2011 Detroit Lions: Love Me Tender? Who Received Them and Who Didn't
The Detroit Lions coaching staff have made their decisions on who to offer tenders.
They, like many teams during this CBA, have held their hands close to the chest leaving many to wonder what will happen during the off-season.
The Lions ended their regular season on a high-note.
Who proved themselves worthy of a tender as a result of their play last year?
Most on the list, did just that.
Chris Houston: No Surprise Here but His Reaction May Hold Clues to Future
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It should not come as a surprise to anyone that the Lions offered CB, Chris Houston, one of their restricted free-agent tenders.
He competed for and won the starting CB job this last season. Even though he has only been with Detroit for one year (traded by the Atlanta Falcons), the Lions coaching staff have not made any secrets about wanting to keep Houston on the team.
This was a sentiment shared by Houston prior to being offered the tender.
Now it is not so clear.
His commitment is not in question because he wants to test the free-agency market. It is expected that most players will not sign tenders until after the collective bargaining agreement has been settled.
It is because of his comments after receiving the tender.
According to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, Houston is not happy that it took the Lions this long to approach him.
"It's business, and with things going right now, every team is kind of trying to take the cheaper road out, which we expected," Houston said. "But at the same time, I feel like if they wanted me as much as they say they did, then things would have got done a little bit earlier or right after the season or before this even occurred. But at the same time, it's business from their perspective, and it's going to be business on this end."
What Houston didn't acknowledge is that no tenders were offered by the Detroit Lions staff until this week. The late tender offer wasn't about him or how the Lions feel about him coming back. He was being treated like the rest of the restricted free-agents.
That, in itself, may be what he didn't like.
Would they have waited this long if Calvin Johnson was coming up to his free-agent status?
I don't know.
But what I do know is how the next player handled himself...
Cliff Avril Shows Class
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Cliff Avril, who was drafted by the Lions in the third round in 2008 burst onto the scene his rookie year and hasn't looked back.
Though he has had a list of injuries, Cliff is a very productive player when he is on the field and has earned the starting spot at left end.
Avril had a career high 8.5 sacks last season. In 13 games, he added 33 tackles to his resume along with a forced fumble. He also deflected a pass that went into the hands of teammate Alphonso Smith.
In his career, he has played 40 games (27 starts), collected 88 tackles (62 solo), registered 17.5 sacks (116.5 yards lost), knocked down seven passes, recovered two fumbles, forced eight fumbles and has three special teams tackles (from the official Lions website).
His reward? Avril was given the highest praise a restricted free agent can get. He received a first and third round tender. This means that, under the current collective bargaining agreement, if another team wants to sign him, they would have to give Detroit the option to match the offer or the other team would have to give their first-and third-round draft picks as compensation.
Avril chose not to sign the tender, just like Houston. However, his reasoning was because he doesn't want a one-year extension with the Lions.
Avril wants a longer deal and he would like it to be with Detroit.
His statement had a very different sound to it than Houston's.
Avril's comment to the Detroit Free Press was, “I’m definitely excited that I can be in Detroit at least one more year. I kind of want something long-term, but we’ll work toward that still.”
In my opinion, Avril gave the right answer.
He showed class and maturity when he responded to the offer and the Lions coaching staff will definitely take note of that.
John Wendling: Special Teams Guy
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John Wendling was another last season acquisition for the Lions. He is a Safety who is primarily used on Special Teams. Originally picked by the Buffalo Bills in the sixth round of the 2007 draft, Wendling was released by them in February, 2010. The Lions signed him in August.
When Wendling played for the Bills he posted a total of 49 tackles in three years. Last year, for the Lions, he posted 30 tackles. That's more than half of what he did in three years at Buffalo.
Wendling is very well liked by the coaching staff in Detroit. He became an integral part of the Special Teams success last year and the Lions want him to stay.
Though John has not signed the tender either, he would be smart to.
