2009 Detroit Lions Thread

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Lions trade Kitna to the Cowboys for late round picks

According to 97.1 FM

Saturday, February 28, 2009
Lions trade Jon Kitna to Cowboys
John Niyo / The Detroit News

The Lions have agreed to trade veteran quarterback Jon Kitna to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for veteran cornerback Anthony Henry, a league source said. The Lions confirmed they've traded Kitna to Dallas, but won't comment on the compensation in the deal. The National Football Post initially reported the deal was for late-round draft picks.

The Lions also reportedly were involved in trade talks with New England and Denver regarding quarterback Matt Cassel, who ultimately was dealt by the Patriots to Kansas City on Saturday.

Detroit and Tampa Bay both approached Denver with trade proposals for Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler, according to an NFL.com report. The Lions and Buccaneers were pitching three-team deals in which they would have acquired Cassel from the Patriots -- Kansas City gave up the 34th overall pick in April's draft -- and then shipped him to Denver in exchange for Cutler. The Broncos declined the offers, and Cassel now heads to the Chiefs along with veteran linebacker Mike Vrabel. The Chiefs' newly-hired general manager, Scott Pioli, spent the last nine seasons in New England's front office.

Lions GM Martin Mayhew, meanwhile, has been trying for several weeks to trade Kitna, who started 36 consecutive games for the team before going on injured reserve last October. That contentious decision -- Kitna was angered by the move, saying his back injury didn't warrant it -- coupled with Kitna's public criticism of the Lions' shift in offensive philosophy, likely sealed his fate in Detroit.

Kitna, 36, has a year remaining on his contract at $1.95 million in salary, but he was expected to be released Tuesday when he is due a $1 million roster bonus.

The Lions are believed to have initially offered Kitna to the Buffalo Bills as part of a proposed trade for Derrick Dockery that fell through Friday, a league source said, but the Bills weren't interested.

Daunte Culpepper is the likely starter next season, though his recently restructured contract -- he pushed back a $2.5 million roster bonus originally due at the end of February -- gives the team more flexibility to pursue another veteran in free agency.

The Lions were interested in re-signing backup Dan Orlovsky, who started seven games last season. But he decided to test the free-agent market. The team also has Drew Stanton and Drew Henson under contract for next season, though general manager Martin Mayhew said last week at the NFL scouting combine he viewed Stanton as a "developmental quarterback" right now.

"We haven't seen enough of Drew to say we're going to anoint Drew as the starter," Mayhew said. "It's a tremendous leap of faith to say he can start for us."

Saturday, February 28, 2009
Lions sign CB Eric King from Titans
John Niyo / The Detroit News

The Lions confirmed a pair of free-agent signings Saturday, including the previously reported three-year, $7 million deal for former Seattle Seahawks running back Maurice Morris.

Also coming to Detroit is Tennessee Titans cornerback Eric King, who has signed a two-year contract with the team. Terms of his deal were not disclosed.

King, 26, spent the past three seasons playing in Tennessee under then-defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, the Lions' new head coach. At 5-foot-10 and 185 pounds, King, who played his rookie season in Buffalo, was a role player as a backup cornerback and key special-teams contributor with the Titans, though his 2008 season ended in November with a broken forearm. He'll likely see an expanded role with the Lions.

Morris, meanwhile, fills the Lions' need for a No. 2 running back behind starter Kevin Smith. At 29, he's a seven-year NFL veteran -- he spent his entire career in Seattle -- with a track record as an effective backup and spot-duty starter. Last season, the 5-foot-11, 216-pound back started six games for the Seahawks and finished with 132 carries for 574 yards.

Saturday, February 28, 2009
Lions to sign WR Bryant Johnson from 49ers
John Niyo / The Detroit News

The Lions have agreed to terms on a three-year, $9 million contract with former San Francisco 49ers receiver Bryant Johnson. His agent, Joel Segal, confirmed the deal.

Johnson, a 2003 first-round pick by the Arizona Cardinals, played last season on a one-year contract in San Francisco, filling a starter's role alongside veteran Isaac Bruce in Mike Martz's offense. Johnson finished the season with 45 catches for 546 yards and three touchdowns. It was his fifth straight season with 40-plus receptions.

Still, the 6-foot-3, 215-pound former Penn State standout has struggled to live up to his draft status in a six-year NFL career. Now he'll get another chance in Detroit, possibly as the No. 2 receiver opposite budding star Calvin Johnson.

