Detroit Lions bringing back one of their own
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Derek Barnes is back, but is Carlton Davis gone? You are Locked On Lions, your daily Detroit Lions podcast. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day.

What up everybody, it's Matt Derry. It is a Friday edition of Locked On Lions. Everyone on the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day, a beautiful Friday, March 7th into the freaking weekend and Saturday, March 8th. Thank you for making this your first listen and checking us out wherever you get your podcasts. Thank you to our everydayers that are out there watching, listening to the podcast daily. You're not going to believe this. There's a nine-year-old kid out here.

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In the world. Emmett, thank you for checking us out daily here on Locked on Lions. Like us on social media. Check us out on YouTube, of course. Locked on Lions today on this, a Friday edition brought to you by our friends at FanDuel. Right now, new FanDuel customers can get $150 in bonus bets if your first $5 bet wins. Some news of the day we've got today. Derek Barnes is back. Anthony Pittman is back.

Harold Landry is available and won't be traded, but now he's a free agent. Could that be a fit for the Lions? Carlton Davis putting out cryptic tweets. Doesn't sound too good. If you're rooting for him to be on the Lions, which I am, and a call of the day. If you want to be our call of the day,

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And we all know about his son, G-Money. Come on. All right, let's focus here. It's Friday. I've lost my mind. All right, Derek Barnes. This came out of nowhere this morning. It was first reported by Mike Garofalo of the NFL Network, but Derek Barnes gets a brand-new contract from the Lions.

I'll be honest, okay? We've spent so much time on this show talking about Onzerike, Carlton Davis, Kevin Zeitler, Mel Afonwu, all these guys that were lion-free agents that are going to hit the open market on Monday. I rarely brought up Derek Barnes because coming off of a pretty significant knee injury last year and because Derek's never played a big role with this team, but when he's been on the field, he's been very productive.

He's a guy that when he came in as a rookie years ago, Chris Spielman worked very close with and, you know, he's a good football player. What is he though? Is he an edge rusher? Is he a Sam linebacker, a strong side linebacker? Can he play in the middle? Remember he was in the middle a lot in college.

And when the Lions first kind of had him under Dan and Brad in 2021. But now Derek Barnes is back with the Lions. He has agreed on a brand new free agent deal to remain with the team three years and a reported $25.5 million contract.

with like $16 million in guarantees. We know the Lions love their own free agents. They know they want to draft, they want to develop, and they want to retain. And that's what they're doing with Derek Barnes. So who doesn't like this signing? Who considering, oh, I don't like Derek. It's eight and a half million dollars basically a year.

For eight and a quarter million dollars a year for a guy that is just scratching the surface. He's 25 years of age. Yes, he's coming off of a major knee injury, but when healthy is a good football player and he can get to the quarterback occasionally. You want to blitz Derek Barnes? You want to rush him off the edge? He can do that.

You want them to play on the strong side, the Sam linebacker, he can do that. It's good in coverage. He's excellent in the locker room. His teammates love him. Alex Anzalone, the games media poster boy, he put out a tweet today that basically said he was so excited that Derek Barnes was coming back. So good signing for the Lions. And you're getting the guy that is very productive when healthy at under $10 million a year on your defense.

And we've sat here and talked about it. This team needs as many defensive players as possible, but I'm guilty enough of saying right here, right now, I, we haven't talked about Derek Barnes a lot. But Calvin Shepard was his position coach. Of course, linebackers coach now is his defensive coordinator. And, you know, this is a guy that just, you know, a couple of years ago when he started two years ago, 13 starts, 81 tackles, five tackles for a loss,

a sack and a forced fumble and, and you know, yeah, $16 million guaranteed. There's nothing, there's nothing wrong with this move at all. It'll rank him among outside linebackers, by the way, 15th in the NFL in terms of being paid, but that doesn't matter. We we've, we've talked about it. Some of the best quarterbacks in the league for years, Tom Brady was not the highest paid quarterback. Patrick Holmes is not the highest paid quarterback. You know,

Amin Ra's St. Brown was one of the higher paid receivers and then guys have leapfrogged ahead of him. It's just how this goes, but I like this re-signing. I think it's good. The Lions, I mean, we've got teams trading players like the Chiefs trading Joe Tooney. We've got teams releasing players. We'll talk about Harold Landry in a second.

to try to get underneath the cap. The Lions are in good shape with the cap. And as of right now, as I'm recording it Friday at 526 p.m. Eastern time, the Lions have really not released anybody for salary cap purposes other than Jalen Reeves-Maven. But Derek Barnes is versatile. He's hungry. He's a team guy. He's a Brad Holmes draft pick. And now he's staying.