Anyone who gets to watch Stephan Logan return the ball, should want to continue blocking for him. Logan is a special player and Wendling helps make that possible.
Plus, he was a Pro Bowl alternate selection this year.
Things should be looking up for Wendling if he stays with the Lions.
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Dave Rayner: Kicker
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A former Michigan State University graduate, Dave Rayner has played for more than his share of teams.
Rayner was picked by the Indianapolis Colts in the sixth round of the 1995 draft. He was traded to Green Bay in 2006 where he spent a full season and connected on 26 out of 35 field goal attempts.
Rayner spent the 2007 season playing for Kansas City and then San Diego.
This is where it gets even more interesting.
Dave played in only two games for the Cincinnati Bengals in 2008 and didn't kicked again in the NFL until signing with the Lions in 2010.
Rayner was brought in to be a back-up to the 19-year Detroit Lions veteran kicker, Jason Hanson. Hanson ended up getting injured and in the 10th game of the season against Buffalo, Rayner became the kicker for Detroit.
In the final three games of the season, Rayner was perfect. He hit every field goal attempt and every point after. His longest career field goal came in the very last game against the Minnesota Vikings where he kicked a 55-yarder right through the uprights.
Since Jason Hanson is scheduled to come back for his 20th season (he's signed until 2012), the Lions are likely looking at Rayner to be next in line.
Take the tender, Ray-man.
Drew Stanton: Third String QB Shows He Can Lead
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Drew Stanton has been the third-string QB for the Lions since he was picked by the Detroit in the second round of the 2007 draft.
He has waited patiently for his chance to step up.
Drew got that chance this last season when he started three games after both the No. 1 and No. 2 quarterbacks went down with injuries.
What could have spelled disaster for the Lions in the last five games of the season, turned out to be a blessing to both Stanton and to the team. Detroit had a legitimate QB at the No. 3 spot. Depth is something that has been lacking in the Motor City. But not last last year at the QB position.
Stanton has, at times in the past, showed true potential but seemed to lack confidence. He also lacked reps, which plagues most third-string players.
This last season was different for Drew.
Stafford went down early with an injury in the first game of the regular season against the Chicago Bears. He came back briefly in weeks eight and nine and then was out the rest of the year. Shaun Hill had been named the back-up and played in eight games (starting in seven of them) before he, too, went out with an injury.
Enter Drew Stanton. Drew became the starter for the Lions in three games, kept it close in the first one, and won the next two (including a victory over Green Bay).
Drew earned his tender and will hopefully be with the Lions next season. With his confidence at a new level, he might even compete with veteran QB, Shaun Hill, for the back-up position and shed his number three status.
Turk McBride: Another Force on Defense
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Turk McBride joined the Detroit Lions in 2009 when he was picked up off of waivers from Kansas City. The Chiefs drafted him in the second round of the 2007 draft.
Since joining the Lions, he has been competing for a spot on the D-Line. As a Defensive End, McBride did many things very well last season. He posted five sacks and three forced fumbles, one of which he returned.
McBride did very well against Green Bay in the 14th game of the season when he posted two sacks.
He earned a starting spot on the line when Cliff Avril went down with an injury.
One of the issues for Detroit has been that they lack depth at certain positions. McBride helps provide depth at the defensive end position.
It also helps his cause that he can play on both the left and right side and be effective.
It would appear that the Lions want to maintain the depth they have and keep their productive players on the team instead of having to fill another hole during the draft and free-agency.
McBride was a good bet to get a tender.
Shoring Up More Cornerbacks: Pratt, Miller, and Vasher (Re-Signed)
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The Lions are starting to show their intentions around filling the cornerback position.
Several analysts have said that this is the highest need position for Detroit and have them taking a CB early in the draft. The Lions may still do that, but they are also making sure that they have depth, regardless of who they draft.
Paul Pratt did not play in a single regular season game. He did, however, play in the pre-season and showed some skills by bringing down an interception and taking it 102 yards back for a touchdown.
