cover of episode Detroit Lions keep one of their own at a great price

Detroit Lions keep one of their own at a great price

2025/3/12
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Locked On Lions - Daily Podcast On The Detroit Lions

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@Matt Derry : 我认为莱维·翁武祖里克以550万美元的价格回归雄狮队是一笔非常划算的交易。考虑到他的PFF评分以及其他球员的签约价格,这笔交易对雄狮队来说非常有利。虽然他有过伤病史,但这只是一份为期一年的合同,他仍然有动力证明自己。此外,雄狮队还签下了罗伊·洛佩兹和格兰特·斯图尔特,并与克雷格·雷诺兹续约。这些签约都将加强雄狮队的阵容深度,为球队带来更多竞争力。 我认为这些签约都非常符合雄狮队的需求,他们都在寻找性价比高的球员来补充阵容。这些球员虽然可能不是超级巨星,但他们都是努力拼搏的球员,这正是丹·坎贝尔所看重的。 总的来说,我认为雄狮队在自由球员市场上的表现非常出色,他们以合理的价格签下了多名有实力的球员,为新赛季的比赛做好了充分的准备。 @John Butchko : 就DJ·里德的签约而言,我认为他是一名非常优秀的球员,他的表现超过了他的体型所带来的限制。他虽然身材矮小,但他凭借出色的运动能力弥补了这一不足,能够胜任盯人防守和区域联防。他希望加入一支更有竞争力的球队,而雄狮队正是这样的球队。 关于亚伦·格伦没有从底特律带走更多球员,我认为这可能是因为喷气机队薪资空间有限,以及球队自身也有很多需要填补的空缺。他们需要一名四分卫、两名首发外接手、一名近端锋和一名右截锋,以及其他一些防守球员。因此,他们可能需要优先考虑这些位置的球员,而暂时没有足够的薪资空间来签下雄狮队的其他球员。 总的来说,我认为雄狮队和喷气机队在自由球员市场上的操作都非常合理,他们都根据自身的实际情况做出了最优的选择。

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The Detroit Lions made a surprising move by bringing back Levi Onwuzurike on a one-year, $5.5 million deal. This is considered a steal, especially when compared to other defensive tackle signings. The Lions also added Roy Lopez and other players.
  • Levi Onwuzurike re-signed for $5.5 million
  • Roy Lopez signed a one-year, $4.5 million deal
  • Craig Reynolds expected to return on a one-year deal
  • Grant Stuard signed a one-year deal

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so that you can focus on the important conversations and decisions of today. UnderstandCancerTogether.com, helping you navigate life with cancer one moment at a time. Levi Onzirike back, and it is for a great price for the Lions. You are Locked on Lions, your daily Detroit Lions podcast. Part of the Locked on Podcast Network, your team every day.

Sup, what's going on everybody? Matt Derry with you. This is Locked On Lions on the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Today is Wednesday, March 12th into Thursday, March 13th. Thank you for making this your first listen. Thank you for those of you that check us out wherever you get your podcasts. That includes on our Locked On Lions YouTube channel, the great John Butchco.

The proprietor of Locked On Jets is going to join us later on in the podcast to discuss the DJ Reed signing for the Lions. And the last three years, as he was a cornerback for the Jets, what he looked like, what John thinks of him. He will join us coming up momentarily here on the podcast. Also today.

We got a lot of Lions news to break, to go over. Levi Onzerike is back. Craig Reynolds is apparently going to be back. He's here. He's there. He's every effing where. Roy Lopez is now a Lion. Grant Stewart, he of the flowing locks. He's got longer hair in the back than Alex Anzalone. New Lions linebacker is coming.

A lot to get to today right here on Locked on Lions. We appreciate our everydayers that are out there watching and listening daily to the podcast. Those of you that have put in some submissions for our call of the day, we will play the best one tomorrow.

If you want to be our call of the day, go to speakpipe.com slash dairy podcast page. That's D-E-R-Y podcast page. Please put your submission in. Leave a voicemail on the SpeakPipe page. Keep it about a minute or so. We'll play the best one tomorrow. We've got some submissions already in, and we thank all of you for that. All right. So just as I was about to record today, it's about 4.30. News broke in. And I got to be honest, folks.

