The Detroit Lions Podcast

Detroit Lions Podcast
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  1. 16M AGO

    Daily DLP: Breaking down Conklin, McCreary FA signings Detroit Lions Podcast

    Detroit adds experience at tight end and in the slot The Detroit Lions moved quickly in NFL free agency, signing tight end Conklin and slot corner Roger McCreery. The Detroit Lions Podcast digs into why both add immediate, specific value. Contract terms were not disclosed. The expectation is short deals, likely one year. Conklin arrives as a known quantity. He entered the league in the 2017 draft out of Central Michigan. He started with the Vikings, then found a bigger receiving role with the Jets, and most recently had a brief, bumpy stop with the Chargers. McCreery comes from the 2022 draft class and profiles cleanly as a starting-caliber slot defender. Conklin’s resume, role, and Petzing connection Conklin earned his way onto the field in Minnesota because he blocked well. That came even as his targets and catches climbed later. From 2021 through 2023 he recorded 87 targets each season and caught at least 58 passes annually. He averaged around 10 yards per catch. He was not a consistent red zone threat, outside of his final season in New York. He started regularly for the Jets on some uneven teams. The Chargers stint did not click. Drops and unreliable blocking put him in Jim Harbaugh’s doghouse. That is a hard place to escape. Still, the overall profile is stable. He is an eight-year veteran with close to 300 career receptions and functional in-line work. Drew Petzing, the Lions’ new offensive coordinator, overlapped with Conklin early in Minnesota. The years have passed, but that familiarity matters for role clarity. The early view: Conklin slots as tight end three. He can push Brock Wright for tight end two. If injuries hit Brock Wright or Sam LaPorta, Conklin can elevate. Proven depth beats a late flier or an untested option. McCreery’s slot chops and production McCreery brings a steady slot presence. He plays the ball well. He understands route concepts. He has quickness and can attack the catch point when needed. Power is not his calling card, but the instincts and movement skills are there. The production backs it up. He started right away and posted 84 tackles as a rookie, then 86 the next season. In 2024 he started most of the time, appearing in 15 games with 50 tackles. Ball production dipped last season, but the reliability in the slot remained his anchor trait. Depth, fit, and next steps These moves raise the floor. Conklin gives the Detroit Lions a trustworthy safety net behind Sam LaPorta and Brock Wright. McCreery tightens the middle of the defense with a proven slot corner. Both signings fit defined roles and reduce risk across a long NFL season. That is smart roster building for a team with big plans. #detroitlions #lions #detroitlionspodcast #tylerconklin #rogermccreary #nflfreeagency #2026freeagency #lionsrostermoves Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    25 min

  2. 20H AGO

    Daily DLP: Remaining FA Targets on 313 Day Detroit Lions Podcast

    Quiet Detroit Day, Isian Finalized Detroit Day arrived with a hush. On March 13, the Detroit Lions made Christian Isian’s signing official and left everything else on hold. He is scheduled to speak with the media today, time unspecified. The rest of the NFL news cycle stayed still around Allen Park. That silence is wearing on fans. It showed up in the Detroit Lions Podcast inbox and chat. So today’s focus shifted to what remains on the market at positions of need, starting with edge. Edge Options: Veterans With Caveats The top of the remaining edge group carries risk. Joey Bosa headlines it on name value, but injuries have changed his game. At 31, he is no longer the same pass rusher. The question becomes price and reliability. That same worry hangs over Marcus Davenport. The plea was clear: do not run that experiment back. If the Lions wanted an older, banged-up rotational piece, they could have kept Al-Quadin Muhammad. They did not. He’s in Tampa, with an introduction there today. Other names bring clearer roles. Calais Campbell is 39, durable, and still a quality fit for a one-year stopgap. That makes sense at the right number. Jadeveon Clowney brings steadiness but not quick pressure. The Lions need faster wins off the edge. That has never been Clowney’s calling card. Von Miller sits at the very end of a great career. Cam Jordan keeps surfacing in the top tier of lists, and a single season of his savvy feels attractive if the price cooperates. None of these require a rush. Veterans like this can wait out the market. Draft Signals and Stopgap Talk There is still a glaring need opposite Aidan Hutchinson. The current pile of available edges looks more like placeholders than needle-movers. That points the Detroit Lions toward the draft. One of the first two picks at edge makes sense. It does not mean free agency is over at the position. It means the team can pair a rookie with a one-year veteran who understands multiple systems and can play a role on day one. Recent depth stories reinforce the urgency. The Josh Paschal experiment never truly took off because of injuries. John Kaminski flashed during a healthy stretch, then faded when he got hurt. Levi is a question until proven otherwise. Hope is not a plan. Quick pressure is. The Detroit Lions Podcast kept circling that need. If the front office is slow-playing the board, waiting for veteran prices to soften, the logic tracks. Finalizing Christian Isian closed one file. The edge file stays open, with the draft looming as the real solution and a short-term stopgap still in play. #detroitlions #lions #detroitlionspodcast #christianisian #aidanhutchinson #joeybosa #jadeveonclowney #calaiscampbell #camjordan #vonmiller #al-quadinmuhammad #marcusdavenport #joshpaschal #johnkaminski #levi #edgerusher #quickpressure #oneyearstopgap Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    35 min

