Lions ‘not sweating’ Todd Gurley’s visit to Ravens, will only add him on ‘our terms’

Last week, Detroit Lions coaches sounded quite enthusiastic about potentially adding free agent running back Todd Gurley to the team.

“Yeah, look, we have interest in Todd. We do,” head coach Dan Campbell said. “We’re talking with he and his agent. We do, we have interest in him.”

“I’ve heard nothing but great things about his intangibles,” offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn said. “For what Dan’s trying to get done here, culture-wise, I think he’d be a good fit if we could get him.”

However, it’s been two weeks since Gurley’s visit to the Lions and he hasn’t been signed yet. Now the two-time Pro Bowl running back is taking a free agency visit with the Baltimore Ravens, and Campbell appears to be singing a different tune.”

“I know he’s headed out there. There again, look, we’re not sweating it,” Campbell said. “Do we like the kid? Yes, we do. But we’re—hey, if it works, it works. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t. But it’ll be on our terms.”

It’s an interesting shift in approach but likely speaks to a potential snag in negotiations. Whether it’s a money or a role issue is not clear. Obviously, Gurley would have some stiff competition to get snaps in Detroit, as the Lions heavily invested in D’Andre Swift with a second-round pick last year, albeit under a different regime. They also signed Jamaal Williams to a two-year, $7 million deal this offseason.

Whatever the cause, it appears while the Lions still like Gurley as the player, his signing doesn’t appear to be as imminent as it looked last week.