Lions notes: Football Outsiders project Lions to finish third in NFC North

• Football Outsiders handed out their NFC predictions today. If you aren't an ESPN Insider, you won't be able to read the full article, but to make a long story short, they have the Lions finishing with a 9-7 record (tied with the Minnesota Vikings), good for third in the NFC North. They have the Packers winning the division with a 12-4 record and the Bears finishing last at 7-9. Here's a small sample:

"It's a little surprising that our system doesn't forecast more decline from the Detroit offense; the retirement of Calvin Johnson is offset by Detroit doing well in various small variables such as being a strong running team in the red zone. That still leaves Detroit as a team projected to be very close to average on both sides of the ball, but it has the advantage of an easy schedule."

• ICYMI: Pro Football Focus' top 101 players has been released, and Ezekiel Ansah was left off the list entirely. If you were having a nice start to your day, you may want to avoid looking at who tops the list at No. 1.

• Dave Birkett has an updated list with the contract details of each of the Lions' ten draft picks in 2016.

• Our friends over at SideLion Report do a nice job of profiling the Lions' fourth-round selection and hard-hitting safety, Miles Killebrew.

Lions rookie profile: Safety Miles Killebrew @FanSided @Matturben88 https://t.co/W9NY6U54LE

— SideLion Report (@SideLionReport) May 12, 2016

• Looking to become the next general manager of the Cleveland Browns? Syracuse University has launched the first Sports Analytics degree program starting in 2017.

• Taylor Decker took to Twitter to express how he's hoping to improve every day... or he just has a really bad dairy take for us all.

1% every day

— Taylor Decker (@TDeck68) May 12, 2016