  3. 1D AGO

    Detroit Lions Podcast: Early Lions Free Agency Reaction Show

    New pivot and CB3 clarity The Detroit Lions Podcast carved up a busy slice of NFL free agency. The team introduced new signings to the media, including Cade Niese and Isaiah Pacheco. The headliner is a new starting center on a three-year, $25 million deal with $14 million guaranteed. Cade Meeks steps into the middle and replaces Glasgow at center. Personality-wise, he mirrors Frank Ragnow. That should play well in Detroit. On the outside, Rock returns on a one-year, $4 million contract. He slots as the number three outside corner. That price fits the role. He played well last season. Amik moved on and got paid by Washington. Slot grit: Christian Isian’s fit Detroit moved to fill the slot with Christian Isian from Tampa Bay. He is undersized at around 5-foot-9 but scrappy. He tackles. He defends the run. Coverage results have been mixed. Tampa Bay let him go and replaced him with last year’s third-round pick. Isian offers positional flexibility, but the slot is his best home. The Lions learned with Amik that fit matters. Keep him where he wins. Expect a feisty presence inside and a tone-setter on run downs. Tackle depth and draft signals Larry Borom arrives on a one-year, $5 million deal. He has NFL starts at tackle and guard. He will compete with Giovanni Manu to be the number three tackle. The current mix with Penei Sewell, Borom, Manu, and maybe Myles Frasier does not feel final. Depth remains a need. The draft hints are clear. Edge rusher stands out as the top priority. Edge number two probably is not on this roster yet. Tackle also profiles as an early target. The sequencing could be edge in the first round and tackle in the second. Free agency has set that board. CB room churn and a miss in the market The cornerback room turned over again. Rock is back at CB3. Amik is out after landing a bigger deal elsewhere. The slot flips to Isian. One notable miss hit the market ticker. Muhammad signed with the Buccaneers. That stings for a team still searching for pass-rush help. The best remaining free agent edge option is a looming question. For now, Detroit’s free agency added a center, a slot fighter, and versatile line depth. The edge solution likely comes next, and the draft is the cleanest path. #detroitlions #lions #detroitlionspodcast #cademays #amikrobertson #larryborom #nflfreeagency #bradholmes #christianizien Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 21m