Free-agent receiver Nate Washington, who visited the Lions on Friday, is headed to Nashville to visit the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.

2 NFL players among boaters missing off Fla. coast

CLEARWATER, Fla. – The Coast Guard searched off Florida's Gulf Coast on Sunday for a fishing boat carrying NFL players Corey Smith and Marquis Cooper and two other men missing more than a day in choppy seas.

Smith, a defensive end for the Detroit Lions, and Cooper, an Oakland Raiders linebacker, were on a 21-foot vessel that left Clearwater Pass for a fishing trip Saturday morning and did not return as expected, the Coast Guard said Sunday. Crews used a helicopter and an 87-foot ship to search a 750-square mile area west of Clearwater Pass, but poor weather made the search difficult. Officials did not receive a distress signal from the missing craft.

Cooper owns the boat and he and Smith have been on fishing trips before, said Ron Del Duca, Smith's agent. The pair had been teammates on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2004. Two others were aboard: Will Bleakley and Nick Schuyler, both former University of South Florida players.

Coast Guard Capt. Timothy M. Close said the weather early Saturday had been fair, but worsened toward the evening as a front moved in. The National Weather Service said seas were about 2 to 4 feet Saturday morning and increased to 3 to 5 feet in the afternoon. Late Saturday night, a small craft advisory was issued, when winds were around 20 knots and seas were up to 7 feet or more. There were no thunderstorms in the area.

Close said the men were traveling in a boat manufactured by Everglades. At least one of the men was an experienced boater, and relatives provided the Coast Guard with GPS coordinates from previous fishing expeditions.

Close said there was no communication with the men even before the weather started to pick up. They were expected home by early evening. No sign of them or the boat had been spotted by Sunday evening. Relatives told the Coast Guard the men had lifejackets and flares onboard.

Poor weather conditions could be dangerous for a boat the size of Cooper's.

"A 21-foot boat is a relatively small vessel to be 50 miles off shore in bad weather conditions, certainly the current weather conditions," Close said.

Close said there was no sign yet that the men sent a distress signal.

"That's not to say they didn't send one out," he said. "We didn't receive anything."

Danielle Mayes, owner of Jaxson's Bait House near the ramp where the men departed, said Saturday had been deceptively beautiful. The weather was warm, and boaters had packed the small parking lot overlooking seaside condominiums and light blue waters.

Mayes said many of the boaters who returned Saturday evening said they were surprised that the water had gotten so rough.

The Coast Guard search was mainly by air, and was hampered by the poor weather, Close said. He said there were 14-foot seas offshore and wind gusts of up to 30 mph. Water depth in the search area ranges from 20 to 50 feet. The Coast Guard originally sent a 47-foot ship to search for the men around 2 a.m Sunday. It returned to dock about eight hours later and was replaced by a larger ship, in part because of the weather.

Smith, 29, had 30 tackles, including three sacks, and an interception in 12 games last season for the winless Lions. Smith, who is 6-foot-2, 250 pounds, also played for the San Francisco 49ers and played college ball at North Carolina State. He lives in Richmond, Va.

Del Duca said Smith is one of the "good guys" of the league and was planning to start visiting teams as a free agent this week. He said he has spoken with Smith's family and is also in touch with Coast Guard officials.

"They've assured me that they're deploying all available resources to look for these guys and get them back," he said.

Cooper, 26, has played five seasons with the Buccaneers, Seahawks, Jaguars, Steelers and Raiders. He appeared in 26 games with the Buccaneers in 2004 and 2005, recording 30 tackles. He has played sparingly since as he has bounced between teams, appearing in 13 games and recording 10 tackles. Cooper, who is 6-foot-3, 230 pounds, played college ball at Washington. He grew up in Gilbert, Ariz., and his father Bruce is a prominent sportscaster for KPNX-TV in Phoenix.

Cooper told The Seattle Times in 2002 that one reason he chose Washington was the abundant fishing.

"I like fighting the fish," Cooper told the newspaper. "And just relaxing out there and being alone and being outside."

Bruce Cooper described his son as an avid fisherman who goes deep sea fishing "any opportunity he gets." The two went deep sea fishing together two years ago.

"I swore I would never do so again," Cooper said in a statement. "I didn't like the fact that I couldn't see land. Needless to say I am very concerned. I am praying and hoping for the best."

Stu Schuyler, Nick's father, said his son had gone fishing with the same group of friends last weekend, apparently en route to a shipwreck about 50 miles offshore where fish are abundant. He said he left his son a message on his cell phone Saturday morning, asking him not to stay out too late because of the approaching storm.