This is an absolute steal. Levi Onzerike is coming back to the Lions on a one-year deal, and he's only going to get paid $5.5 million. Wow. Levi's off a really good season. Yes, there's a lot of injury history. Yes, he missed an entire season. Yes, there's all of that. But what is very, very interesting, and I'll just put this in perspective and we'll use pro football focus as the gauge. Our friends at PFF, Javon Kinlaw,

All right. Who played the last couple of years for the Sanford played last year for the jets started his career with the Niners was kind of deemed a disappointment as a player. Javon Kinlaw this past season had a pro football focus grade of 53.4 the year before that 53.8. He's another defensive tackle similar to Levi owns a Regan. All right.

53.4 grade this season. He just got three years and $45 million from the Washington Commanders. He's 27 years of age. He has played five NFL seasons. Levi Onzerike has played three NFL seasons, is also 27 years of age, missed the entire 22 season. Levi Onzerike's PFF grade this season, 70.2.

17 points higher than Javon Kinlaw, who just got $15 million a year for three years. And yes, I get it. Kinlaw has been more durable. Levi's had the injury problems, but nobody wanted to touch Onzerique. So the Lions get him back at a position that they need for $10 million less a season. And they get him on a one-year deal. So now he's motivated again to prove himself. I think this is great.

I love this. Bones Rique gets hurt again, he gets hurt again. But they're not doing a multi-year deal with him. They're giving him a one-year deal, and they're paying him nothing. $5.5 million. Now, some of you are going to say, wait a minute. They're paying Davenport $4.5 million. So they're spending $10 million on two guys that can't stay healthy? Uh-huh. Yeah. But they're both on one-year contracts. Have you seen some of the other deals that are going around?

Justin Fields is getting $20 million a year. He cannot throw a forward pass. I think this is great. Levi played well this year. Graded out well. Second or third on the team in pressures, like, did well. He had 17 points higher of a grade than a guy that got $15 million a year. So we'll take it. I think this is great for the Lions. I love this move, and it's good to have Levi Onzerike back.

In case you missed it yesterday, this happened after we were broadcasted the Tuesday show. The Lions have signed Roy Lopez to a one-year, $4.5 million deal. He comes over from the Arizona Cardinals, also 27 years of age. Defensive tackle, 6'2", 318 pounds. And some say this is one of the better locker room guys in the league.

Former six-round pick of the Texans. Played a couple years in Houston. Last couple years in Arizona with the Cardinals. Last two years, to be exact.

If you want to play the PFF game and get geeky, he graded out at a 55 last year, 54.9, with a pass rush grade of 67.4. There are some people on the internet and on social media and on the Bird app putting out there that, oh, Roy Lopez had a pass rush grade in the 70s. No, he did not. I'm looking at the numbers right in front of me.

His pass rush grade last season was 67.4. I've seen two different people say, this guy's a great pass rusher, 75.2. No, it was 67.4 this past season. He has graded out 54.9, 65.4, 53.1, and 55.7 the last four years. As we know,

55 grades in the fifties and sixties are very average. You're great in the seventies and eighties. You're you're good. And obviously 90 grades are unbelievable. I like this pickup. I'm not going to sit here and tell you that Roy Lopez is going to be some savior. This is a rotational piece.

that everybody needs to pump the brakes on. Yes, he's going to fit great in the locker room. Yes, everybody says he's an awesome guy. The Cardinals did some cool documentary about him. Born in Arizona, went to University of Arizona, all these things. Might be the greatest locker room guy ever. All right? Fantastic. If Roy Lopez was really good, the Cardinals would have kept him. He's fine. He's a rotational piece. He'll take the place of a Kyle Pecco type from last year.

but we now know going into next year, Alim McNeil, DJ Reader, and Levi Onzerike are going to be your top defensive tackles. Lopez will be in the mix and the Lions who knows could be drafting a defensive tackle or an edge rusher. We'll have to wait and see. But everybody, everybody says Lopez is a great teammate. That's awesome. But I'm not going to sit here and tell you I've watched the film. He's so unbelievable in the three technique spot. He's an average football player that,

fits the mold of what Dan Campbell and the guys are looking for. Great motor, works hard, and hopefully the Lions get a guy that's motivated and on a one-year deal that plays his best football. I'm more excited about Onzerique than Lopez. He's here, he's there, he's every effing where, Roy Lopez. That is a Roy Kent reference for those of you that don't know Ted Lasso.

