacks coach, and he landed with the Lions -- despite being only 33 years old with no NFL experience.

"He's definitely unique compared to the other guys I've had," said Lions' backup quarterback Dan Orlovsky, who has served under QB coaches Adam Gase, Mike Martz and Greg Olson before Loeffler. "Not anything against those guys, but he's real knowledgeable about the game, offensively and defensively. He knows how to attack certain things, and he likes to be highly aggressive.

"I'm not saying he likes to throw the ball downfield 20-30 yards every play, but he likes to attack what they're giving you. He likes to be on the offensive."

As a brisk and chilly wind whipped around Thursday morning's minicamp practice, Loeffler was one of the few people on the field -- players or coaches -- in shorts. On many plays, Loeffler stepped up to the quarterback taking the snap and provided instructions. He talked to them more after the plays -- especially Orlovsky and Jon Kitna's other backup, Drew Stanton.
That teaching ability was what secured the job in the first place.

"When he came and interviewed, he was really sharp, strong, understands what he's teaching and is a very good teacher," said Lions coach Rod Marinelli, who admired Loeffler's persistence. "That was one thing I wanted more than anything, a guy that could really take a subject, present it on the board and teach well and have a command of the English language. That's really important. He really demonstrated that when he interviewed here."

After six seasons on the Michigan staff, Loeffler is embracing his new role. He said it made a big difference that Michigan "played the game like the NFL plays the game."

"It's been an absolute wonderful experience. Matt Millen and Rod Marinelli, they're awesome in every sense of the word," Loeffler said last week before playing in a charity golf tournament at the U-M Golf Course. "It's going to be exciting for the Lions this year. We've got a great group of guys. We've got great quarterbacks, and it's going to be fun."

COACH SPEAK: Marinelli, on what he sees as an improvement in locker-room cohesion.

"The thing where I see it probably as much as any is the day-to-day consistency. I'll get on them, but it's more of a mental thing here or a detail there. But the energy they come out with day in and day out, they see what I want, how fast we need to play.

"The more I think we can simplify what we're asking them to do, and it allows them to just go fast. And players like going fast. They want to go execute, put it on their shoulders and go win a game by execution.

"A bunch of guys are tight -- I just feel it. That really gets tested when we hit adversity. When adversity hits, then we'll see how strong we are. But I believe in my heart we are."

Lions rookie Campbell enjoys mini-camp experience

2008-05-27T01:19:00.000-04:00

Lions rookie Campbell enjoys mini-camp experience
Eric Lacy / The Detroit News
ALLEN PARK -- After finishing final exams Tuesday at West Point, Lions rookie linebacker Caleb Campbell can finally put some focus on football.

Campbell arrived at the team's training facility Wednesday and practiced in the afternoon after missing the first three mini-camp sessions. So he had plenty of excitement and anticipation once he stepped on the field.

"The rookie camp was great, and to now see and play with veterans, guys I've seen play on Sundays, that's a feeling I'll never forget," said Campbell, who also practiced Thursday morning. "This is awesome."
Campbell's stay, however, won't be long because he has to return to West Point next week to fulfill some graduation requirements.

Once those obligations are completed, Campbell expects to attend all of the Lions' voluntary organized team activities (OTA) scheduled over the next three weeks.

Campbell's military duties will most likely include an assignment at an Army unit or college in Metro Detroit during the off-season or during free time in-season.

"I'll find out soon what's going on with the Army life," Campbell said.

You can't keep Lions' Kitna down

2008-05-27T01:16:00.000-04:00

You can't keep Lions' Kitna down
Quarterback has been sacked 114 times over past two seasons and can rattle off list of injuries.
Eric Lacy / The Detroit News
ALLEN PARK -- Sacked an NFL-high 114 times the past two seasons, Jon Kitna of the Lions admits he doesn't recover from pain like he used to.

"I try to go out and do the same workouts I've done my whole career, but my body has been saying, 'Slow down big fella,' " said Kitna, 35. "You have to be smart."

This week's mini-camp saw Kitna get some work in, but under a controlled setting that prohibited anyone from hitting the quarterback. The rest at this time of year is clearly needed to prepare for fall.
Ask Kitna about his ailments last season, and he'll rattle off a laundry list. It took Kitna more than three months to get full range of motion in his neck and to rid his body of an awkward numbing sensation on his right side.