"I'm optimistic," Schuyler said. "But I'm also realistic."

Lions spokesman Bill Keenist and Raiders senior executive John Hererra said the teams are monitoring reports. Both teams issued statements saying their thoughts and prayers are with the families of all the missing men and those involved in the search.

While the search continued, Cooper's pickup truck and boat trailer remained in the parking lot near the boat launch. On the dashboard was a one-day parking receipt that expired Sunday morning.

"Please contact the Coast Guard," a note left tucked underneath a windshield wiper read. "Someone was worried about your welfare."

That is a shame


However; Why didn't they check the weather forecast; A big storm hit the Southeast this weekend; causing rough seas


Yet! People pay no heed to the weather conditions;

Same thing for stupid morons who go Ice Fishing on Lake Erie when it is 50 degrees out


Amazing

Monday, March 2, 2009
One boater rescued; Corey Smith among three missing
Christine Armario / Associated Press

TAMPA, Fla. -- A missing man found clinging to an overturned boat was rescued Monday off Florida's Gulf Coast, but the search continued for two NFL players and a third man aboard who didn't return from a weekend fishing trip.

Survivor Nick Schuyler, a former University of South Florida player, told rescuers that the 21-foot boat was anchored when it flipped Saturday evening in rough seas and that the others got separated from the boat, Capt. Timothy M. Close said. Since then, Schuyler, who was wearing a life vest, had been hanging onto the boat found by a Coast Guard cutter 35 miles off Clearwater.

The boat belongs to Oakland Raiders linebacker Marquis Cooper, who along with free-agent defensive lineman Corey Smith and former South Florida player William Bleakley, remained missing. The search area is now "substantially smaller," based on where they found the boat and Schuyler, Close said. Searchers had previously covered 16,000 square miles of ocean, and the Coast Guard said it did not receive a distress signal.

Coast Guard photos showed Schuyler wearing a yellow jacket and orange life vest and sitting on the hull of the capsized boat as a rescue cutter approached. A helicopter lowered a basket to haul him aboard.

Schuyler was conscious but appeared weak as he was being taken off a helicopter at Tampa General Hospital and placed on a stretcher. His father said his son was in serious but stable condition and that he "looks OK."

"He's got some cuts and bruises. He's dehydrated," said Stuart Schuyler.

Schuyler's mother, Marsha Schuyler, said her son told her that he survived by thinking about how he didn't want her to go to his funeral.

The family's joy at him being found alive was tempered by the search for his friends.

"We still have three men missing, and we're not going to talk too much until we find these guys," said his father, Stuart Schuyler. "We're all praying for them. These guys are all very close friends."

Close said the Coast Guard would search for the men for "quite awhile."

Ray Sanchez of Tampa, a cousin of Cooper, said he was told the men were together "for a good period of time" after the boat flipped. He said the family was confident the Coast Guard would find them.

"My cousin's a powerful swimmer," he said.

The water temperature in the area was 68 degrees. After 18 hours in 64-degree water, hypothermia will set in, said Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class James Harless. How long someone can survive depends on how big the person is, he said. Cooper is 6-foot-3, 230 pounds, and Smith, 6-foot-2, 250 pounds.

The four friends left Clearwater Pass early Saturday in calm weather, but heavy winds picked up through the day and the seas got heavy, with waves of 7 feet and higher, peaking at 15 feet on Sunday. A relative alerted the Coast Guard early Sunday after the men did not return as expected.

The men were aboard an Everglades-manufactured boat, which is built with compressed foam encased in Fiberglas, making it difficult to sink. The weather had improved, with waves subsiding to 6 to 8 feet, National Weather Service meteorologist Todd Barron said.

However, Bob Zales, president of National Association of Charter Boat Operators, said waves that high can capsize a boat the size of Cooper's.

"A boat that size, personally, I wouldn't get out any farther than 20 or 30 miles offshore," Zales said. "But I see people all the time 40, 50 miles offshore."

Cooper and Smith, who were teammates with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2004, have been on fishing trips before, according to Ron Del Duca, Smith's agent.

The 29-year-old Smith of Richmond, Va., had 30 tackles, including three sacks, and an interception in 12 games last season for the Detroit Lions. He also played for the San Francisco 49ers and was a standout at North Carolina State.

