Lions sign CB James, release three

Tom Kowalski at MLive.com reports that the Lions on Tuesday signed free-agent CB Will James, who Killer said was "impressive" during a workout for the team earlier in the day.

An old 2006 story from ESPN.com's Len Pasquarelli sheds some insight on the new guy, who used to go by the name William Peterson.

A third-round selection of the Giants in the 2001 draft, James missed 11 games in 2003 after suffering a stress fracture to the right transverse process, a small bone in the lower back. He returned to camp the following summer and was so highly regarded that the Giants signed him to a five-year, $27 million contract extension.

James responded by playing in all 16 games in 2004, arguably the best season of his career. But then (in 2005), the back problems flared up in camp, worsened early in the season, and eventually forced James onto injured reserve. The diagnosis: an old displaced fracture and so-called "hot spots," a sign of a potential stress fracture to the left transverse process.

Surgery would have ended James' career, so the former Western Illinois standout worked out and worked his way back into health.

James was released by the Giants, signed with the Eagles, and since bounced to the Bills, where he was signed in preseason last year but cut by the end of camp. He signed with Jacksonville, played in eight games and made one start. The Jags released James last month.

May just be camp fodder, but James has some return experience in his past, and given the Lions' situation at CB, who knows?

As Patrick already noted on the blog, the Lions also on Tuesday released CB Tra Battle, DE Rudolph Harvie and RB Antone Smith, a player who had intrigued many Denizens.

They're talking about it in The Den!

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Tra Battle Waived

You know it is the slow season when the 80th best player on your favorite team's roster gets released and you feel that it is newsworthy enough to blog about. This does nothing to settle the Lions' defensive back catastrophe but in my mind it is clearing up a spot to sign Hollis Thomas.

Bye bye, Tra. We hardly knew ye.

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Training Camp Battles: Defensive Backs

Today I'll take a look at the safeties and cornerbacks and try to make hay of how the position group might settle out. The defensive backs are probably the toughest group on the team to project out because not only is it unsettled, it is mostly composed of veteran castoffs and young players set adrift by other organizations. Detroit figures to go into the season with 8-9 dbs on the roster and right now it is hard to really argue more than about five guys have better than tenuous positions on the team.

Safeties

Louis Delmas. I can't possibly write anything that hasn't been discussed exhaustively in the Den and elsewhere. scottallen222 started a thread that got extensive contributions Here. Chance of making roster: 100%

Kalvin Pearson. Earned some impressive copy out of the OTAs, Pearson is probably the favorite right now to win the second starting job. He's limited and probably shouldn't be a full-time player but for now he's the best Detroit has. Chance of making roster: 90%

Marquand Manuel. I expect him to compete hard for the starting spot opposite Delmas, and I also don't expect him to win it. He really isn't very good. He's got a lot of experience with a number of teams, none of which were too motivated to keep him. He was cut two years ago after the first year of a five year deal. Yeesh. Even so, I think he'll show enough that Schwartz will have a hard time cutting him. Chance of making roster: 80%

Daniel Bullocks. That Bullocks is the most experience returning safety is a testament to [something]. I don't think anyone outside of Allen Park has either a great feel for exactly how talented Bullocks is or how much potential remains. I expect we'll have a better idea after this summer. I expect Bullocks to make the roster as the fourth safety but it wouldn't be a huge upset to see him cut. Considering that Gerald Alexander was competing against Pearson, Manuel, and Bullocks it is a bit scary that he was expendable so quickly. Chance of making roster: 75%

Stuart Schweigert. Had a couple of really promising years for the Raiders before going over a cliff a couple of years ago, losing his starting gig and then getting cut twice in training camp last summer. He was signed by Detroit to replace LaMarcus Hicks so I guess he might have a better shot of making this year's team but I don't think his odds are good. Chance of making roster: 30%

LaMarcus Hicks. Still has some practice squad eligibility, and Detroit might stash him there until they need him. Chance of making roster: 20%

Tra Battle. It is tough to distinguish his chances from Schweigert's or Hicks'. Like Hicks, Battle still has practice squad eligibility so he may find a spot there. Chance of making roster: 20%

Cornerbacks

AtticusSpeaks provided an excellent treatment of the Lions' corners a few days ago. I could do the same but it would look very familiar to those who read Atticus'. Instead I'll just roll through the suspects with only a couple of comments.

Philip Buchanon. Starter. Chance of making roster: 100%

Anthony Henry. Starter by default. His presence might force Schwartz and Gunther to keep one more corner and one fewer safety. Chance of making roster: 100%

Eric King. Nickel. I sort of think he will be starting before the end of the year. Chance of making roster: 90%

Keith Smith. Dime, I guess. Chance of making roster: 60%

Ramzee Robinson. Mister Irrelevant. Chance of making roster: 30%

Chris Roberson. Practice squadder. Chance of making roster: 5%

As Atticus points out, the cornerbacks are a wasteland. A year ago Detroit arguably had better corners than they do today. While it is impossible for this year's group to be worse than the '08 flavor, it is just as easy to argue that they won't be much better, particularly as injuries expose their lack of depth.

Discuss this Here, in The Den

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Lions claim ex-Cowboys CB Tra Battle

According to a report by Adam Caplan of ScoutNFLNetwork.com, the Lions have claimed 5'-11", 173-pound Tra Battle off of waivers.  Originally signed as an undrafted free agent last year by San Diego, Battle was claimed off the Chargers' practice squad by the Cowboys last November.  Seeing action in five games, he recorded five tackles.  Battle was released earlier today, and the Lions immediately pounced.

As has been noted before, one of the extremely few perks of going 0-16 is having a death grip on top waiver priority.  It remains to be seen if Battle will even make the final roster--but with nearly 100% turnover at the cornerback position, nearly every corner in camp will have an opportunity to do so.

Discuss it here, in The Den!