Uh, so anytime we talk about Roy Lopez is cause his name is Roy. I'm going to say he's here. He's there. He's every effing where. So bear with me. Uh, Dave Burkett is reporting. This just broke and I want to make sure I get this right. Uh, from Dave Burkett of the free press. Hang on because this is very important because we love this man.

The Lions did not tender a restricted free agent or an RFA contract to running back Craig Reynolds, but Reynolds is expected to sign a one-year deal to stay in Detroit, similar to what Miles Adams did. Come on, Craig. You got to bring Craig back. Come on. Craig Reynolds, who always... Remember when Craig Reynolds got cut a couple of years ago and we were crying on this show?

Apparently, Craig Reynolds not offered an original restricted contract, but we'll get probably a one-year deal to stay with the Lions. So that's good news. We love Craig Reynolds. Great locker room guy, good special teamer. And for a third running back or fourth running back, he's excellent.

Craig Reynolds hits holes hard. He's a good player, and we love him on the show because of Come On Craig. So Craig Reynolds is sticking around. I haven't seen the numbers yet on the money. The 26-year-old linebacker Grant Stewart, ex of the Colts, will be taking the Jalen Reeves-Maben role. He has signed a reported one-year deal with the Lions. Now, if you recall last year, when the Lions played the Colts, you saw a guy, number 41, in the Colts blue uniforms with the hair that is like crazy.

Crazy coming out of the back of his helmet. Similar to Anzalone, but a lot more curly. That's Grant Stewart.

He had an 18 tackle game this past year, and he's a really good special team. He's getting a one-year deal as well. So a ton, a ton of one-year deals doled out by Brad Holmes, which is what he does in free agency. And this is kind of what this looks like is today is the first official day the players can sign contracts. It's the start of the new league year here at four o'clock Eastern time. So that's all of the Lions news and notes today.

on what they're doing, and they're working on the defensive line, which we knew that they would. John Butchko is coming up next. He is the voice of Locked on Jets and has hosted that podcast for the last couple of years. We'll ask him about the DJ Reed pickup and what's going on with Aaron Glenn in New York as well, as now Hall of Fields is their quarterback. We'll do that coming up next right here on a Wednesday, Locked on Line.

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As promised here on Locked On Lions, a little Wednesday edition. Let's get John Buchko in here, host of the Locked On Jets podcast. He's been there many, many years and has seen DJ Reed up close and personal in the last handful of years. He joins us today. John, great to see you, bud. Matt, great to be here. How you been? What's the talk up in New York? How's the Aaron Glenn era so far?

Well, it's been interesting. You know, we're obviously very early in his tenure. You know, we haven't played a game yet. So I think, you know, when you're in the stage, there's always a lot of optimism. We're still very early in free agency. I've liked what I've seen, though. I like the way they handled the Aaron Rodgers situation, because if you've probably been watching from afar, the Jets have been...

very focused the last couple of years, I think, on media reaction to moves. I think that a lot of what they've done has been driven by trying to win headlines in New York and nationally. And for the first time in quite a while, since Aaron Glenn and their new GM Darren Mucci took over, it feels like they're functioning like a professional football operation again. The way the Rodgers situation was handled was...

was very quick. You know, you've seen it through the years that Rogers's decisions can create a lot of drama in an off season. They can dominate the off season, but,

What Aaron Glenn did, Aaron Glenn came in and made a very quick decision. I think it was handled very professionally. I think it was very respectful of Rodgers and the Jets move forward. It was the best move for the franchise. I mean, I think it was very difficult to justify bringing back Rodgers next season at thirty seven and a half million dollars. And that also would entail a sixty three million dollar dead money hit in twenty twenty six. So, you know, it's still very early. It's difficult to have a good read. But at this point, I've been impressed by the way he's handled things.

