Will The Detroit Lions Release Julian Peterson Today?

by Sean Yuille on Feb 7, 2011 12:13 PM EST in Detroit Lions News

As pointed out by Tom Kowalski, today is the first day that teams can start releasing players under contract. For the Detroit Lions, this means that they can go ahead and part ways with linebacker Julian Peterson at any time. The Lions have already said that Peterson won't be brought back next season, so if they want, they can take care of this particular roster move today in order to just move on from Peterson.

Kowalski raised the idea that the Lions could hang on to Peterson for the time being and try to trade him. The problem with that, however, is that trades involving players can't be made until a new collective bargaining agreement is in place. There's no telling when that will happen. It's possible a new deal could be completed in the coming weeks, or a lockout may happen and force teams to be limited in their offseason moves.

The other issue with trading Peterson is the fact that he is set to make $8 million in 2011 and $8.5 million in 2012. Part of why the Lions are expected to part ways with him is because his contract is not worth paying given his play on the field, so it's doubtful another team would make a move to acquire him.

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I'd say the Lions pretty much lost all their leverage with any kind of trade when they said publicly they were going to release him

That’s what is going to happen

by WestsideLionsFan on Feb 7, 2011 12:44 PM EST reply actions

Good point

Another reason why it’s unlikely, although I suppose we should never count out a Mayhewing.

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by Sean Yuille on Feb 7, 2011 12:50 PM EST up reply actions

Yeah I was thinking

It would be a Mayhewing to get anything for him at this point. Even a conditional 7th rounder would be impressive.

by WestsideLionsFan on Feb 7, 2011 1:02 PM EST up reply actions

No doubt. Kowalski is dreaming.

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by Eddie Apoc on Feb 7, 2011 4:27 PM EST up reply actions

agreed

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by Blo2Death on Feb 7, 2011 1:26 PM EST up reply actions

Not completely true.

If a bad team is interested in him, they may opt to try and trade for him rather than hope he’ll come to them in FA, because when he’s an FA he’ll probably try and go to a better team.

by Mavyrk on Feb 7, 2011 9:33 PM EST up reply actions

Let's get the Mayhewer fired up...

i think if MM want to get something for him he more than likely could but i think Detroit will release him by the end of the week.

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by SmittyJ on Feb 7, 2011 1:05 PM EST reply actions

I would think

They had shopped him around for a bit before announcing they would release him. After his play this year I can’t imagine there were too many takers.

by chaunce on Feb 7, 2011 1:17 PM EST via mobile reply actions

He's in Adalius Thomas territory now

Formerly a hot commodity and now nobody is going to want to touch him with a 10 foot pole. He’s got the bad combination of being old, not playing that well/with maximum effort, and having an attitude problem in the locker room.

by WestsideLionsFan on Feb 7, 2011 1:37 PM EST up reply actions

if he doesn't get

released today, it’ll happen some time this week. hopefully.

by KFFE on Feb 7, 2011 1:24 PM EST reply actions

just cut him

Not worth much I think it is just easier to move on now and spend time finding the perfect replacement. Just eliminate the troubles of trying to trade him for a 6th or 7th and focus on who the next player is.

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by The Profiler on Feb 7, 2011 1:55 PM EST via mobile reply actions

I don't think anyone would want him

at least for what he’s making now. I agree though, it’s sad that J to the P never panned out the way I hoped he would, but it is what it is, and what it is is an over the hill LB making way too much money.

by motown313 on Feb 7, 2011 6:18 PM EST up reply actions

JP ws good for what we needed at the time

He filled a need and was a upgrade but we have gotten past that. We need a guy that fits are system and can make plays. We have out growin JP and JP is to old to keep up.

by The Profiler on Feb 7, 2011 7:21 PM EST up reply actions

that's debatable

seemed like he was almost always out of position or gettin trucked by someone. maybe his first year here he was decent, but that’s about it.

by KFFE on Feb 7, 2011 8:21 PM EST up reply actions

your missing my point I think

When we got him he was a obvious upgrade over what we had…Now he’s the weak link in the defense

by The Profiler on Feb 7, 2011 9:26 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs

just cut him

by The Profiler on Feb 7, 2011 1:56 PM EST via mobile reply actions

I think we could get a 7th rounder for him

All that means is a team is for sure to get him vs. him being on the open market. If a team, for some crazy reason is really high on him, they may look at it like he is worth more then whatever they would get in the 7th round. The problem is his high contract. If he agrees to change his contract prior to being traded….I could actually see us get more then a 7th rounder for him. Martin is smart so I would not rule this out. But with CBA problems, I would not be suprised if he is simply cut by midnight tonight either.

by Joey-P on Feb 7, 2011 2:48 PM EST reply actions

If we do just release him

does our cap still take a hit?

by ATL Lion on Feb 7, 2011 3:39 PM EST reply actions

No

(please correct me if I’m wrong on this) We would have to eat the remainder of his signing bonus (in cap penalties), but since he was traded by Seattle, I think they already ate it. We never gave him an extension or anything, did we? Anyhow, all cap penalties from trading a player with a signing bonus do not apply until next offseason, so if we did end up eating it, it wouldn’t be until 2012.

by RobertPorcher on Feb 7, 2011 4:09 PM EST up reply actions

*trading OR cutting

by RobertPorcher on Feb 7, 2011 4:09 PM EST up reply actions

I say let him go

No use waiting.

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by Hyperion Ecta on Feb 8, 2011 4:44 AM EST reply actions

According to the same article in the Detroit News...

It is also unlikely that the Lions bring back Jordan Dizon…making it even more prevalent that the team either bring in a free agent when they can, or draft a LB, or both.

It's a terrible thing to have to tell your fans, who have waited like Detroit's have, that their team won't win it this year. But it's better than lying to them.
--Sparky Anderson

by KDawg on Feb 8, 2011 11:46 AM EST reply actions

link

http://detnews.com/article/20110105/SPORTS0101/101050435/It%E2%80%99s-official—Julian-Peterson-not-returning-to-Lions

It's a terrible thing to have to tell your fans, who have waited like Detroit's have, that their team won't win it this year. But it's better than lying to them.
--Sparky Anderson

by KDawg on Feb 8, 2011 11:49 AM EST up reply actions