Category: Uncategorized

#Lions Bob Quinn said no desperation mode when it comes to the draft

In fine-tuning mode for draft prep

With the NFL draft about three weeks away, Lions general manager Bob Quinn said the team is in the fine-tuning stage at this point.
Quinn, new coach Matt Patricia and team president Rod Wood answered questions at a season tickets holders summit on Monday night at Ford Field attended by 3,811 fans.
The NFL draft is set for April 26, 27 and 28. The Lions have six picks starting with the 20th overall pick in the first round.
“Most of the heavy lifting has been done,’’ Quinn said.
Due to their free agency signings, Quinn said they will not be in desperation mode during the draft.
“I think as free agency wore on, we kind of got out of the gate, signed a few players, took a step back, re-evaluated the market and kind of added some guys in the last week or 10 days,’’ Quinn said. “So I’d say best player available is what we’re looking at. I don’t think we have to reach for anybody or are dying to have one position or another.
“Do we have wants or needs? Absolutely. I don’ think it’s a desperation situation that we’re going to have to move up in the draft to get a certain guy or certain player. That opens up the draft board for you,’’ said Quinn who will be running his third Lions draft.
The GM said they have brought in eight of the 30 allowed draft prospects to the facility.
Quinn
Patricia is still in an excited-to-be-here mode. It was clear from his answers.
“The draft is a great night for football, a great night for our organization,’’ Patricia said.
He was questioned about specifics in the defense and offense, but mostly gave generalized answers.
“I’m just trying to win every day right now,’’ Patricia said.
Other highlights:

— Wood said he doesn’t know the exact date that the 2018 NFL schedule will be released but expects it to happen in the next few weeks.

— One of the first questions from the fans was if the concession prices will be cut. Wood said it is definitely something they are evaluating. It has been done at the new Atlanta Falcons stadium and Ford Field shares the same concession company. “More to come on that,’’ Wood said.

— The team president also said the Lions were the No. 1 team in the NFL in increased attendance last year.

— Half-time entertainment is just one area they are looking to improve in terms of the fan experience on game day.

Five things to know about newest Lions RB LeGarrette Blount

Familiarity with Matt Patricia was one reason he signed

A year ago running back LeGarrette Blount signed a one-year free agent deal with Philadelphia, then he helped lead the Eagles to a Super Bowl win.

In 2016, Blount agreed to a one-year deal with New England and ended the season with a Super Bowl title for the Patriots.

Coincidence?

Blount agreed to a one-year $2 million deal (with $2.5 million in incentives) with the Lions. What’s next?

“I don’t believe it’s luck. I just believe it’s hard work,’’ Blount said during a Monday conference call. “You’ve got to grind for everything you get in this league — scratch, claw for everything you get. There’s no luck involved. All 32 teams are going out there with one common goal.

“Everybody works their tails to get to that last game — you fight, you scratch, you claw, you bleed with your brothers. It’s the mentality that you refuse to be denied and that’s just something that I want to bring to Detroit. You just got to have to refuse to be denied what you think you’ve earned throughout the whole process.”

Five things to know about Blount:

1. His familiarity with new Lions coach Matt Patricia, the former New England Patriots’ defensive coordinator, helped get him to Detroit.  “My relationship with Matt has always been a great one. Even though he was on the defensive side of the ball, anytime I ever saw him in any part of the building, whether it was just walking by in the hall or in the cafeteria or practice or whatever the circumstance may be, anytime he walked past or anytime we were around each other, it was always laughs and jokes,’’ Blount said. “Obviously, we get serious when it’s time to do the job, but for the most part we laughed and joked and clowned around and we enjoyed each other, and it got to a point where we had gotten really close.’’

Of course he also knows general manager Bob Quinn, chief of staff Kevin Anderson and strength and conditioning coach Harold Nash who were with the Patriots during Blount’s two stints there — 2013 and then 2014-16.

2. Blount finished last season averaging 4.4 yards per carry, his highest average since 2013 when he was good for 5.0 yards per carry. In the Eagles’ Super Bowl win over the Patriots, he had 14 carries for 90 yards and a touchdown. The Lions owned the NFL’s worst rushing offense in 2017 averaging 3.4 yards per carry. Third-and-1s were a nightmare which is one area the 245-pound Blount should be able to help.

3. He uses word “grittiness” to describe new running back teammates Theo Riddick and Ameer Abdullah. “I like how hard they play. You can tell they play with a lot of passion,’’ Blount said. “”My job is to help add value and our goal is to just do our jobs together and get all the wins we can get.”

4. Blount is blunt about his status. “They are going to get a good veteran running back that has a lot of years and a lot of miles left on him that’s going to play as hard as he possibly can for the organization and for Matty P.,” the 31-year-old Blount said.

5. This is the third one-year deal he’s signed in three years and he’s good with that. “That’s not the part of the business I handle. That’s the part of the business my agent, the head coach and whoever else handles that part,’’ Blount said. “Me, personally, I just want to make a decision where I can put myself in the right situation to be successful and help another team be successful. That’s what my ultimate goal is, to make sure I’m in the right situation, that I’m what the team needs.’’

 

Lions sign veteran RB LeGarrette Blount

Also, bring back Zach Zenner

The Detroit Lions took a huge step to boosting their anemic run game with the signing of free agent running back LeGarrette Blount. The team announced the deal after 10 p.m. on Friday.

It’s a one-year deal worth $4.5 million, per Ian Rapoport, NFL Network insider.

Blount is fresh off a Super Bowl win with the Philadelphia Eagles last month. It was his third Super Bowl championship. He also won two with the New England Patriots (another connection to GM Bob Quinn).

The Lions had the worst run game in the NFL in 2017, averaging 3.4 yards per carry.

Blount  appeared in all 16 games (11 starts) for the Eagles in 2017 and finished with 173 carries for 766 yards and two touchdowns, as well as eight receptions for 50 yards and one touchdown.

The 31-year-old running back had a career year in 2016 with the Patriots with 1,161 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns.

Photo courtesy of Detroit Lions

Blount signed with the Tennessee Titans as an undrafted free agent in 2010 out of the University of Oregon. He spent three seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2010-12. Entering his ninth NFL season, his career totals include 116 games (54 starts), 1,341 carries for 5,888 yards and 51 touchdowns, as well as 54 receptions for 387 yards and two touchdowns. In 11 postseason games (three starts), he has totaled 140 carries for 600 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Also on Friday, the Lions re-signed Zach Zenner to a one-year deal.

Reports were that free agent running backs DeMarco Murray, Jonathan Stewart (who signed with the Giants), Frank Gore and Miles Davis talked also with the Lions.