2017 ScheduleAll times ET

2017 Schedule
9-7, 2nd in NFC North

Michael Rothstein ESPN Staff Writer 

The Lions have waived QB Alek Torgersen. That leaves two quarterbacks on the roster -- Matthew Stafford and Jake Rudock.

Michael Rothstein ESPN Staff Writer 

Detroit Lions offseason schedules, as released by the NFL today: First Day: April 9; Voluntary Minicamp: April 24-26; OTA Offseason Workouts: May 21-22, May 24, May 30-31, June 11-12, June 14; Mandatory Minicamp: June 5-7

Michael Rothstein ESPN Staff Writer 

OL Wesley Johnson's one-year deal with the Lions is $790,000 in base salary with a $90,000 signing bonus. No other bonuses. Cap hit of $720,000. TE Levine Toilolo's one-year deal has a $1 million base salary with a $400,000 signing bonus and $100,000 workout bonus. His cap hit is $1.5 million. LB Nick Bellore's one-year contract is $915,000 in base salary with a $90,000 roster bonus if he's on the 53-man roster for the first game of the season. He has a cap hit of $720,000.

Michael Rothstein ESPN Staff Writer 

The Lions have OG/C Wesley Johnson, the team announced. Johnson was a starter with the Jets last year and should compete for the one vacant spot in the team's OL.

2:40

Michael Rothstein ESPN Staff Writer 

Michigan basketball coach John Beilein and team captains Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman, Moritz Wagner and Duncan Robinson addressed a crowd of a few hundred people at a pep rally in Ann Arbor before leaving for the Final Four.

Michael Rothstein ESPN Staff Writer 

Details of Jonathan Freeny's one-year deal with the Lions: $720,000 cap hit. $790,000 base salary. $45,000 signing bonus. $45,000 roster bonus if he is on the 53-man roster for the first game of the year.

Michael Rothstein ESPN Staff Writer 

Matt Patricia, to reporters at the owner's meetings, about traveling -- after telling a story about going to Italy with his wife, pre-kids: "Now the closest I get to Italy is EPCOT, that's about it. But I get to see a lot of countries on that tour, so it's fun."

Michael Rothstein ESPN Staff Writer 

Something learned about Matt Patricia from his time at the owner's meetings -- he's not a good golfer but does enjoy reading. And that has given him something in common with former Detroit head coach Jim Caldwell. When Patricia was asked by reporters at the owner's meeting the last good book he's read, he discussed "Legacy," by James Kerr, about the New Zealand All-Blacks rugby team. In 2016, then-Lions defensive tackle Haloti Ngata told me he was turned on to "Legacy" by Caldwell, who had discussed the book with his team that year. Patricia said he also likes reading military books and books about the history of football, particularly referencing Paul Brown.

Michael Rothstein ESPN Staff Writer 

Lions GM Bob Quinn told reporters at the owner's meetings there have been no contract extension talks with Golden Tate yet. Most of his extensions (Matthew Stafford, Glover Quin, Theo Riddick, Sam Martin, Darius Slay) have come either just before training camp or right at the start of the regular season. Tate, who is entering the final year of his deal, has had 90 catches every season he's been in Detroit.

Michael Rothstein ESPN Staff Writer 

Lions GM Bob Quinn on whether or not running back Ameer Abdullah still has a role in Detroit in 2018: "Sure does, yeah." Quinn said he has "big hopes" for Abdullah this season after a disappointing 2017. He had 165 carries for 552 yards and four touchdowns last year -- averaging 3.35 yards per carry, the lowest average of his career. He also had 25 catches for 162 yards last season. It was a year where Abdullah's role trailed off as the season went on, including no games of 10-plus carries over the last six weeks of the season (although he missed two due to injury).

Michael Rothstein ESPN Staff Writer 

Lions GM Bob Quinn, talking to reporters at owner's meetings, said they could do some "mix and match" with Quandre Diggs between safety and slot corner. Said both he and Tavon Wilson have flexibility to do different things in the defense (both have shown that in the past -- Wilson in the three-safety package the past couple of years and Diggs at both spots last year). Position flexibility is going to be a big thing for this defense.

Michael Rothstein ESPN Staff Writer 

Lions coach Matt Patricia said players like LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin and S Miles Killebrew will "by situation, will have places by scheme where they fit." Patricia admits, though, that all of it is speculation but none of it will start to show until they start practicing. From how I see it, this is a big year for both Reeves-Maybin and Killebrew as far as finding spots in the defense where they can fit considering the new defensive staff and scheme change.

Michael Rothstein ESPN Staff Writer 

Ndamukong Suh going to the Rams could trigger a what-could-have-been scenario for the Lions as Suh will now line up next to Aaron Donald after Adam Schefter reported Suh will sign a 1-year deal with Los Angeles. Flashback to the No. 10 pick in 2014, when Suh was still in Detroit entering the final year of his deal (as was Nick Fairley). The Lions had a clear future need for Donald, a player who defensive coordinator Teryl Austin later admitted he lobbied for. Instead, Detroit took tight end Eric Ebron, who was released last week. So seeing Los Angeles potentially lining up what might have been Detroit's defensive interior in 2014 – a year where its run defense was one of the best in the league – could cause some pained reactions. Sure, they are different players now than they were then. Suh is a little bit older and at age 31 perhaps at the end of his prime. But Donald is the best defensive tackle in the game and better than he would have been as a rookie. And together, they could have been dominant in 2014. Plus, even if Suh had left after 2014 for Miami – like he ended up doing – the Lions would have still had an elite interior lineman who would have been then paired with Haloti Ngata instead of struggling to find the right combination for the past three seasons. Of course, some of this is conjecture because up until now it was an unknown how Suh and Donald would have fared playing alongside each other. The league could have seen this five years ago. Instead, a few months from now, the NFL is going to find out.

Michael Rothstein ESPN Staff Writer 

The Detroit Lions have signed their fourth linebacker of free agency, announcing a deal with Jonathan Freeny on Monday. The 28-year-old Freeny is primarily a depth linebacker, having played with Miami, New England, New Orleans and Baltimore in his six-year career. His longest stint was with the Patriots, where he started 11 games between 2015 and 2016 (and played in 19 games overall between 2015-17).

Team Stats

Passing Yards261.46th
Rushing Yards76.332nd
Points For25.67th
Points Against23.521st