Cooper, 26, played college ball at Washington, and has spent five seasons with five different teams, appearing in 26 games with the Buccaneers in 2004 and 2005. He's played sparingly since. He grew up in Gilbert, Ariz., and his father Bruce is a prominent sportscaster for KPNX-TV in Phoenix.

Associated Press Writer Mitch Stacy in Tampa contributed to this report.

Monday, March 2, 2009
Titans cornerback Chris Carr visits Lions
John Niyo / The Detroit News

ALLEN PARK -- Tennessee Titans free agent Chris Carr, a cornerback and one of the NFL's top return specialists, wrapped up a visit with the Lions in Allen Park early Monday afternoon.

"It went well, I expected it to go well," said Carr, 25, citing his familiarity with Lions head coach Jim Schwartz, who was his defensive coordinator in Tennessee last season. "I enjoyed my visit. Everybody was really cool. And I feel like they're gonna get the program turned around."

Whether or not he'll be part of the Lions' rebuilding remains to be seen, though.

Asked if he'd agreed to terms on a deal with the Lions, Carr said, "I'm going to wait on that, as of right now. So there's no signature."

He said he was headed to Cleveland to visit next with the Browns and might make other visits, but none were scheduled.

"Maybe, but maybe not, so we'll see," said Carr, who played three seasons in Oakland before joining the Titans last offseason.

The Lions are still searching for help in the secondary after adding two other cornerbacks Saturday, trading for the Dallas Cowboys' Anthony Henry and signing another Titans free agent, Eric King.

Another cornerback, Buffalo Bills free agent Jabari Greer, visited Allen Park on Saturday, while Tampa Bay free agent Phillip Buchanon also was scheduled to visit Monday.

But the Lions' interest in Carr has a lot to do with his versatility as a return man. The Lions struggled in the return game last year, ranking 24th in kickoff returns and 25th in punt returns.

"I want an opportunity to do both because I feel like I can really help a team do both," said Carr, who ranked fourth in the NFL in kickoff returns (28.1 yards per return) and 12th in punt returns (10.1 yards) last season. "And I feel like the spots that I have played in Oakland and Tennessee I played very well, so I want an opportunity to do that more often."

He might also find a bigger role on defense in Detroit than he would with the Titans.

"Yeah, maybe," Carr said. "I like Tennessee, and it's still not a foregone conclusion that I'm not gonna go back there. But if a team's gonna give me more of an opportunity, then I probably would leave."

Good Luck Lions

Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Lions sign Grady Jackson
John Niyo / The Detroit News

ALLEN PARK -- The Lions have signed veteran defensive tackle Grady Jackson to a three-year contract, the team confirmed Wednesday. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Jackson, a mammoth, 360-pound run-stopper, spent most of the last three seasons with the Atlanta Falcons. The 12-year pro likely will step in as a two-down starter at tackle next to Cory Redding, and the move may mean Chuck Darby, last year's starter at that position, will be released.

GO GRADY!

Quote :

Jackson, a mammoth, 360-pound run-stopper

That will sure help the Lions next year. Maybe they will put together a decent team!

Thursday, March 5, 2009
Lions: Notebook
Jackson, Buchanon sign with Lions
Defensive tackle and cornerback expected to bolster defense ranked among league's worst.
John Niyo / The Detroit News

ALLEN PARK -- The Lions added a pair of likely starters in free agency Wednesday, signing veteran defensive tackle Grady Jackson to a three-year contract and agreeing to terms on a two-year deal with cornerback Phillip Buchanon. Jackson's contract is worth $8 million, NFL.com reported, while Buchanon's deal is for $8.5 million.
Jackson, 36, a 350-pound run-stopper, spent most of the last three seasons with the Atlanta Falcons. In Detroit, he's expected to be a two-down starter at tackle next to Cory Redding, bolstering what was the league's worst rushing defense last season. The move also may mean Chuck Darby, the Lions' starter last season, will be released.

Buchanon, 28, a first-round pick by Oakland in 2002, reportedly turned down a similar offer to stay in Tampa Bay, where he started all 16 games at left cornerback last season. But with his No. 1 job in jeopardy there, he sees a better opportunity with the Lions.

"The big issue for me was playing time, and I'm going to get a lot of playing time in Detroit," Buchanon told the Tampa Tribune.

Two other free agents visited with the Lions on Wednesday: offensive lineman Daniel Loper (Tennessee Titans) and tight end L.J. Smith (Philadelphia Eagles), though Smith was headed for a visit with the Falcons after his stop in Detroit.

