Detroit Lions Weekly Recap

Lions Sign Jeremy Kerley

The Lions added some wide receiver depth by signing former Jets WR Jeremy Kerley.

Kerley is expected to play mainly in the slot and used as a punt returner. Another thing about Kerley to keep in mind is that over the past 3 years, he’s only been credited with just 4 drops. This past season, Golden Tate, Marvin Jones, and Theo Riddick combined to haul in 235 passes with only 5 drops and it appears that the Lions like their sure-handed receivers as they add another one to the mix.

Kerley is coming off his worst year as a pro catching only 16 passes for 152 yards. He became buried in the depth chart when the Jets traded for Brandon Marshall and drafted Devin Smith as well, making him the fourth option at wide receiver with Eric Decker also ahead of him. Kerley  won’t have a huge role in the offense, but I expect him to have a similar role to the one that Lance Moore played this past year. Moore finished the season with 29 receptions for 337 yards and 4 scores; I expect Kerley’s numbers to be similar.

Why is Tulloch Still on the Roster?

The Lions announced before free agency that they would be releasing LB Stephen Tulloch, but that has yet to happen.

It was expected that Tulloch would be cut by 4:00pm on March 14th, but he remained on the roster, thus triggering a $500,000 bonus for him. Lions GM Bob Quinn stated that there were some “contractual issues” that they were trying to work out. The Lions have reportedly been shopping Tulloch, and if no deal is reached, they will then release him. Regardless of what happens, it appears evident that the Tulloch won’t be in Detroit next season.

Lions Expected to Sign Sam Martin to Extension

Lions punter Sam Martin hired a new agent this past week and is expected to sign a contract extension with the team.

Bob Quinn stated that talks with Martin and other players regarding extensions wouldn’t pick up for a few more months until after the draft, but it’s worth noting that the Lions plan to bring back their most important special teamer. Martin handles kickoff duties, holds for kicks, and of course, punts. This past season, Martin averaged a net of 42 yards per punt, which was 5th best in the league.

The Lions will hope to re-sign their other 2013 draft picks to long-term deals this offseason as well. Darius Slay, Ziggy Ansah, Larry Warford, Devin Taylor, and Theo Riddick are among those who could get deals done before the 2016 season begins.

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