Salary Cap Forum Updated - PREMIUM

AdamJT13 posted the salary cap figures for all NFL teams and had the Lions at $2.34M under the cap. Below are week 2 transactions that effect the Lions salary cap as well as an adjustment to Dennis Northcutt's player cost:

• Salary Cap Status
• Transaction Log
• 2009 Dead Cap Updated
• Turk McBride Player Cost
• Dennis Northcutt Player Cost Adjusted (removal of renegotiation bonus)

Follow Detroit's salary cap with expert George Ketchman here. (Requires premium membership to RoarReport.com)

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The milk-carton WR corps -- time to worry?

No Calvin Johnson. No Bryant Johnson. No Dennis Northcutt. No Brandon Pettigrew.

This is becoming an issue.

Though I've criticized rookie QB Matthew Stafford's performance against the Browns, to be fair, it's difficult to impossible to judge the passing game when your top FOUR targets are out, and have been out for weeks now.

This will absolutely affect the offense early in the season, and probably lead to losses in the early part of the year, if it continues.

Sure, Calvin will be Calvin. But there will be no cohesion to the passing attack because they've had so little time together on the field.

None of the injuries is said to be so serious that any of the four is expected to miss a large amount of time. And yet it's been week after week without the group working together on the practice or playing field.

If this extends on into the third preseason game against the Colts game, it's time to get real worried.

They're talking about it in The Den!

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WR an unsettled -- and unsettling -- lot for Lions

And you thought you could just chew your nails over the lines and defensive backs.

As Grand Rapids Press Lions writer Brian VanOchten notes, despite Matt Millen's attention there year after year, other than All-World Calvin Johnson, wide receiver remains the position most lacking depth for the Lions.

There's Calvin and newcomers Dennis Northcutt and Bryant Johnson, who still hasn't played after he fought the golf cart and the golf cart won. There's last year's free-agent pick-up Keary Colbert too. After Calvin that's a "less-than-enthralling group, to be sure," VanOchten writes.

The others vying for a job are even less impressive -- Demir Boldin, Adam Jennings, Bobby Sippio, John Standeford, Derrick Williams, Eric Fowler and Kenneth Harris. Williams, a third-round pick, hasn't exactly set the world on fire.

Maybe someone will emerge in the preseason games -- but don't count on it. It wasn't just the jumble of mediocre QBs throwing to Calvin that made his numbers amazing last year. Megatron had no complement at WR pulling attention away from him. The second-leading receiver on the team last year, the departed Shaun McDonald, had 1,000 fewer yards than Calvin.

The best hope for making things better, it seems, is if Brandon Pettigrew emerges as a reliable receiving threat down the middle of the field.

Discuss in The Den!

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Dropsies Continue To Plague Lions

Because practice is open to several fans (today being open to a swarming general public) many have been able to report their own observations from Detroit's training camp in Allen Park.

And although they aren't necessarily of a professional degree, there are certainly some consistencies among the quasi-reports. Among them? Detroit's receivers have a tough time holding onto passes.

According to The Den user Sandman7773, the Lions receivers -- Calvin Johnson included -- dropped passes on Wednesday. And a lot of them.

"Calvin dropped a lot of passes today," he wrote, correctly noting that Johnson had experienced a hand injury earlier in the day. "A lot of dropped passes today."

Minus Bryant Johnson, who continues to miss time with a non-football injury, and two tight ends (Brandon Pettigrew, Casey FitzSimmons) the Lions have played musical chairs with the receiving game during the camp. Despite his troubles on Wednesday, Calvin Johnson, trade acquisition Dennis Northcutt, and Keary Colbert have been the most consistent pass catchers in camp.

Share your thoughts and Lions camp perspectives in The Den Message Board

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Salary Cap Forum Updated - PREMIUM

Dennis Northcutt player cost updated . . .Lions Cap Status updated . . . Follow Detroit's salary cap with expert George Ketchman here. (Requires premium membership to RoarReport.com)

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Position Battles: Wide Receivers

Continuing with our discussion of training camp battles we move on to the wide receiver group. With Calvin Johnson entrenched at #1 and Bryant Johnson almost certainly slotted to start on the other side, that likely leaves three more spots for receivers, at least one of whom will double as one of the kick returners. After the Johnsons there are several players who could either win the third receiver position or get cut in training camp. This will probably be one of the more interesting position groups to watch as preseason progresses.

The Contenders

Derrick Williams. The Lions' 3rd round pick out of Penn State, Williams should be something of a favorite to make the roster. Prior to the draft Williams got broad interest from teams such as the Patriots, Cowboys, and Colts. With five return touchdowns his senior year the primary interest has been in his return skills. He's a fast player with reasonable size. His career could easily follow the Derrick Mason/Steve Breaston path, primarily returning kicks early before maturing into a key receiver. It wouldn't be too surprising if he gets pressed into duty earlier than either Mason or Breaston were.

Ronald Curry. His offseason signing generated a bit of enthusiasm but the recent trade for Dennis Northcutt raised questions if Curry really has anything left, as the two players are likely competing for the same role and position. Up through 2007 Curry was reasonably productive as the #2/#3 in Oakland but went over the cliff last year, with little production despite reasonable health and little competition. Curry can probably win a spot regardless of Northcutt's performance if he can again become the reliable target that got him so many looks during the tumultuous period when he shared the field with Randy Moss, and Jerry Porter.