In all, the Lions have added a half-dozen new players in the six days of free agency, with Buchanon and Jackson joining running back Maurice Morris, receiver Bryant Johnson and cornerback Eric King, as well as cornerback Anthony Henry, acquired in a trade with Dallas. And while other teams have made bigger splashes, team president Tom Lewand insists the Lions are sticking to their plan.

"It fits the blueprint we set out to do early on in this process, which is to add some quality guys that can contribute, the right kind of people that can fill roles on this team without trying to swing for the fences in free agency," he said. "The way we're going to build the nucleus and the core of this team is through the draft. We're not done yet. We'll continue to be active in the free-agent market on a selective basis."

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

Yeah

Saturday, March 7, 2009
Offensive lineman signs with Lions
Loper, a free-agent guard who had been a Titan, gets a one-year deal, newspaper says.
Detroit News staff and wires

ALLEN PARK -- The Lions have signed another free-agent offensive lineman.

Dan Loper, a 6-foot-6, 320-pound guard, agreed to a one-year contract with the Lions, The Tennessean reported Friday.

Loper had visited the Lions on Wednesday but left without signing a contract. Drafted by the Titans in 2005, Loper played in 40 games at right guard.

He was not a starter but saw considerable action. He is expected to compete for a starting job with the Lions.

"I can't tell you how much I enjoyed my time in Tennessee," Loper told the paper. "But the opportunity is great in Detroit. They had a rough season last year but with some of the coaching changes they've made and the direction they are headed in, I feel good about it."

Lions agree to terms with OL Daniel Loper

By CARLOS MONARREZ • FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER • March 6, 2009

The Lions agreed Friday to a one-year contract with offensive lineman Daniel Loper, according to his agent, Leonard Roth. Financial terms were not released.

Loper, 27, plays guard and tackle and has been a reserve with Tennessee since 2005, when the Titans drafted him in the fifth round out of Texas Tech.

“I think they have quite a few starters locked into place, but there is an opportunity there, and chance to start is what I am looking for,’’ Loper, 6-feet-6 and 320 pounds, told the Nashville Tennessean. “As good as all those guys are in Tennessee, I knew I had no chance to break the starting lineup.’’

Loper visited the Lions on Wednesday and canceled a visit today with the Falcons. He will reunite with coach Jim Schwartz and said he was optimistic about changes the team has made.

“They had a rough season last year, but with some of the coaching changes they’ve made and the direction they are headed in, I feel good about it,” Loper told the Tennessean.

Cool

Saturday, March 7, 2009
Detroit News football logo contest winner announced
The Detroit News

Lonnie Walker of Prospect, Ky., is the winner of The Detroit News' contest to design a new logo for Detroit's professional football team.

Walker's design was selected from the dozens received by The News. Matt Zelley of Shelby Township finished second and Daniel Jacalone of Jackson was third.

We have created a gallery where fans of football -- and art -- can check out selected entries. The News regrets that it is unable to display all of the entries.

Click on "Images: Fans design logos for Detroit's pro football team"

The last three are the winners.


FIRST PLACE: Lonnie Walker of Prospect, Ky.


SECOND PLACE: Matt Zelley of Shelby Township


THIRD PLACE: Daniel Jacalone of Jackson

Additional Ones I liked:


Mary Hagerman of Tuscaloosa, Ala. (68 of 79)


Eric Medalle of Seattle (57 of 79) As a letter logo, I like how it includes the D for Detroit, and the L for Lions.

NICHOLAS J. COTSONIKA'S BLOG
Lions sign LB Cody Spencer, RB Aveion Cason

By NICHOLAS J. COTSONIKA • FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER • March 9, 2009

The Lions signed linebacker Cody Spencer and running back Aveion Cason to one-year deals today.

Spencer, 27, is expected to add depth and contribute on special teams. He has never started a game in five NFL seasons. He spent the past three years with the Jets after two with the Titans, where Lions coach Jim Schwartz was defensive coordinator.

Cason, 29, played for the Lions the last three years, in his second stint with the team. He returns kicks and adds depth at running back.

WITH VIDEO
'The Simpsons' takes a shot at the Lions

POSTED BY JAMES JAHNKE • FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER • March 9, 2009

An 0-16 season supplies a nearly endless stream of comedic fodder, and not just here in Detroit. Our beloved Lions made an unfortunate cameo in "The Simpsons" on Sunday night.