  4. 2D AGO

    Daily DLP: Day 2 free agent moves reaction Detroit Lions Podcast

    Free Agency Day, Real Moves The NFL’s free agency window finally turns official at 4:00. The market already feels volatile after a reported Max Crosby deal fell apart on medical review. That backdrop matters for the Detroit Lions. Big names tempt. Medicals and money complicate. The Detroit Lions Podcast zeroed in on what actually changed in Detroit today. Cap Reset: What Goff’s Move Signals Jared Goff restructured his contract, converting $40 million of base salary into a signing bonus and adding another void year. The move frees up $32 million in 2026. Detroit was not pinned against the cap, but the team needed room to do anything meaningful. This creates it. The Lions did not max out their options. They could have cleared up to $40 million this year by converting almost the entire salary to bonus. They chose restraint. The contract now runs with a void through 2029, with that final year voided. Cap figures spike in 2028 and 2029, but another adjustment then is expected. The point today is flexibility. Expect measured signings at the same tier we have seen, plus the breathing room to stage extensions for Gibbs, Jack Campbell, Branch, and maybe Sam LaPorta. You need upfront space to absorb signing bonuses without creating a bigger balloon later. Detroit will not do restructures just to admire cap space. There is a purpose coming. No Crosby Splash for Detroit The Crosby situation underlines why. A reported Raiders-Ravens deal is off after Baltimore reviewed his medicals. The Cowboys are said to be out, too. Crosby is a good player. The health flags are real in this market. Given Detroit’s recent injury frustrations, passing on that kind of swing makes sense. The hypothetical of sending two first-round picks and then backing out on medicals is a cautionary tale. You lose time. You lose leverage. You invite chaos. Detroit’s approach reads like discipline, not hesitation. Depth Chart: Rodriguez and Bridgewater Back While driving home last night, the news hit: the Lions brought back Malcolm Rodriguez and Teddy Bridgewater. Rodriguez’s return locks in the top reserve linebacker role. He drew interest from the Houston Texans and some from the Seahawks, but he stays in Detroit. Contract terms were not disclosed. The team still needs another linebacker. Coverage has been a known limitation for Rodriguez, so competition and roles will matter. Bridgewater’s return stabilizes the quarterback room behind Goff. Continuity counts in March. It keeps the offense aligned while the front office works the margins on defense and special teams. As free agency formalizes this afternoon, expect the Lions to keep pressing the same smart, steady pace. Cap clarity. Targeted adds. No forced splashes. #detroitlions #lions #detroitlionspodcast #jaredgoffrestructure #nflfreeagency #malcolmrodriguez #teddybridgewater #cademays #isiahpacheco #lionsdraft Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    37 min

  5. 4D AGO

    Daily DLP: Reacting to 1st day of Lions free agency

    Departures define Day 1 One day into the NFL legal tampering period, the Detroit Lions saw exits, not arrivals. Four Lions agreed to terms elsewhere. Those agreements are not official until the league year opens Wednesday. Nothing meaningful has landed on the incoming side yet, especially on defense. It is early. Less than 24 hours in. But the shape of the roster is shifting. Alex Anzalone to Tampa Bay Linebacker Alex Anzalone is headed to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The reported deal is two years for $17 million. He is 32. He has an injury history, though he has been largely durable in Detroit outside of a broken forearm. Tampa Bay gets help. Detroit loses a starting linebacker. Taylor Decker was released. He is no longer with the Detroit Lions. That move stood out as the only fully completed transaction on Day 1. Cap math squeezes the middle This is the cost of a top-heavy roster. Big deals for core stars like Jared Goff, Penei Sewell, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Aidan Hutchinson, and Kirby Joseph crowd the middle tier. The Lions also chose to pay Derrick Barnes on a three-year, $24 million deal. You cannot carry that many linebackers at premium rates. Paying a third linebacker $8.5 million per year does not fit when the top of the pyramid is that heavy. Decisions have consequences. Scheme pivots and the RB plan Detroit leaned on three-linebacker packages more than any other team last season. With Anzalone gone, a pivot makes sense. A 4-2-5 structure is on the table. Two linebackers with five defensive linemen in certain fronts. A full-time slot defender. More snaps for a hybrid linebacker-safety type. That path matches the personnel pressures and modern NFL spacing. The backfield changes too with David Montgomery departing. Late last season, once Dan Campbell took over the offense, the second back settled into 8–12 touches per game. That should hold. Feature Jameer Gibbs. Keep the ball with Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, and Sam LaPorta. The No. 2 running back should complement, not command, the attack. He will not be the reason you win many games. Day 1 brought more subtraction than addition for the Detroit Lions. The next moves will signal whether this front office leans into lighter boxes, faster coverage, and a clearer pecking order at running back. The window just opened. The blueprint is already visible. #detroitlions #lions #detroitlionspodcast #nflfreeagency #taylordecker #cademays #alexanzalone #bradholmes #larryborom Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    35 min