He was hit in the left knee at least three times and had several other bumps and bruises that he considers just a routine part of the job. Kitna claims pain isn't an issue, just his ability to bounce back quickly.

Ailments that often went away by early February lingered on this offseason until about mid-April. That situation, however, doesn't mean anyone should express sympathy.

"Where I come from, if you stay down, you know someone is going to take your job," said Kitna, a Tacoma, Wash., native. "For me, staying down is never an option."

If Kitna is indeed showing signs of age, they aren't noticeable to offensive coordinator Jim Colletto and observant teammates like receiver Roy Williams.

In fact, Colletto might have hinted after Wednesday's practice Kitna could be given more freedom in Colletto's first season leading the offense. Or his comments might have referred to what the Lions believe will be an improved line.

"I think he's enjoying what he's doing," Colletto said of Kitna. "He gets to run around a lot back there (in the pocket) and isn't in the same spot all the time. It's kind of hard to figure out where he's going to get hit from now."

Besides some additional ice bags around the shoulders, Williams, who calls Kitna "about 67 years old," doesn't notice the Lions' team leader dealing with his health any differently from other seasons.

But Williams knows injuries affect even those with the highest thresholds of pain.

"It all takes its toll on you, getting hit on the blind side," Kitna said.

It's clearly a goal for the Lions to protect Kitna better.

If that effort goes awry, though, don't expect Kitna to complain or show signs of weakness. There appears to be too much pride, Williams said.

"When Jon gets hit, I think it's more of a mental thing for him," Williams said. "He gets back up. A lot of that mindset has to do with his kids. I know I wouldn't want my son to see me lying in the dirt."

It's well-documented faith has as much to do with Kitna's drive to succeed as anything. He also credits it for allowing him to start the Lions' last 32 games.

No matter what kind of twists and turns Kitna's career could take this season, he falls back to religion, family and friends as inspiration to push further.

"I've been blessed to take as many hits as I have taken and to not have any serious injuries," Kitna said. "I don't know why God has chosen for me to not get seriously injured, but he hasn't."

A One-Gap System

2008-05-27T01:13:00.002-04:00

A One-Gap System
Lions, Marinelli May Select 'Smaller' Players, but There is a Method to Detroit's Madness
By Chrissie Wywrot
Detroitlions.com
May 24, 2008

Marinelli's preference regarding defensive players is based on placing a premium on speed.

ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- There is a certain type of talent that will theoretically succeed with any NFL team. It is the kind of talent that transcends scheme and system – the ‘studs’ for lack of a better term.

Those players are typically selected in the top 10 of each year’s NFL Draft. Sometimes there are 10 players who fit that bill and sometimes there is less, but the one commonality among all of them is that they have a unique physical make-up that could translate into NFL superstardom.

In moving beyond that group, teams try to find players who fit what they are trying to do on their respective team. That doesn’t mean players lack talent, it just means they possess a particular physical make-up and skill set that would best suit a particular scheme or system.

In Detroit, there seems to be one particular theme when it comes to drafting defensive players: they have been accused of being ‘small,’ but that term shouldn’t be taken literally.

As Head Coach Rod Marinelli says, these players aren’t small, they’re short.

“Somebody that’s not tall is considered small and that’s not right,” said Marinelli. “I like short, thick and quick inside.”

The primary reason Marinelli gravitates towards players on the shorter – or ‘smaller’ – side is because Detroit’s defense places a premium on speed. The Lions’ Cover 2 system relies on speed from every position, from the defensive line to the secondary.

“I want a track team on defense – that’s what I’m looking for,” said Marinelli. “You can add some mass to a guy over the years – slowly – but what you can’t add is speed. If a guy didn’t have speed coming in, you can add maybe a little bit here or there, but you’re (likely) not going to have it.”

The trio of defensive players the Lions added this year that has been zeroed in on as ‘small’ is made up of linebacker Jordon Dizon, defensive tackle Andre Fluellen and defensive end Cliff Avril.

Dizon is a player the Lions took for his speed and instincts – two things you can’t teach.

“He’ll put some weight on as he goes,” said Marinelli, “but the stuff he has you can’t find: the quickness and the instincts. Eventually he’ll just start filling out as he goes.”

In looking at the defensive line, Fluellen and Avril are 6-2 and 6-3, respectively.