All right. So DJ Reed comes to Detroit, you know, Carlton Davis leaves heads to new England and right away, the lions pounce on Reed, the former jet. What was your reaction to three years and 48 million for DJ and, and how good of a football player is he? My reaction was I wish the jets gave him that deal because DJ reads a very good player. He's one of the best jets free agent signings in recent memory. They got him three years ago from Seattle. And I was thinking this through and,

I really can't remember a Jets free agent signing in the 21st century that worked out better than the Jets signing DJ Reed from Seattle. I mean, to find a better free agent signing, I actually had to go back to 1998, which is the offseason when the Jets signed Curtis Martin and Kevin Mawai. And they were both better, but they're both in the Hall of Fame. You know, he's when the Jets signed him from Seattle, he was kind of an ascending player. He had kind of found

bounced around his first couple years he began his career in san francisco was a slot corner because he was a little undersized and his final year in seattle pete carroll started using him on the outside and even though he's a little undersized he was effective there um you know he's a guy who's very sticky in coverage a guy who's a guy who's pretty athletic but a guy who plays bigger than his size and he's kind of flown under the radar because the jets have sauce jets have had sauce gardner the last couple of years and then two and two of his three years in the nfl sauce gardner has been a first team all pro but

I mean, I think DJ Reed for most of his Jets career played at the level of number one corner. You said size twice. You mentioned undersized because that was kind of the knock on him coming out of college. One of the reasons why, like you said, he didn't stick at his first stop. But you look at him. Are you seeing more? You know, Meek Robertson, they say, is 5'9", but almost looks 5'8", yet was able to play on the outside in some big moments for the Lions this year.

Take me through DJ Reed and how he's able to, even at 5'9", maybe play outside. Does he play bigger? He does. It's interesting because Aaron Glenn was also kind of an undersized corner. Aaron Glenn, back when he was a player in this, going back to the 90s and early 2000s, he was a guy who was kind of physical. Reed's not so much physical. He kind of relies on his athleticism. He's very fast. He can be very sudden in his movements.

and you know he can get up in the air I mean I there were maybe like one or two moments where like he was up against a guy a receiver who was like maybe six four six five and you know he couldn't jump that high but yeah I think his athleticism really makes up for that and I think that that's

You know, I would say that I would have given him the contract Detroit gave him if I was the Jets. The issue with the Jets was it kind of sounds like he was just ready to move on. You know, near the end of last season, there were some reports in the locker room where he just said, I'm getting out of here because the Jets have been such a difficult. It's been such a difficult time in the Jets locker room. I think he wanted to go to a winning team. But yeah, he.

The best way you could put it is he definitely plays bigger than his size. And, you know, the way I always view it is if you lack one attribute, your other attributes have to be better to make up for it. So DJ Reed isn't that big, but he uses his athleticism to kind of make up for the lack of size. John Butchko with us, host of Locked on Jets, talking a little DJ Reed. You know...

strengths, weaknesses, when you look at his game, how much better has he gotten over the last couple of years? And maybe are there some things that you concern... Are you concerned about when you watch him? Yeah, you know, he...

he did struggle the one receiver he struggled against was Jalen waddle um when he when the Jets played the Miami Dolphins so I think maybe against like he's he's fast but it gets like this you know super turbocharged types receipt type receivers um you know he struggles a little bit um but you know other than that I mean I don't think there are a ton of weaknesses to his game uh you know he's a guy who's very well-rounded who's held up well against all types of all types of wide receivers

I do think the one concern that I've had, which I did mention on Locked on Jets, and really the only reservation I would have about paying him at this point is he is approaching 30%.