And he's somebody that you can put on the field with Anzalone and Jack Campbell. You're going with that 4-3 look, you know, in first downs especially, and won't hurt you. He's just a very versatile, good player. And he's a guy that, again, can rush the passer. We've talked about that. Who can get to the quarterback from the edge? Derek Barnes has shown that at times he can.

Of course, he whiffed on the Dak Prescott 98-yard touchdown pass a couple years ago in Dallas where he just ran right by Dak and almost had a safety. But all in all, I like this move. And I think it's affordable. And I think it's a guy that is a great culture guy that is just solid. But you almost forget about Derek Barnes because he got hurt last year at the start of the year. I think he only played one or two games and that was it and was a loss of the season.

injuring his knee. So Derek Barnes back with the team. I mentioned it before. The team has also reportedly re-signed the veteran linebacker, Anthony Pittman, local product for depth. There's one spot the Lions have a lot of depth. It's at linebacker.

Jack Campbell's come off a really good year. Alex Anzalone, just a stud leader. The flowing locks, he's the man. Barnes is now back. Pittman's back. You're bringing Malcolm Rodriguez back. There's plenty of linebackers on this team, and there's plenty of depth there. So,

These are not unexpected moves. And again, I don't think this is going to be a team that on Monday, we're going to have a free agency show Monday, is going to be hitting major home runs. But bringing back Barnes and even Pittman to a lower degree is more of a special team and all that. But these are guys that have been in the system, that know the system, know the staff, and keep their noses clean and do a good job.

And are part of what has been a winning culture these last two plus years. So I commend the Lions for making this move and making this happen. So I like it. I like it. So Derek Barnes back with the team. Doesn't even hit free agency Monday. They get him signed, sealed, and delivered here on Friday before we get to free agency.

All right, we got to talk about a Carlton Davis tweet that came out yesterday. Is he saying goodbye basically to the Lions? Harold Landry is another player that now is available. You don't have to trade for him. You would just have to sign him. What would it cost? It might cost too much. We'll get into that coming up next right here on a Friday edition of Locked on Lions.

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All right, it's a Friday edition of Locked On Lions, everyone, right here on the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. If you missed any of the shows from earlier this week, we had a great combine recap with Nolan Bianchi. We heard from Tony Stevenson, one of the Lions' longtime season ticket holders that had his season tickets revoked. All that, go back and check it out wherever you get your podcasts or watch us on the Locked On Lions YouTube channel.

It has been mentioned before. We have talked about Harold Landry of the Tennessee Titans before. Titans were looking to trade Landry just a couple of weeks ago and put him on the trade block. Well, today they have released Harold Landry, getting out from underneath, owing him $17.5 million next season. Now, what's interesting about that is, of course, the Tennessee Titans own the first pick in the draft. And today,

They entertained Abdul Carter, who many feel could be the number one overall pick, the edge rusher from Penn State. They had Abdul Carter in town for a visit and a workout. Does this mean that because Landry has been released that the Titans are definitely taking Carter at one? No, not necessarily. Cam Ward supposedly going down there to talk to them, Shadur Sanders and all of that. But this is a guy that is very, very durable.

uh three years ago he was out for the year he got hurt in the preseason and missed the entire season but three of the last four years he has played in every single game for the titans 2021 harold landry had 12 sacks 2023 10 and a half sacks this season nine sacks uh 71 combined tackles 42 solo and um

is a really good football player and is excellent in getting to the quarterback. He actually didn't have a great game against the Lions this year when the Titans came to Ford Field. But regardless, Harold Landry is now available and can be signed. Here's the question. Is Harold Landry willing, because he was due $17.5 million this coming season, is he willing to take a little bit of a pay cut to come to Detroit? He has been on a losing team the last couple of years.

Titans are not, not good. And if he wants to win and if he's willing to take 10, 11, $12 million, maybe and sign something short term, that's kind of where Brad Holmes is going. Now, again, Landry is only 28. He has been in the league now since let me see here, 2018. So he spent the last one, two, three, four, five, seven years in Tennessee. And,

Just a solid, solid edge rusher. Good player. Out of Boston College. He was a second-round pick back in 2018, and he has made the Pro Bowl in 2021. Is he a knock-your-socks-off, unbelievable talent that is one of the top edge rushers in the game? No. But he racks up sacks, and he's good and solid. But could he be too rich for Brad Holmes' blood? That's possible. It is.

Remember, Lions have a lot of players they're going to have to re-sign, including come next offseason, Kirby Joseph, who will be a free agent in 2026. And that's going to lead to my Carlton Davis point. I've been preaching on this program, as you guys know, every single day that I want Carlton Davis back in the Honolulu Blue and Silver. You need cornerbacks. You need good ones. You want a veteran to lead the young guys.