As the local newscast tried to depict neighborly Ned Flanders as evil for evicting Homer Simpson, it morphed Flanders' image to include horns, red skin and a "Detroit Lions fan" T-shirt.

There's a still of the scene to the right of this article.

Check out the entire episode below.

The Lions reference is at about 13:43 into the show. :lol:

Not Funny at all

gs78 wrote:

Not Funny at all

But it is your fav. show!

Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Lions' Schwartz provides reconstruction update
Lions coach discusses recent acquisitions in free agency, as well as insight into draft plans.
John Niyo / The Detroit News

ALLEN PARK -- Lions coach Jim Schwartz met with the media Tuesday to discuss the team's moves in free agency as well as the ongoing draft preparation.

Schwartz talked about the roster overhaul -- "The team looks a lot different" -- while acknowledging there is "more work to do" and, as expected, giving the Lions a grade of "incomplete" in the free-agency period that began Feb. 27.

But speaking for the first time since last month's NFL scouting combine, Schwartz addressed a variety of other subjects.

• On the team's free-agent signings: "There is still more left to do. People tend to pay most attention to those first 48-hour signings. But there are a lot of ways to improve your team, not just from those first 48 hours, not just from the high-ticket players that make the headlines. So I do want to make the point that it is an ongoing process and we're gonna look to keep on improving."

• On the team's objectives in free agency: "The one thing I wanted to work on to begin with was the offensive line and defensive line. We were able to make a couple acquisitions there that have a chance to contribute right away. ... Obviously, if you look at some of the guys that we acquired or signed, the defensive back position was going to be key for us, not just in acquiring players that are going to start, but acquiring players that are going to be role-players and that are going to compete."

• On the current roster: "Every single player we have under contract is going to have an opportunity to start. That's the commitment that we made to all the guys that we signed and everybody that's been here."

• On the team's needs at linebacker: "Sometimes, it's a little bit of supply and demand. If you look at the free-agent linebackers, it wasn't as deep as maybe cornerback or wide receiver or some other positions where you could get help quickly.

"When you talk about our linebackers, you have to start with Ernie Sims. He was a highly drafted player here that started pretty well and maybe had a little bump in the road last year. we need him to produce better. And I think there's ways we can help him do that. And then next I guess you have to go to Jordon Dizon, a guy that was a second-round pick last year. We need to find ways for him to be productive. And we need to find ways to fit him into our scheme."

• On the possibility of moving veteran Jeff Backus from tackle to guard: "It depends. But I think he has the physical tools that he could do it. And he's obviously a proficient left tackle in the NFL. ... I don't know that there's as much exclusivity in those positions as maybe some people think."

• On evaluating Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford's pro day (March 19): "First thing, we need to see him throw -- and throw drills. We've looked at every throw he's made for the last two years, every play that he's played the last two years. We'll do the same with just about every quarterback. But there's one thing when you're watching it on tape, and another when you're there standing next to him the way you would on the practice field."

• On the team's quarterback situation and plans to add another veteran: "In the spring, when we start the first minicamp and the first OTAs, I'll let that sort of determine some of that. We need to see where Drew Stanton is. We need to see Drew Henson. We need to see Daunte (Culpepper). We need those guys to throw."

• On Wake Forest linebacker Aaron Curry, a possible No. 1 overall pick: "Aaron has size, he has speed, he has athletic ability. He could fill a lot of different roles. He could be an outside linebacker in a 3-4 outside linebacker, he could be a (strong-side) linebacker in a 4-3, he could be a (middle linebacker) in a 4-3... He's played the (middle) in nickel (packages), so that's really not a 'projection' for him."

• On the team's interest in defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth, who signed a blockbuster deal with Washington: "We looked real hard at it, obviously. Every chance you get to improve our team, you're going to have to look at. But it was obvious pretty early on in that process that his money was going to be significant. And probably where we are as a team, it was more important for us to get more players rather than just one."

• On whether free agency moves will have an impact on the Lions' No. 1 overall draft choice. "That's still possible. (But) that first pick is still a long way away, not only from a free agency but also in evaluation. There's still a lot of hoops for those guys to jump through."

You can reach John Niyo at (313) 982-3810 or john.niyo@detnews.com

gs78 wrote:

Not Funny at all

Sure it was.

catbox_9 wrote:

gs78 wrote:

Not Funny at all

Sure it was.

No it wasn't

And why do the Lions need a new logo for

They should also dump the black jerseys and wear the throwback ones as the alternate