The first day of NFL free agency was quite hectic. News was flowing in left and right, and although the Detroit Lions didn't make any moves, the rest of the league was quite busy. Here on Pride of Detroit, there were 24 new posts that went up on Tuesday, so before we start looking ahead to what's in store for today, let's first take a look back at all that happened (or didn't happen, in the case of the Lions) yesterday.
The Lions really didn't do anything?
Officially, no. Behind the scenes, the team was reportedly "working hard" to re-sign linebacker Stephen Tulloch, and I'm sure they were continuing negotiations with other free agents and Calvin Johnson, who is in need of an extension that would give the Lions additional cap room. None of the behind the scenes stuff resulted in any deals, though.
What about the Lions' free agents? Did any of them sign elsewhere?
On Tuesday, there were no signings involving Lions free agents, but cornerback Eric Wright did agree to a five-year deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Wednesday morning. Cornerback was already high up on the list of needs for the Lions, but now that is especially the case with Wright headed elsewhere in a move that surprised nobody after it was reported yesterday that a few teams were interested in signing him.
Are Lions free agents drawing interest from other teams?
Interestingly enough, the only two unsigned Lions free agents who have set up visits with other teams so far are both quarterbacks. Drew Stanton quickly lined up a visit with the New York Jets as free agency got started, and Shaun Hill lined up a visit of his own with the St. Louis Rams. It's not clear what the interest level is in a deal for either player and the teams they are visiting, but the scenario of the Lions losing both their backup and third-string quarterback is suddenly very real.
Have the Lions lined up any visits?
So far, the only known visitor is offensive lineman Geoff Schwartz, who previously played for the Carolina Panthers. He is slated to visit Allen Park and the Lions on Friday, and he could potentially be signed as someone who can provide depth at multiple positions and perhaps even compete for a starting spot.
Are there any other players the Lions are interested in?
It's all based on speculation, but according to reports, the Lions have expressed interest in linebacker David Hawthorne, who could potentially be a backup plan in case Tulloch isn't re-signed, and safety LaRon Landry, who is coming off of a couple seasons where he dealt with injuries. In the case of Landry, a few teams appear to be interested, including the Lions, although it's not known how high their level of interest is. If healthy, Landry would be a very nice addition to the secondary, but that is a big if regarding his health.
What were some of the big moves made around the league?
The most notable move in my book was the Chicago Bears' move to trade for wide receiver Brandon Marshall from the Miami Dolphins. They got a pretty good bargain, but perhaps that was because of news that came out late Tuesday that Marshall may be in some trouble again. If that is the case, then the trade doesn't look quite as good, but Marshall reuniting with Jay Cutler could potentially be very big for the Bears offense going forward.
Other notable moves from around the league include wide receiver Vincent Jackson signing with the Buccaneers, cornerback Cortland Finnegan getting a big deal from the St. Louis Rams, cornerback Carlos Rogers re-signing with the San Francisco 49ers and wide receiver Marques Colston re-signing with the New Orleans Saints.
What Lions news should we expect to hear about on Wednesday?
Given how quiet they were on Tuesday, it's tough to say for sure. Personally, I'm hoping to hear about Tulloch re-signing and Johnson getting an extension. That would be a nice combination of news because it would ensure the Lions' starting middle linebacker is back and would give them some cap space to work with if Johnson gets a new deal. Will this actually happen? Your guess is as good as mine.