Dennis Northcutt. This trade feels more like a free look-see than a real commitment. Both the Jaguars and Lions traded surplus players who were unlikely to make their respective roster. Northcutt may have to impress to find a roster spot with a fairly pricey $3M contract for 2008. He's a reliable 3rd/4th receiver and there is no reason to think he can't continue in that role. At 32, his days as a regular punt returner appear to be over. Like Curry he will have to win a job as a receiver.

The Pretenders.

D.J. Boldin. Younger brother of Anquan. Signed as an undrafted free agent out of Wake Forest. Boldin led the ACC with receptions in '08 with 81, primarily in a possession role. A somewhat slower player ~ 4.55 40. NFL DraftScout has him listed at #220. He may be bulking up to emulate his brother's career. It is very possible that he is still rising as he only had 26 total receptions before taking over Lion draft pick Kenny Moore's role in '08. Has some experience under center, in punt returns and rushing. Probably bound for the practice squad.

Keary Colbert. Lions picked him up as a roster filler last year and didn't produce much, with only five receptions in five games (three starts). He represents a cheap insurance policy against need, either due to training camp injury or later in the season.

Adam Jennings. A pure punt returner who the Lions signed in '08, only to fumble his only return. He is a good cover guy on special teams but that probably won't be enough to win him a spot.

Eric Fowler. Spent most of '08 on the Lions practice squad. Killer reported that he has improved as a receiver this offseason which may win him an extended look, but like most of these guys he will probably only win a job on the back of his coverage skills on special teams.

John Standeford. A Den favorite from last year, he got extended time on the regular roster and impressed a bit averaging 16 y/r with 240 yards over 9 games and 4 starts. He is probably the most likely player among this lower list to fight for regular playing time, although Schwartz' unfamiliarity with him may weigh against him.

Kenneth Harris. Perhaps the longest shot of the group. A big receiver who spent much of his college career injured. He was slotted to start for Georgia in '08 but lost his job to A.J. Greene when he got hurt yet again. Finished his 5 year college career with 41 receptions and 2 TD. It would be an enormous upset for him to do any better than win a practice squad spot.

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It is difficult to handicap these players. In preparation for the article I noted one source that claimed that both Williams and Northcutt are assured spots. Otherwise there is notably little discussion of who has impressed in the OTAs or who is on the outside looking in.

Discuss it Here in The Den

Northcutt trade could be ominous for Ronald Curry

Some were puzzled when the Lions traded S Gerald Alexander to Jacksonville for WR Dennis Northcutt. Hadn't the Lions already addressed their WR depth issues? Didn't they have kick-returner covered with the drafting of Derrick Williams?

MLive.com's Tom Kowalski thinks something else is afoot: Perhaps another offseason WR signee is falling out of favor -- Ronald Curry.

Northcutt should have an impact on Curry because now both players are vying for the slot receiver position.

Northcutt has been productive throughout his nine-year career and also gives the Lions a presence at punt returner. Curry, who was signed as an unrestricted free agent, hasn't shown much so far in the off-season workouts and there are concerns that his speed has diminished.

While Alexander was expendable, it's unlikely the Lions would've picked up Northcutt if they had been happy so far with Curry.

Discuss in The Den!

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Derrick Williams: Falling behind already?

Tom Kowalski at MLive.com says the Lions hope they've gotten a return specialist in third-round draft pick Derrick Williams. And they hope at some point they can move Williams around, from the slot to outside receiver to occasionally coming out of the backfield -- maybe even doing some wildcat, as he has quarterbacking experience in his background.

But first, Killer says, Williams has to get on the field.

Williams didn't take part in any of the workouts during the team's recent minicamp because of a sore hamstring and the coaching staff is worried that he's going to be far behind when training camp begins.

The Lions are expected to move slowly with Williams, Killer says, letting him get comfortable with returns before using him in diverse ways in the offense.

My take: Were the Lions hedging their bets on Williams by trading for Dennis Northcutt? But all Williams has to do is flash the talent that had him projected as a second-round draft choice and he can have as big of a role as he can handle.

Discuss in The Den!

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Tom K.: Lions would have cut Alexander anyway; safety looking weak after Delmas

MLive's Tom Kowalski seems to think the Lions trade of S Gerald Alexander for WR/KR Dennis Northcutt was worthwhile, if only because Alexander probably wasn't going to make the Lions' roster anyway, and if he did, he wouldn't have seen a lot of playing time.

The Lions checked the tape on Alexander to see if there was any noticeable decline in play before his neck injury last year. They "didn't see much difference in his production," and "didn't feel that Alexander had enough playmaking ability to be a factor in the defense," Killer says.

As it stands now, Louis Delmas is the only solid starter at S, according to Killer. Kalvin Pearson has been taking number-one reps opposite Delmas, but is viewed as more of a backup. Like Alexander, another former second-round pick at S has something to prove, 2006 draftee Daniel Bullocks.

My take? I'm beginning to understand the drafting of Delmas more and more. With offseason roster changes smoke clearing, it looks like safety is one of the weaker spots left on the team.

If Pearson and Bullocks don't have major bounce-back years; if Delmas isn't all that's advertised; or if Marquand Manual and/or Stuart Schweigert don't show up and make plays, things could get ugly -- again.

What's your take? Discuss it in The Den!

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Salary Cap Forum Updated - PREMIUM

2009 Lions Cap Status

Transaction Log Updated through June 26th (late evening)

Gerald Alexander Player Cost

Dennis Northcutt Player Cost

Follow Detroit's salary cap with expert George Ketchman here. (Requires premium membership to RoarReport.com)

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