At first glance, Fluellen seems small for an interior lineman and Avril was projected as being better suited as a 3-4 outside linebacker than a 4-3 defensive end.

But there is a very particular method to Marinelli’s madness when it comes to taking ‘small’ defensive linemen and the first aspect of that method goes right back to speed.

“What you don’t want to compromise on is speed and athleticism – don’t compromise,” said Marinelli. “Now, it’s okay to be big and fast and quick – we won’t turn those guys down. But there just aren’t that many of those guys or they’re all gone in the first round.

“But (after that) you can find guys that can really fit what you’re doing.”

In response to Marinelli’s desire to draft players with speed and athleticism, the skeptic may point out the 300-pound offensive linemen these ‘smaller’ players have to go up against each game for four quarters.

How do these defensive linemen hold up in those kinds of conditions?

The answer to that is simple: the Lions play a one-gap defensive system.

“We don’t put our men in position to play head-up on defense,” said Marinelli. “You always play on an edge. So players don’t take the mass. A two-gap (player) is a big, heavy guy that can (handle it), but nobody’s asking those guys to pass-rush either.”

Playing ‘head-up’ means players are asked to cover two gaps, which are the holes between offensive players.

In a two-gap system, interior defensive lineman would be asked to play face-to-face with an offensive lineman and be responsible for covering the holes on either side of that offensive lineman. All the while, that defensive lineman would not be asked to rush the passer.

To succeed in that system, the defensive lineman would have to be on the larger side, considering he is being asked to hold up a 300-plus-pound offensive lineman.

In the one-gap system, the defensive linemen are not asked to do that. Instead, each defensive lineman is asked to take care of one hole - or one gap - which alleviates the physical need of containing large offensive linemen one-on-one.

“(Chuck Darby) is a great example,” said Marinelli. “(People say), ‘that’s a small defensive lineman.’ But he’s not small, he’s short. He’s 310 pounds and he’s pushed down like an anvil hit his head. But he’s powerful, strong and has great feet, great balance. That’s what you look for: team pursuit, team speed.”

Detroit’s defensive system has two interior line positions: the nose tackle and the undertackle, or three-technique. Each position is different; the nose tackle will play right on the center, while the undertackle will play off the line a little bit.

But while each position has a drastically different technique, both require good get-off – getting off the line of scrimmage as quickly as possible – and pursuing the quarterback.

“Pad level, leverage, it’s great,” said Marinelli of shorter linemen. “These guys have a tendency to be in shape. They’re lean, they can run all day – that’s what you like. Your real good pass rushers should flourish in the fourth quarter in two-man drills.

“If they’re in great shape and their legs are strong – especially at home on turf – they should look the same, if not better, in the fourth quarter if they’re in great condition and that’s what you want. Your great pass rushers should show up in the fourth quarter.”

As far as the defensive ends are concerned, the same concept applies.

With the likelihood of more one-on-one match-ups, the Lions will put Avril - a 'speed-rusher' on the right side of the defensive line.

Because each gap is accounted for by a defensive player – assignments are dished out to both linemen and linebackers – defensive ends are rushing on an edge, meaning they are able to run around the ends of the offensive line.

The two defensive end positions can be slightly different, however.

The majority of the NFL’s offensive players are right-handed and plays tend to lean that way; the running back will run to the right side and the tight end will line up on the right side. Because of that, the Lions put their bigger rushers on the left side to play the run and compensate for double-teams, and put their smaller, quicker rushers on the right side for one-on-one opportunities.

Avril would fall into the smaller, quicker category.

“What you want is your left ends to be bigger, powerful guys that can run,” said Marinelli. “That left end is a guy you really want to bang in there who can play the run, but you’ve still got to rush and a lot of the times the play-action comes toward him.

“That right end is getting turned, fanned out there – he’s getting single rushes out there on first down, where he’s got to go back and win those on first down.”

Marinelli is excited at the prospect of Avril and can already see his speed after rookie mini-camp and this past week’s mandatory mini-camp, but it will obviously be a different world when the pads are put on during training camp.

But Marinelli sees promise in Avril as a right end with the same build as another guy he used to coach.

“I go back to Simeon (Rice),” said Marinelli. “Simeon was 250 pounds coming out of Illinois and Cliff is 251 – both (ran) in the 4.5s. (But) you can see the edge speed. He’s got it, he’s got that speed. We’ve just got to clean him up.”