Detroit, MI
Detroit Lions have 20 unrestricted free agents, but are not expected to use franchise tag
The NFL’s annual franchise tag window opens Tuesday, and for the sixth straight year the Detroit Lions are not expected to use it.
The Lions have 20 unrestricted free agents, but only two were primary starters last season: Offensive guards Graham Glasgow and Jonah Jackson.
Both Glasgow and Jackson have expressed an interest in re-signing with the Lions for 2024, and Glasgow said the team told him it wants him back as well.
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But the projected franchise tag tender for offensive linemen next season is $21.72 million, according to OverTheCap.com, and neither player is likely to approach that number if they hit the open market.
Glasgow played last season on a one-year, $2.75 million deal, while Jackson finished his four-year rookie contract with a base salary of $2.992 million.
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Lions general manager Brad Holmes indicated at his end-of-season news conference earlier this month the Lions would not be major players in free agency, and instead would look to “sign our own.”
The Lions have long-term contract extensions on the horizon with several key players, including quarterback Jared Goff and receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown. Both Goff and St. Brown could score deals that make them among the 10 highest-paid players at their position in the NFL.
Right tackle Penei Sewell and defensive tackle Alim McNeill are among others eligible for contract extensions. Both players are entering the final year of their rookie deals, though the Lions certainly will pick up Sewell’s fifth-year option if they don’t sign him to a new contract by April’s draft.
“It’s one pot,” Holmes said. “You’ve got to be very strategic of (how) that pot is divided up or divvied up. But we’ll be smart, and we’ll make the right moves. But yeah, it just changes the landscape a little bit in free agency.”
MORE: Lions QB Jared Goff worth $50 million a year on new deal? ‘What’s the alternative?’
In addition to Glasgow and Jackson, 10 Lions who started games in 2023 will be unrestricted free agents in March: C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Josh Reynolds, Kindle Vildor, Tyson Alualu, Charles Harris, Halapoulivaati Vaitai, Will Harris, Matt Nelson, Dan Skipper and Donovan Peoples-Jones.
Gardner-Johnson missed most of a last season with a torn pectoral muscle, but started at safety before his injury. Reynolds played as the Lions’ No. 2 or 3 receiver most of the year, and Vildor finished the season as the Lions’ No. 2 cornerback.
The franchise tag is a one-year tender of the average of the top five salaries at the player’s position from the past five years. Players still can negotiate with other teams, but the tagging team has the right to match any contract or receive two first-round draft picks as compensation. If a team uses the exclusive franchise tag, the compensation goes up and the player has no ability to negotiate elsewhere.
Among the teams with tag decisions to make that will impact the free agent market are the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. They have two tag candidates in defensive tackle Chris Jones and cornerback La’Jarius Sneed, and the Lions’ division rival Chicago Bears might need to franchise cornerback Jaylon Johnson to keep him off the market.
Defensive end Brian Burns of the Carolina Panthers, defensive tackle Justin Madubuike of the Baltimore Ravens, defensive end Josh Allen of the Jacksonville Jaguars, safety Antoine Winfield Jr. of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and receiver Tee Higgins of the Cincinnati Bengals are other tag candidates.
The Lions last used the franchise tag on Ziggy Ansah in 2018.
This year’s tag deadline ends March 5.
Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him @davebirkett.
Detroit, MI
Detroit Mayor-elect Mary Sheffield seeking residents’ input on community issues at first town hall
After making history as the first woman elected mayor of Detroit, Mary Sheffield held her first town hall ahead of taking office to get the residents’ insight on community issues.
For the first time, a mayor is taking thoughts from the community and turning them into potential policies. And those residents will have a say on what Sheffield will focus on in her first 100 days in office.
“The most important thing for me is not making history, it’s about delivering and executing for the residents of this city,” Sheffield said.
Sheffield and her team have already formed over a dozen committees focusing on topics like affordable housing and public safety.
At a first-of-its-kind community engagement event at Marygrove Conservancy on Monday night, anyone in Detroit had the opportunity to share their thoughts and ideas and be a part of the solution.
“For a long time, from what I heard from residents, they have felt a little disconnected. I think this being for the first start for residents to be engaged with the mayor-elect is pretty impressive; it’s necessary,” said resident Jai Singletary.
While some residents appreciated the opportunity to have a seat at the table, they want to see what will actually be done.
Overall, Sheffield says she has received a lot of feedback. While she and her administration plan to hold more gatherings like this one, she also welcomes everyone and anyone to join her team.