The Lions offered him a tender that he can't refuse. Pratt is an exclusive rights free agent which means he can't negotiate with other teams. So unless they end up cutting him, he'll be back in Detroit next season.
Another player in the same position as Pratt is CB Prince Miller. He was also offered a tender and is under exclusive rights.
Prince saw limited action as a Lion last season. He was brought in for four games and posted seven tackles and one pass-defended.
I realize that I'm pushing it here by including a player who is not under free-agency, but I thought it was worth mentioning that the Lions have re-signed another CB, Nathan Vasher. Vasher is a veteran player who has been in the league for seven years. He was a starter for the Lions in five games and played in 14.
It was not a surprise to see them re-sign Vasher.
I was a little surprised to see them use a tender on Pratt.
The coaching staff of the Detroit Lions have always maintained that they are going to "stay the course" and not change their strategy around bringing in free-agents and how they approach the draft.
It is just curious to me that they used three tenders at the CB position.
Zack Follett: Tender Offered. Tender Signed
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Zack Follett is a big question mark.
He played well as a linebacker on special teams but after suffering a serious neck injury last season no one, including Zack, has been sure if he will return.
Interestingly enough, however, he received a tender and was the first to sign.
According to Follett's response on Twitter, he believes that if he received a tender, then by the grace of God, he was meant to come back.
The Lions coaches made it clear they were interested in having him return but only if he felt it was worth the risk.
So far, it appears he thinks it is.
Now if he can just stop calling our QB a "china doll"...
A Round-Up of the Other Tendered Players
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Other players who received tenders were Defensive Tackle, Andre Fluellen, Fullback, Jerome Felton, and Offensive Guard/Center, Dylan Gandy.
Fluellen is mainly used for depth. He has been used on special teams and as a back-up defensive tackle. In the 2009 season, he also played at left defensive end.
Gandy also plays on special teams and is used as a back-up guard.
Jerome Felton is a third-year fullback who was drafted by the Lions in the fifth round in 2008. He has been used on offense and on special teams. His career stats with Detroit are 37 rushing attempts for 117 yards, 29 receptions for 236 yards and nine special teams tackles.
Felton had 76 out of his 117 total rushing yards come last season. His progress is what has impressed the coaches and he adds to the multi-dimensional offensive options.
Who Has Also Likely Been Tendered
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There are a couple of players who are missing from this list.
Getting information about who the Lions have offered tenders to has been very difficult, to say the least. At this point, it is pure speculation about the next two players but seems a good bet.
Linebacker, Bobby Carpenter showed continued progress and a hard-work ethic last season.
Mayhew didn't say that Carpenter would be given a tender, but he did tell one reporter in Indianapolis, "I thought Bobby did an outstanding job, he came in, he learned our system, he knew all the spots, he knew all the special teams stuff and he made plays for us on the field."
He also made the comment that he expects Carpenter to compete with Ashlee Palmer for the starting outside linebacker position next season.
Offensive tackle, Corey Hilliard is another player thought to be on the Lions list to tender.
We may not know the exact outcome of these two players in terms of getting tendered or not, but we do already know what has happened to a couple of other players...
The Players We Know Were Not Tendered
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The biggest news to come out of Detroit so far regarding those who did not receive tenders is running back, Kevin Smith.
Smith did not seem all that surprised that he was not on the list. He made statements about his injuries over the past two years and knew that the Lions had to make some hard business decisions.
Maurice Morris did an outstanding job of backing up the Lions first-string running back, Jahvid Best, last year, which may have pushed Smith even further out of the coaches radar.
They also just signed Matt Clapp, an undrafted rookie free-agent fullback out of Oklahoma and are expected to be looking at running backs during free-agency, and possibly, the draft.
The last player, as of this writing, that we know did not receive a tender, is CB, Tye HIll.
It will be interesting to see who ends up signing and who leaves. With so many players who were originally drafted in the first 4 rounds, it could benefit the team greatly either way. I guess that is what tendering is really all about.
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