  6. 4D AGO

    Daily DLP: Reviewing recent Lions FA class signings and success rate

    Legal tampering is here. Recent history speaks The NFL legal tampering window opens in hours. The Detroit Lions have three recent free agency classes that frame expectations. The 2022-to-2023 line marked the pivot from rebuild to contender. The record since then shows real swings, timely hits, and costly misses. It also shows that the front office does, in fact, go after top-tier veterans. 2023 swings: one clear hit, several misses Detroit targeted premium talent among outside free agents. David Montgomery arrived as the No. 3 running back on the market and was paid the second-most at his position. He outplayed the higher-paid back and delivered strong production in Detroit. That was a clear win. Cam Sutton was the No. 3 cornerback on the board and commanded major money. The signing was graded as an A- at the time and was widely viewed as aggressive and on-target. It did not work. Beyond off-field problems, the on-field fit sagged, and Detroit overpaid for a corner who never synced with the scheme. C.J. Gardner-Johnson entered as the No. 3 safety and became the fourth-highest paid safety from that class. He brought tone and edge to the locker room, but the move failed, in part due to injury. He missed all but two games. Emmanuel Mosley, ranked eighth among cornerbacks, never got on the field because of injuries, though his deal was low budget. Marvin Jones returned in a fan-pleasing move but retired soon after. Jalen Reeves-Maybin also returned in that class. Those depth bets did not move the needle. 2024 outcomes: quiet headlines, subtle value DJ Reader was the fifth-rated interior defensive lineman and signed the fourth-richest deal among his peers. The move even drew an A+ grade at the time. Reader underwhelmed some fans on the stat sheet. The film told more. He kept linebackers clean and helped Aleem grow into a higher-impact interior presence. That value matters on early downs and in money downs alike. Kevin Zeitler arrived as the No. 10 interior offensive lineman in his class and outplayed at least eight players signed above him during his year in Detroit. Then he left for Tennessee on similar money. It stung because the team expected him back, but the one-year return was strong value for the cap dollar. What this pattern says about the next 48 hours Across 2023 and 2024, the Lions targeted players near the top of consensus rankings and paid near the top of market at select positions. They took calculated swings at cornerback and safety that missed, landed a back who fit, mined value on the interior of both lines, and absorbed injury risk on short-term flyers. The evidence is clear: Detroit signs players in free agency, aims high at priority spots, and lives with variance. With the NFL’s window opening, expect targeted aggression, not inactivity. #detroitlions #lions #detroitlionspodcast #nflfreeagency #lionsfreeagencyhistory #bradholmes #djreed #djreader Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    28 min