“We have a lot of people who are eager to provide and step up and serve Detroit, and now it’s about getting the best cabinet,” said Sheffield.
The mayor-elect plans to hold similar events in the future and welcomes everyone to leave feedback at any time on the city’s website.
A citywide survey will be sent out to every resident in Detroit to get a consensus of what the community wants.
The Detroit Lions have started the injury evaluation clock on veteran tight end Shane Zylstra, who returned to practice on Monday.
Zylstra suffered an ankle injury during the team’s Week 2 game against the Chicago Bears and has been on injured reserve since. For most of the year, the Lions were able to get by without Zylstra, as he was the team’s TE3 behind Sam LaPorta and Brock Wright.
However, LaPorta is now most likely out for the season after back surgery, and Wright’s season is in danger of being cut short, as well. Wright suffered a trachea injury against the New York Giants, hasn’t practiced since, and coach Dan Campbell noted that it could be a long-term injury, as they await more test results and second opinions.
That’s all to say that Zylstra’s return is coming at a good time for the Lions. Last week, they relied on Ross Dwelley, Anthony Firkser, and undrafted rookie Zach Horton to fill their tight end vacancies.
It’s unclear how quickly Zylstra can get up to speed and in football shape, but if he can go, he gives the Lions a player with 31 games of experience in this offensive system, including three starts for the team. A former wide receiver, Zylstra is definitely more of an offensive weapon than a blocker—he had four touchdown catches in 2022. But he’s also someone who can contribute on special teams, should the Lions need more juice in that aspect of their game. Since landing in Detroit in 2021, Zylstra has logged a total of 361 special teams snaps.
Detroit ― Samson Gash was clutching onto the Division 1 state championship trophy following a dominating performance by Detroit Catholic Central on Sunday night at Ford Field.
Now, following Catholic Central’s 42-19 victory over Detroit Cass Tech in Gash’s high-school finale, will he be letting go of his verbal commitment to Michigan State following the firing of head coach Jonathan Smith earlier Sunday?
Gash, the top-ranked receiver in the state, acknowledged his phone was blowing up before Sunday’s title game, and he had to put it on “mute” to focus on the task at hand. But he also acknowledged he has some decisions to make.
“It’s kind of hard, because there’s a lot of schools that’ve been texting me now that they think I’m back on the market,” Gash told The Detroit News on Sunday night. “It’s been tough, like, trying to think about the decision, but I’m just trying to postpone that till after the season and just have fun with my guys.
“And I’ll make that decision after the season.”
So, is he back on the market?
“I’d say I’m looking around for sure,” said Gash, whose older brother, Caleb, is a defensive back at Michigan State.
Smith was fired Sunday afternoon, following two seasons at Michigan State, and a 9-15 record, 4-14 in the Big Ten. A new coach, likely former Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald, will get to pick his own staff, and Gash said he’s paying attention on that front ― specifically receivers coach Courtney Hawkins, Gash’ lead recruiter.
“He’s been on me forever,” Gash said. “I love that dude and hopefully he stays.”
Hawkins has been on Michigan State’s staff through the past three head coaches, Mel Tucker, interim head coach Harlon Barnett, and Smith.
Gash, who had five catches for 25 yards and an electric 48-yard punt return in Sunday’s win over Cass Tech, committed to Michigan State in June. He’s one of two four-star recruits who committed to Smith for 2026, along with Arizona offensive tackle Collin Campbell, with the first day of the early signing period Wednesday. MSU had 20 commitments as of Saturday.
Gash did recently take a visit to Alabama, as his stock has risen recently. Speed is a big reason why. He’s the state’s reigning 100-meter champion. He said Sunday he plans to defend his track title in the spring. That’s a no-brainer, even if he fancies himself a football player who runs track, not the other way around. More up in the air, his college choice.
“(There’s) a lot of uncertainty at Michigan State,” said Gash, who’s a strong candidate for Mr. Football in Michigan, along with his marquee-matchup opponent Sunday, Cass Tech receiver/defensive back Corey Sadler Jr., who’s committed to North Carolina. “I’m gonna see how everything plays out, and who knows?”
Gash and younger brother Gideon Gash, a junior who had a monster game in the state championship game with three receiving touchdowns, are the sons of former Penn State player, Super Bowl winner and Lions assistant coach Sam Gash. One other brother, Isaiah Gash, was a running back at Michigan.
tpaul@detroitnews.com
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