Free agency news

[Mongo3451]

9 minutes ago, AZ54 said:

Yeah we don’t need 18mil for 5 sacks.  I’d Decker wants and can get $25mil I’m out on him too. I also don’t trust the NFL rumor mill because media people are very simple minded and assume because he was making. 21 with Detroit and refused to negotiate that automatically means he wants more.  We simply don’t know.  He might just want a Super Bowl ring.  

If he just wants a Superbowl ring, he must not believe in his current coach or teammates.  I have a hard time digesting that.  To cut bait after year one of losing your coordinator sounds weak as hell to me.

[AZ54]

1 hour ago, Mongo3451 said:

If he just wants a Superbowl ring, he must not believe in his current coach or teammates.  I have a hard time digesting that.  To cut bait after year one of losing your coordinator sounds weak as hell to me.

That’s because it was weak.  The new OC was demoted and removed from play calling which was taken over by the HC.   I’m not the best at sorting out offensive play calling but there were a couple Detroit games where I couldn’t figure out what Campbell was trying to do on offense.  Reminded me of Nagy where he was just calling something for the sake of calling it not because of anything he saw from the D that would give the play a chance to succeed.   There is still a lot of talent there on offense and a good NFL QB is going to keep things “productive”.     Since I don’t follow them closely I scanned some stats from last year and they fell back to middle of the pack in rushing while we improved to top 5.  Passing they were still top 5.   

Regardless of where he ends up, Decker leaving them at least puts them in a similar spot we ended up in with Dalman retiring but at a more critical position.  They will likely use their first pick on a LT.  

https://lionswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2026/03/06/detroit-lions-injury-analysis-taylor-decker/88896657007/

https://lionswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2026/03/05/detroit-lions-jedrick-wills-free-agency-visit/89005932007/

[ASHKUM BEAR]

1 hour ago, AZ54 said:

That’s because it was weak.  The new OC was demoted and removed from play calling which was taken over by the HC.   I’m not the best at sorting out offensive play calling but there were a couple Detroit games where I couldn’t figure out what Campbell was trying to do on offense.  Reminded me of Nagy where he was just calling something for the sake of calling it not because of anything he saw from the D that would give the play a chance to succeed.   There is still a lot of talent there on offense and a good NFL QB is going to keep things “productive”.     Since I don’t follow them closely I scanned some stats from last year and they fell back to middle of the pack in rushing while we improved to top 5.  Passing they were still top 5.   

Regardless of where he ends up, Decker leaving them at least puts them in a similar spot we ended up in with Dalman retiring but at a more critical position.  They will likely use their first pick on a LT.  

https://lionswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2026/03/06/detroit-lions-injury-analysis-taylor-decker/88896657007/

https://lionswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2026/03/05/detroit-lions-jedrick-wills-free-agency-visit/89005932007/

I think with all the oline retiring too it makes it hard to stay. Over the last 2 years they lost 3 out of 4, does he want to be the last man standing. 

[Stinger226]

I saw where GB extended their center at 11 mil a year. He was 40th out of 40 in pass blocking grade.  5 penalties and 2 sacks with 27 hurries in 887 snaps.

Poles got a great deal with Bradbury at 5.7 mil.

[Stinger226]

We finally signed another player, Daniel Hardy is coming back on a 2 yr deal.

[AZ54]

Good agent getting out in front of the “nobody wants him” news. 
 

https://www.profootballrumors.com/2026/03/qb-kyler-murray-could-be-patient-in-free-agency#ref=home

[Stinger226]

Other than signing our own free agents, I don't see a lot of movement until the second wave kicks in. That's going to make some fans unhappy.

[Stinger226]

Demarco Jackson has been resigned. 7.5 mil with incentives up to 10.5 mil. 2 years. I assume they bring in a rookie to compete. May not be a top pick.

 

[adam]

2 hours ago, Stinger226 said:

Demarco Jackson has been resigned. 7.5 mil with incentives up to 10.5 mil. 2 years. I assume they bring in a rookie to compete. May not be a top pick.

 

He played very solidly and is a DA guy. Also, a 2-yr deal for a max of $10M has minimal impact on the cap. 

[adam]

So the Packers gave up:

- 2025 1st Rd Pick

- 2026 1st Rd Pick

- Kenny Clark

- Rashan Gary

 

For: - Micah Parsons (who is now coming off an ACL tear) and a 2027 4th Rd Pick

[BearFan2000]

Linderbaum is off the table.  To the Raiders.  3 years - 81 mil

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/48154652/sources-raiders-tyler-linderbaum-reach-3-year-81m-deal

 

[Stinger226]

We were never in the running for the top C with the contracts they signed. 27 mil, 13 mil and 11 mil. Which makes it sound like a great deal at 5.7 for a starting center. It left us more money for the LB and S. 

 

[BearFan PHX]

Linderbaum is a serious stud. Maybe the best center I've ever seen, but $27M a year is a LOT.

I'd have been in on a 4 year $80M deal, even that high hes worth it, but we cant outbid a team like the raiders who have lots of cap to spend, and want to give a rookie QB a real chance.

[Stinger226]

For the 27 mil a year, we got Bush, Bryant, Galimore and Bradbury. Like you said we just didn't have the cap space to compete for Tyler.

[Stinger226]

I just saw where Bush Cap hit will only be 1.5 mil this year, if that pundits post is correct.

[AZ54]

Meanwhile in Detroit

 

https://www.profootballrumors.com/2026/03/lions-to-sign-ol-larry-borom#ref=home

[Stinger226]

We didn't get the comp pick. The list is out. 

[BearFan PHX]

For what it's worth, Rich Eisen and others are reporting that we DID offer two firsts for Crosby, but the Raven's two firsts were better.

I don't think we can assume that the Bears werent interested in signing Crosby or Linderbaum, but they had a price they wouldnt exceed and the market beat them.

[adam]

34 minutes ago, Stinger226 said:

We didn't get the comp pick. The list is out. 

Damn Courtney Cronin, she just lost any remaining respect I had for her. I don't know why, out of the blue she had to start mentioning that she would bet that the Bears will get comp picks, when no one else in the league or media did or said anything that would lead you to that conclusion. 

[adam]

Decker just officially got released. That move makes too much sense given his knowledge of the offense and Ben Johnson. 

If they can get Decker for a reasonable price, while Center got cheaper, that would be great.

[AZ54]

8 minutes ago, BearFan PHX said:

For what it's worth, Rich Eisen and others are reporting that we DID offer two firsts for Crosby, but the Raven's two firsts were better.

I don't think we can assume that the Bears werent interested in signing Crosby or Linderbaum, but they had a price they wouldnt exceed and the market beat them.

I’m glad we lost out.