Lion's Team News

Monday, February 9, 2009
Bodden among Lions' cuts
Terry Foster

ALLEN PARK -- The Detroit Lions released six players Monday.

They were cornerback Leigh Bodden, guard Ed Mulitalo, wide receiver Mike Furrey, safety Dwight Smith, tackle Jon Dunn and tight end Dan Campbell. None of the cuts was a surprise.

Bodden came over from the Cleveland Browns in a trade that sent defensive tackle Shaun Rogers out of town. The trade did not work out for the Lions. Bodden was quickly turned into a backup, and he was burned on a number of plays. After the season he criticized coaches.

Furrey caught 18 passes for 181 yards without a touchdown. He was made the primary punt returner early in the season but was ineffective. Furrey played safety and wide receiver with the St. Louis Rams but moved to wide receiver after signing with the Lions in 2006, catching 98 passes for 1,086 yards.

The Lions are trying to free salary cap space as they rebuild the team for coach Jim Schwartz.

Sucks that Furrey got cut

Friday, February 13, 2009
Lions GM Mayhew opens up about team plans
John Niyo / The Detroit News

ALLEN PARK -- Lions general manager Martin Mayhew met with the media Thursday to announce the hiring of senior personnel executive James "Shack" Harris. But Mayhew also addressed other topics, as the team prepares for next week's NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis, the start of free agency Feb. 27 and April's draft:

• The Lions aren't expected to bring back many of the players on their roster who are scheduled to be unrestricted free agents. But Mayhew made it clear kicker Jason Hanson, who has spent his entire 17-year NFL career in Detroit, will remain in a Lions uniform. If the team can't sign him to a contract extension by Feb. 19 -- the deadline to use transition or franchise tags -- Mayhew said the Lions will designate Hanson their franchise player. That would lock him up for at least one more season at a guaranteed $2.48 million salary and give the sides time to work out a multiyear deal before the season.

Hanson, 38, was 21-of-22 on field-goal attempts last season, including an NFL-record eight 50-yarders.

"I think we'll get something done prior to that," Mayhew said. "If we don't, we'll franchise Jason. . . . It's Jason Hanson, and we appreciate everything he's done for us. And we're trying to work out a long-term deal with him."

Mayhew said the team is negotiating with at least two other would-be free agents -- guard Stephen Peterman and fullback Moran Norris. Peterman played for the Lions' new offensive line coach, George Yarno, at LSU.

• Will the Lions keep veteran quarterback Daunte Culpepper? Culpepper, who is due a $2.5 million roster bonus at the end of February, met with head coach Jim Schwartz and offensive coordinator Scott Linehan -- Culpepper's offensive coordinator from 2002-04 in Minnesota -- late last month. And Mayhew said Culpepper was expected to be in town again this week.

"We're talking through that right now, as we look at free agency and the draft," Mayhew said, when asked about the Lions' quarterback plans. "That's an ongoing discussion every day. It's probably the biggest personnel decision that we have to make this offseason, is the quarterback position."

Another veteran quarterback, Jon Kitna, also is due a $500,000 roster bonus, though the Lions might trade him. Asked what the chances were that both Culpepper and Kitna would be back next season, Mayhew replied, "There's a possibility of that."

• Last week, the Lions began their roster overhaul by releasing six players, including five former starters: Mike Furrey, Dan Campbell, Dwight Smith, Edwin Mulitalo and Leigh Bodden, clearing about $11 million in cap space.

"Every decision that was made was about winning," Mayhew said. "Some were different reasons -- some were age, some were injury-related and some were cap-related. But each one of them was about winning."

Asked if the decision to release Bodden, who was due an $8.6 million roster bonus at the end of the month, was cap-related, Mayhew said, "100 percent." Bodden was scheduled to make $2.5 million in salary next season.

You can reach John Niyo at John.Niyo@detnews.com

GO LIONS!