- Thanks to a FanPost for giving me the heads up, the Lions signed offensive guard James Blair and released wide receiver Reggie Ball last week. Blair is from Western Michigan and was a rookie last season. He was a member of the Bengals after being signed as an undrafted free agent and was released during the last round of roster cuts in August.
- The Lions aren't going to schedule a private workout with USC quarterback Mark Sanchez. Instead they are going to ask Sanchez to run some extra drills conducted by them at his pro day on April 1. That way they can save time and not have to set up a separate workout with Sanchez.
- Upon meeting Sanchez for the first time, Jim Schwartz told him he looks like Vinny Chase from Entourage.
- Via PFT on the Sporting News, the Lions aren't going to draft Aaron Curry with the top overall pick, according to Scout.com, because they don't want to pay a linebacker No. 1 pick money. While that wouldn't surprise me, I'm not writing off Curry just yet given the source. After all, this is coming from a network that has the Lions drafting Mark Sanchez with the top overall pick.
- If the Lions don't draft Matthew Stafford, Todd McShay thinks they will take Jason Smith. Surprisingly, I agree with him on something for a change.
- Tom Lewand was asked about the leaked images of what appears to be the Lions' new logo, and he basically confirmed that it is official, though he didn't directly say that.
"Toy trucks?'' said Lewand, who quickly changed the conversation. "As I've said all along throughout the course of this offseason, even when Jim (Schwartz) was hired, we're looking to get tougher and stronger. We're looking at every way we can get tougher and stronger through the course of this offseason.''
Considering the images we saw earlier this week are of a tougher and stronger looking Bubbles, I will take this as a hint that those images are, in fact, the new logo. - New Buccaneers head coach Raheem Morris spoke very highly of Lions cornerback and former Buc Phillip Buchanon.
- Unlike previous years when the Lions openly talked about the draft with the media, Martin Mayhew and Jim Schwartz aren't saying a whole lot that could let other teams figure out what their plans are for it, though Schwartz did talk at length with the media about various things on Wednesday.
- Schwartz briefly commented on the Jay Cutler saga by saying this when he was asked about how trading for the Broncos QB may not be an option for the Lions: "I don't know that he ever really was."
- Someone tell Mel Kiper to get off his knees, because the amount of love he is throwing in Matthew Stafford's direction is getting old really quickly.
- Texans coach Gary Kubiak thinks Dan Orlovsky has "starter ability."
- NFL owners approved a change to the draft order that will take effect in 2010 (2009 season, 2010 draft). The change is that playoff teams will get picks 21-32. In the past, only teams that made the Super Bowl could have their draft pick change, creating scenarios where a playoff team actually picked ahead of a non-playoff team (like the Chargers in this year's draft). Under the new format, that won't happen.
- Charles Rogers is now in jail and wants to attempt to make a comeback once he is out in a couple weeks. It seems like I have as good of a chance of making it to the NFL as he does right now. Rogers smoked himself into a slow player and has character issues galore. I'm rooting for him, though. If he somehow pulled off a miracle and got back into the NFL, then maybe he could pay the Lions the $8.5 million he owes them. He was actually asked if he has the money to pay them right now during his interview with the AP and declined to comment.
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Thursday Notes: Lions to Request Sanchez to Do Extra Drills at His Pro Day
By
Sean Yuille