Lions defensive coordinator Joe Barry stopped in the media room Monday and answered questions on new cornerback Leigh Bodden, the trade of Shaun Rogers and a few players on the Lions' free-agent radar. He also said the team "did everything humanly possible" to acquire linebacker Jonathan Vilma from the Jets.

Vilma met with the Lions last week and passed a physical, but in the end was traded to the New Orleans Saints for a conditional 2009 fourth-round draft pick. The pick could be a third-rounder depending on playing time. Barry said the Lions offered the same deal, but lost out in part because Vilma wanted to play closer to his home in Miami.

"Just so everyone knows, everything humanly possible to get that kid was exhausted," Barry said. "At the end of the day he chose to go to New Orleans and we wish him all the luck in the world. But Jonathan Vilma is an outstanding football player that we would have loved to have."

Last week, Vilma's agent Tony Fleming told The Oakland Press that Vilma enjoyed his visit to Detroit and left with a favorable impression of the organization. Barry said Vilma shared the same sentiments when they talked after the trade was completed.

"He said everything from the Detroit Lions was done to get him here," Barry said. "It didn't work out. And I mean from the other end of the hallway, Matt (Millen) and Tom (Lewand). Everybody in this building did an unbelievable job with getting him into the fold, getting him on a plane to Detroit so the recruiting process could start. It just didn't work out.

"I'm defending everyone involved here because I'm tired of everyone saying well, why wouldn't they go after Jonathan Vilma? We went full-bore after Jonathan Vilma, everybody in this building did, and it didn't work out."