And he is a corner who is dependent on that athleticism because that's what he uses to make up for the lack of size. And, you know, athleticism based players sometimes don't have the most graceful aging curves. Reid had a good season, though, in 2024. You know, like heading into 2024, I would say I was making that point on Locked on Jets a lot. I said, I'm not sure I would give DJ Reid an extension, but.

he kept playing well in 2024 so you know i think the odds are high you can probably get another couple good seasons out of him because there really hasn't been much of a decline now he didn't he didn't play great near the end of the year but like given everything that happened with the jets this past year there were a lot of underachievers um so one of the things i've been saying is that i think that you kind of like have to give some guys a pass because i think there were some guys who just kind of got you know just kind of got caught in the undertow of the jets dysfunction and

Reed had a good season. So, I mean, Reed had maybe a rough month of December, but that came after after it was a very good season. You know, there were a lot of Jets fans talking during the 2024 season, which was a down season for Sauce Gardner that, you know, Reed essentially had become the number one corner at that point.

Yeah, so I think that, you know, the big concern, I think, would be just how does he age as he gets to 30? You know, how gracefully will that curve go? But, you know, I think he's a really good corner. If you've listened to any random episode of Locked On Jets the last three years out there, you'll be hearing me praise DJ Reed. Because of Sauce Gardner and also Jets have a good slot corner, Michael Carter II, he's kind of flown under the radar. I think a lot of people don't realize how good he is.

Man coverage zone. What have the Jets been doing over the last couple of years? How good is Reed in man? Because as we know, and I know Aaron Glenn is now with you, but he had been kind of getting Kelvin Shepard ready, the linebacker's coach, to be the defensive coordinator. I don't think their lines are going to change how they play. They're going to play a lot of man. Is that something DJ Reed's okay with?

Yeah, that, I guess that would be another question because the Jets, the defense of the Jets ran under Robert Sala and Jeff Holbrook, very different from the defense Aaron Glenn runs. The Jets did not blitz a lot. Jets typically under Sala were one of the lowest rated, one of the lowest blitzing teams in the league.

there was a lot of zone coverage, but they did blitz on third down. I mean, there were some key downs where they came out, they came with heat and they, they manned up. You know, he didn't play man a ton, but when he did play man, he generally held up pretty well. Again, the only exception I think we're against like the Jalen Waddle type receivers who were, who were super fast, but,

But other than that, I don't really he didn't really have any problems. Now, I think there is a question, you know, when you increase his diet of man coverage, how will that change things? He is very instinctual. You know, he explodes. He reads plays very well in zone coverage and explodes to the ball. But I didn't notice any real issues playing man. I think that, you know, I feel like he's a guy who can play both effectively.

A couple more questions for John Butchco. We'll do that coming up next, including why hasn't Aaron Glenn poached more players from Detroit? We want to ask John that question. We'll do that coming up next here on a Wednesday edition of Locked on Lions.

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Our guy John Butchko does a great job on Lockdown Jets, is joining me today here on the podcast, talking to little DJ Reed. Want to get into Aaron Glenn for a second because, John, I'm surprised. You know, Aaron Glenn molded a lot of these guys that the Lions have, especially on defense. Defense got better every year under Glenn for the last four years. I'm just wondering in terms of free agency and money, why Glenn maybe didn't go and pluck some of these guys away from Detroit, a Derek Barnes, a Levi Lanzarique, anybody like that. Do you have any insight on that?

That's a great question. It's actually something I've been wondering myself because right before the start of free agency, there were a couple of reports that he was really going to focus on Detroit guys. And actually there was talk about him potentially being the Jets being focused on Detroit guys on both sides of the ball because Tanner Engstrand is the Jets new offensive coordinator who was on Detroit's coaching staff last year. The only thing I can come up with right now is that

The Jets do have a bit of a tight cap situation. Now, a lot of people will look at this and they say, well, they entered the offseason with – they were in the top 10 in cap space entering the offseason. The thing about that is it's not just about the amount of cap space you have. It's also about your needs. The Jets needed a quarterback. The Jets need two starting receivers. They need a tight end. They need a right tackle. On the defensive side of the ball, they could use another defensive end, maybe two to three defensive tackles. They had to deal with –

re-signing a linebacker, Jamie and Sherwood. They needed a corner to replace DJ Reed. So there were lots of needs out there. So, you know, it's still early in the game. Jets really haven't signed that many guys yet. At the time we're recording this, I think the Jets have only signed four players and only three of them are projected

to be starters at this point. So maybe it's a cap situation. Maybe they're just kind of waiting to see where the dust settles. But I am a bit surprised by that. And one thing that was always notable to me with the Jets is when Robert Sala was hired in 2021, he really did not bring many former 49ers. And he later said that that was a mistake because there is value in bringing in guys who understand the system, who can kind of be extensions of the coaching staff when you're bringing in a new regime. So yeah,