Carlton Davis at times this year looked like a number one shutdown type corner. He was physical, he was playing man defense, and he was having a great year. Then, of course, he breaks his jaw at the end of the year, misses the playoff game, and we know how that ended up. Carlton Davis put out a kind of a cryptic tweet the other day. Quote, I won't make the same mistake twice, Davis writes. If you want your defense upgraded, y'all know who to pay.

Turn on the tape! So, what is Carlton Davis talking about? He won't make the same mistake twice. Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, Lions fans, but I know exactly what he's talking about. Carlton Davis didn't hit free agency the first time around a couple years ago. Remember, he re-signed when his deal was up with Tampa and got three years and $45 million. Then the Bucs traded him, of course,

Second year into the deal. He's saying he won't make the same mistake twice. Oh, I think he thought he should have earned more money in Tampa. And I, you know, if he's saying he stayed in Tampa, he didn't hit the market. The Lions, I'm sure, would love to bring him back. Now, according to Sport Track, and this is courtesy of Sideline Report and our man Brad Berryman, um,

Sport track or spot track has Carlton Davis's market value in free agency at around $14 million a year. Pro football focus also projects Davis to sign for three years and 42 million somewhere and get $25 million guaranteed. If the Lions feel Carlton Davis is a 10, 11, $12 million corner, he's gone.

And he's already tweeting out saying, I'm not making the same mistake twice. Well, does he mean he's not going to re-sign with the same team and not hit free agency? Because if he thinks that, and that's what he's thinking, then he's gone, which sucks because I liked him. So Carlton Davis making it a little cryptic on us. Maybe he's talking about something else, but sounds to me like the Lions are saying to his agent, hey, listen, we're all in for a two-year $24 million deal.

And maybe the agent's going, no, no, no, no, no. We want three at 42. We want three at 45. There may be, they might be asking for 15, 16 a year with the way he played. He graded out excellently at PFF and he brought a lot to the table. And he's saying in, you know, on social media, pay me. You read it again. I won't make the same mistake twice. If you want your defense upgraded, y'all know who to pay. Turn on the tape. Oh, yeah.

Doesn't look like the Lions are meeting Carlton's contract demands, does it? They just re-upped Derek Barnes. You know they're talking to Carlton Davis' people, but, you know, if the Lions are looking to spend around $12 million a year, Dave Burkett put this in the free press today, and Davis is thinking more about $15 or $16 a year, he gone.

And I don't want that. Look, maybe they can get Charverius Ward for cheaper. Maybe they're going to re-sign Darius Slay for a lot cheaper. But Darius Slay is not as good as Carlton Davis. Darius Slay used to be better than Carlton Davis, but that was when Darius Slay was 26, 27. Darius Slay is now 34. So if sources are telling Berkey over at the free, Lions are looking at about $10, $11, $12 million for a corner.

And Carlton's wanting 15 or 16 mil or 14. That's a discrepancy. Now, if it's Lions are offering 12 and his agent's wanting 14, maybe they can meet in the middle. But if it's too wide of a gap, he's going to go. And there's been a lot of speculation about Jacksonville. I saw a report today that Green Bay would want to replace Jair Alexander with Carlton Davis. That would be a double whammy, losing him to the go-pack go. That I wouldn't want, and you wouldn't want either.

So keep an eye on this on Monday. Here's the other thing. And this is kind of something I was talking about with a friend of mine. Why would Carlton Davis? Look, I get it. All right. And I'm about to go very old school and very fan boy. So bear with me. Carlton Davis made a lot of money in his career. This is not somebody going. This is somebody now that's going for a third contract. All right. He's made good money. I'm not going to tell guys not to maximize their value.

But if Jacksonville says we're going to give you three years, $45 million and 25 million guaranteed, you know, the agents going Carlton, I can get you down to Jacksonville where it's also tax free for $15 million a year. How about that? But what are Carlton Davis? There's a part of me. And again, I know I might sound like Johnny fanboy here. Wouldn't you take 12 million from the Lions?

And stay somewhere where you have a chance to win the Super Bowl. No offense to the Jags. And maybe the Jags, maybe the Duval head coach they got, Liam Cohen, who everybody makes fun of for his Duval comment. Maybe Jacksonville will be good. But, like, the Lions just won 15 games, Carlton. Come back, buddy. Come back for a little less. Give us that hometown discount. But, again, I know the agents run the show. And they're going to drive the price up.

I would hate to see him in Green Bay, but that would be a good signing for the Packers. I got to be honest. All right. Call of the day coming up next right here on Locked on Lines.

