Notes: Pro Football Focus believes Darius Slay shouldn’t get a new deal

The biggest news of the week thus far has been All-Pro cornerback Darius Slay and starting defensive tackle Damon Harrison holding out of minicamp in the hopes to get a new contract.

I personally believe that with a new CBA and a possible lockout looming in the 2021 season, these guys are completely in the right looking for what may be their last big deals since both will be in their 30s by then. I’m sure I’m not alone in this. I’m also sure that there are a large amount of fans that are upset and think these guys should play out their current deals and be good teammates and stuff.

I did not expect Pro Football Focus to be on the side that says Slay shouldn’t be going after a new deal. That’s exactly what they did today when they wrote that Darius Slay’s career excellence should warrant heavy praise, not a new contract. The piece makes the point that Slay is very good and if he balls out, he could essentially ask for twice the amount he wants now after the 2019 season.

That could possibly work for both parties. Slay is expected to still be a great player and will likely have a good year. But it’s also incredibly risky for the player in this situation. There’s always the possibility he could go down Week 1 and miss the whole year, which would give the Lions all the ammo they need to not pay out and let Slay’s contract run out and low ball him. Then you also take the chance of the aforementioned lockout. Give it a read and see what you come away with.

• Speaking of Pro Football Focus, they did a little highlight on new Lions safety Andrew Adams today where they talked about his big three-interception game against the Carolina Panthers from the 2018 season.

• In NFC North news, Aaron Rodgers and his ego took a bit of hit recently when he infamously failed to chug a beer in the NBA Eastern Conference Finals. Spawning this weird quest for all NFL quarterbacks to prove their men because they can drink beer really fast and feel like crap afterwards. I’m sort of in the Rodgers camp on this one. I can’t chug beer very well. I don’t like to and I don’t see why it’s something that anyone would want to do sine the after effects are always burps and your gut feeling gross.

But anyways, Rodgers got all butt hurt and became the NFL’s equivalent of the “My dad can beat up your dad because he’s rich and he’s a lawyer” kid we all hated in elementary school.

I guess those four straight losses to the Lions and two consecutive years missing the playoffs are starting to get Rodgers and his ego.

• The Lions finished the installation of their new turf and it looks awesome. Check it out.

• Are you looking for a new WR1 option this upcoming fantasy season? Well Sports Illustrated thinks Lions receiver Kenny Golladay is the answer. Fantasy Football expert C.D. Carter thinks that Golladay will be undervalued, but should still be in the WR1 conversation.

• Chris Roling of Bleacher Report thinks the Lions are set to be the break-out team of 2019. In his bold predictions for the 2019 season piece he dropped Tuesday, he said that Matthew Stafford is primed for a big turnaround after a down year that was caused by the amount of injuries the offense suffered and the losses of Golden Tate and Eric Ebron. He also notes the improvements the team made on the defensive side of the ball. Will he be right? Here’s hoping.