So it's tough to say. I mean, I think part of it's probably salary cap based. Part of it might be they might see if there are some lower level guys out there who maybe come in as depth players who can help in that role. But that's been a question of mine. I'll be honest with you. So I'm not entirely sure.

You mentioned before about needs. Two guys still kind of remain that maybe Tanner Engstrand would like, and that's Tim Patrick, the wide receiver, still on the market, as is Kevin Zeitler, the right guard. Now, again, Zeitler's 36 and might not want to go to the Jets, no offense, but would right guard and receiver be something that they still need?

They absolutely need a receiver. Right now, they have Garrett Wilson, and they don't have a lot behind him. Alan Lazard is still on the team, and I'm actually starting to get nervous that maybe Alan Lazard is going to continue to be on the team. It was a really bad signing two years ago. He'll follow his buddy wherever his buddy lands, probably.

Well, this got a lot of Jets fans angry when I said this, but two years ago when the Jets signed Lazard to an $11 million contract, I referred to Alan Lazard as the Aaron Rodgers tax, that this is just part of the price of having Aaron Rodgers on the team. It was not worth it for the Jets. But after you get past Lazard, I mean, you're dealing with Xavier Gibson, who's –

undrafted free agent signing a couple of years ago and look for the guy who was undrafted free agent signing to be on an NFL roster for a couple of years is not bad, but he's not, he really hasn't amounted to much. You also have Malachi Corley, a third round pick from a year ago, who's a total project. So wide receiver, right? Wide receiver is a spot of need. Guard is not an area that Jets need, but I'll qualify that statement. They have two solid guards in John Simpson and Elijah Vera Tucker who

The question is, what should they do with Vera Tucker? Because the Jets do have a big need at right tackle right now. And at various points in his career, Vera Tucker has slid out to tackle. Now, I don't think that's the best move for the Jets because both times Vera Tucker's gone to tackle, he's suffered a serious injury. And there are people within the organization who think maybe like messing around with his techniques contributed to the injuries he suffered. I'm not sure if I believe that, but...

Uh, Vera Tucker has kind of bounced around the line. He started as a left guard as a rookie, then played moved to right guard in year two, but has had to kick out to tackle at various points in his career. 2024 was the first year in his career where he was at one spot full time and he kind of found a home there. So I would not be inclined to see him kick out to tackle, but, uh,

um that would be the scenario where the jets could be interested in a guard as if you know the right tackle spot's not going to be easy to fill for the jets there aren't a lot of great options out there so in a scenario where they decided to kick vera tucker outside then that's where that could be assigned zeitler would be in play john great insight we appreciate the time uh my friend enjoy uh as i like to call him the hall of fields justin fields that the those poor chicago people just thought he was a hall of famer and i don't know really what to say i've never been a huge fan but uh

At least Aaron Glenn is there. I think Tanner Engstrom is going to do a great job. And I'm sure there's more positivity now than last year, which was a total disaster, right?

Well, the thing with the Jets is the Jets in the last couple of years have been the ultimate like under over promise and under deliver team. And now it's like the media is kind of like taking their attention off them. And there is some decent underlying talent there. So, I mean, I think this is actually a team that I'm not sure they're going to be a playoff team. I'm not sure they're going to be a team with a winning record, but I think they're going to be very low expectations in the national media this year. And I think the Jets are going to be in a good position to surpass them.

They got a good head coach. Aaron Glenn did a great job here. John, great to see you. Thanks so much. Thanks, Matt. My pleasure. John Butchko with us. This has been a Wednesday edition of Locked on Lions. We are back again tomorrow.

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