Want to remind everybody, Jake Reitma on Locked On Sports Detroit hosts the postcast tonight. Red Wings of the Capitals. Wings made a big splash today. They went out and got Peter Morazic. Reacquiring Pete Morazic? My gosh. Is Kirk Maltby coming out of retirement? What are we doing? But regardless, after the Wings and Caps game tonight,

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All right, as we've told you before, our everydayers, we love hearing from you. It is time for Call of the Day. If you want to be our Call of the Day, you can. Go to speakpipe.com slash dairy podcast page to be our Call of the Day. Who knows? Maybe Emmett Duggan, nine years old. Dan, do we have a phone yet for Emmett? Maybe he'll be our Call of the Day sometime. But today, we had out of state for our Call of the Day.

at our SpeakPipe voicemail system. Check it out.

Hey, Matt, Mr. Derry. I'm probably a little too young to call you by your first name. So, hey, Mr. Derry. It's Jaden down here in Florida. I got a question for you. Since Brad Holmes seems like he doesn't want to go all in on a player right now, that'll cost a lot of money because that'll mean eventually losing some core pieces like the Kirby Joseph, Brian Branch, Sam Laporta, Jack Campbell, Jameel, whoever it may be. Do you think that that sends kind of a subtle message that, you know,

He doesn't have that much confidence in Jared Goff's ability to win the Super Bowl for us now in a couple of years just because he's so inconsistent in the playoffs. Because if it's me, and I think Jared Goff is good enough to win us the Super Bowl, I'd go all in now to win us the Super Bowl. And whoever we lose is whoever we lose as long as we get a Super Bowl out of it. But anyways, tell me what you think.

All right, Jaden down in Florida. Thank you for checking us out, my man. Please call me Matt. Mr. Derry was my dad. Okay. I was Mr. Derry for three years when I taught at U of D Jesuit high school because the kids called me that. But please call me Matt. And thank you for Jaden for dialing us up today. A very interesting question that Jaden asks.

He's kind of asking, is Brad Holmes hesitant to go all in because maybe of a lack of confidence in Jared Goff? I don't think so. I think Brad Holmes is looking at a big picture, and I think Brad Holmes is just of the philosophy that the big money that he spends is going to be on his own players and that the draft, develop, and retain model, the DDR Lions model, is what he's sticking with.

Now, again, when the Lions have felt like they needed to go out and get somebody, they've done it. They went out and signed DJ Reader and gave him a lot of money. It was only a two-year deal, but, you know, that was somebody that they liked. It wasn't a splashy first day, $20, $25 million a year, $30. But Amon Ross St. Brown got a lot of money. Panay Sewell got a lot of money. Jared Goff got $50 million. Aiden Hutchinson is going to get $30-plus million from this organization.

So I think it's more of a case, Jaden, where Holmes is sticking with his plan and he wants to reward his own guys with the cash, not necessarily, oh, well, I've got to go out and get

You know, I, maybe Brad Holmes thinks I'll just use this as an example, although he's not available. All right. But like T Higgins is considered, although they franchise tagged him, but weeks ago, he was considered one of the top free agents on the market. Let's just say Brad loved T Higgins. And he was like, I've always liked this guy. I liked him in college, liked him with the Bengals. And yes, I'm going to go to Sheila and ask her for $30 million for T Higgins.

Maybe that's something Brad would consider because he likes the player, but I don't think he's going to do that. No matter how much he likes these other players, I think he likes drafting, developing, and retaining. And I think he wants this to be a long-term situation. Lions can re-up their own guys. Lions can make deals with their own players and finagle the salary cap a certain way where they can keep as many people as possible. Come next year, though,

Like they've got to re work contracts. Do you know that next year, based on how the contract goes, Jared golf is due to make like $65 million a year going into 2026. I'm in Ross. I get 30 million. Hutchinson's going to want 30 million. That's like, what did I do? The math that's like $120 million for three players.

Now, again, they'll rework the contract. They'll make money, bonus money. They'll do all this stuff so that golf won't count 70 million against them, whatever it is, for a season with salary. Teams have creative ways of doing that business. So they're able to sign players and their own players. But I still think that's how Brad Holmes, the Lions general manager, views the situation.

But I think they love Jared Goff. They want to keep him around. He got a brand new contract. He's going to be here for four or five more years. I don't think it has anything to do with Goff. I think they want to be knocking on the door and getting that Super Bowl, but also sustaining being good for a long time. It sounds like, according to reports, Holmes was after Miles Garrett for this past season, this past season, to get him at the deadline. But right now, not touching him. Not going to do that.

Probably not fiscally responsible. And I don't think Brad feels like he wants to do that. I think last year he felt like maybe at the deadline, I need Garrett in order to beat the commanders because I don't have Hutchinson. Now he has Hutchinson again. All right. Great week of shows, everybody. Thanks for checking us out right here on Lockdown Lions. Monday, free agency begins. We will be with you Monday late afternoon to recap, if anything, what teams did and what the Lions might have done.

Again, I'm bracing myself for nothing major on Monday, but we'll have to wait and see. Matt Derry with you on a Friday Lockdown Lions. Have a great weekend, everybody.

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