  7. 5D AGO

    Daily DLP: The Realistic Free Agency Wishlist

    From a hotel breakfast room in Michigan, Jeff Risdon set a practical free agency roadmap for the Detroit Lions on Sunday. The legal tampering period opens Monday. Signings start Wednesday. Expect targeted moves over splashy pursuits. Free Agency, Not a Spending Spree Big-ticket names sit out there. Hendrickson was the example. Tyler Lindenbaum at center came up too. Both would be great. Both feel unlikely. A bidding war does not fit the Lions plan. The focus is cost, fit, and familiarity. Scheme matters. Character matters. Past connections to Lions coaches and staff matter. That is the lane. Smart contracts for players who match what the Detroit Lions do, not headline chases. The door is open to being surprised, but the expectation is restraint. Quarterback Room: Keep It Steady The quarterback spot is simple. The team is built around Jared Goff. Kyle Allen as a solid No. 2 works. Bring him back and keep the operation clean. If Allen returns, there is no need to add another veteran. Detroit can still bring in a project as a No. 3. Think a UFL quarterback or an undrafted rookie. Even a low-cost trade for a developmental arm was mentioned. Sam Howell was floated for a laugh more than football reasons. Status quo at quarterback is fine. Backfield Help and a Budget WR4 Running back is a need. The question is investment level at RB2 now that David Montgomery is gone. Detroit wants a complement to Jamir Gibbs. Eight to twelve touches per game. Reliable hands. Good pass protection. A runner who hits the crease without delay. Wilson was the top name on the realistic board. A sturdy between-the-tackles runner with dependable receiving. He has been a second option before and can be that again next to Gibbs. Later in the market, an Isaiah Pacheco type fits too. Downhill. Short-yardage strength. Willing in pass protection. A past knee injury was noted, but the style matches what the Lions can afford if they avoid high prices. At wide receiver, the top three are set, with Saint Jr. and Teslaa among the group. They will command most of the targets. Kalif Raymond can return as the kick returner on a short deal. Another team might view him as a WR3, so price matters. Detroit should not pay a premium for WR4. A ring-chasing veteran could still make sense. DeAndre Hopkins fits if the number is small. Think a one-year, 3.5 million dollar deal with incentives. Strong hands. Savvy routes. Willing blocker. He knows he is not the feature. It is not a priority, and the money may play better elsewhere, especially with internal options like Dominic Lovett coming. But if the price is right, it helps the room. #detroitlions #lions #detroitlionspodcast #legaltamperingperiod #hendrickson #tylerlindenbaum #jaredgoff #kyleallen #uflquarterback #undraftedrookie #rb2complement #jamirgibbs #davidmontgomerydeparture Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    33 min

  8. 6D AGO

    Detroit Lions Podcast: Taylor Decker Leaves the Lions

    News about Taylor Decker hit during a long drive to Marquette. The Detroit Lions asked their veteran left tackle to take a pay cut. He did not agree. He then asked for his release. The tone on the Detroit Lions Podcast shifted from relief over his return to urgency. The NFL calendar keeps moving. Detroit needs clarity at left tackle, and fast. Decker Pay-Cut Shock and Fallout Decker announced he was coming back, and the room was excited. The pay-cut request surprised him more than many expected. His reaction on Instagram suggested he felt blindsided. The team viewed the request as reasonable. It was tied to risk. The situation escalated when he asked for his release. That put Detroit right back where it was weeks ago. The need for a starting left tackle returned to the top of the board. This is not an easy split. Decker has been well paid. He has also battled through a lot. But the timing and the price point clashed with the team’s plans. No one likes the optics. Everyone understands the stakes. Injury Reality and Contract Math Decker’s 2025 form slipped. The shoulder injury mattered. He could not practice consistently. There was little confidence it would improve. The Detroit Lions asked him to share the financial burden for that risk. He declined. He has openly weighed retirement. This looks like his last year. He is not getting another big deal. An $18,000,000 one-year number is hard to justify for a player in this spot. He wants to maximize earnings. The club wants protection. Those positions collided. Assigning blame is tricky. Communication could have been cleaner. Preparation could have been better. But the facts are simple. The Lions tried to right-size a number. Decker did not accept it. Now both sides face consequences. Draft Board Tilts to Offensive Tackle Detroit planned to draft an offensive tackle regardless of Decker’s status. That part has not changed. The urgency has. A first round pick at tackle now feels close to mandatory. The Lions need a starter at left tackle right away. The board offers options. Blake Miller from Thompson profiles as a target. Caleb Lomu is in the mix. Monroe Ferland might not be there when Detroit picks. Fit and availability will decide it. The path is clear. Stabilize the edge. Protect the quarterback. Rebuild the line’s future while respecting its past. The Detroit Lions Podcast framed it plainly. Set the price, set the plan, and stick to it as the NFL Draft approaches. #detroitlions #lions #detroitlionspodcast #taylordecker #lefttackle #paycut #shoulderinjury #practicelimitations #releaserequest #offensivetackle #firstroundpick #nfldraft #blakemiller #caleblomu #monroeferland #retirement #$18 #000 #000one-yeardeal #detroitlionsoffensiveline Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    50 min
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