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One thing you can count on with the Detroit Lions is that they are never, ever boring. Follow the latest news including injuries, roster moves and more here daily from Oakland Press beat writer Paula Pasche. Plus you'll find regular commentary about the team.

3/14/2009

Schwartz at OSU pro day; Redding on the block?

Lions coach Jim Schwartz was among the NFL personnel at Ohio State's pro day Friday. Schwartz told several news outlets he was impressed with running back Beanie Wells, who clocked 40-yard dashes in the 4.39- to 4.42-second range. The Lions, however, aren't interested in a first-round running back. Instead, they were there to keep tabs on linebackers James Laurinaitis and Marcus Freeman, and defensive backs Malcolm Jenkins and Donald Washington.

According to reports, Freeman had an excellent workout Friday, running 40 times between 4.5 and 4.55 seconds. He ran a 4.74 at the combine (seventh among linebackers) and benched 225 pounds 30 times (best at his position).

Laurinaitis, a distinct possibility at No. 20, ran 40s in the 4.7s and told The Columbus Dispatch he was pleased with his performance in the agility drills.

"I think there's a misnomer that playing in the Big Ten, you don't have to play in space," he said. "But half the Big Ten is spread teams now, so it's just exciting to be in space, have (coaches) challenge you to see what you can do."

Jenkins, the top cornerback prospect in the draft, has not posted blazing 40 times and some project him at safety in the NFL. Still, it's unlikely he slips to the Lions at 20.

Update: The Lions may also be in the market for another defensive tackle if the Cory Redding-to-the-Seahawks rumors are true. According to ProFootballTalk.com, the Lions are on the verge of trading their defensive tackle to Seattle for an unspecificed return, perhaps including Julian Peterson, who the website reports is expected to be released.

Redding has a cap number of $5.383 million this year ($3.3 million in actual salary) and the Lions have plenty of room to take the hit. Hopefully, any trade would net the Lions an additional draft pick somewhere. There are no notable free-agent defensive tackles on the market and the Lions have plenty of other holes to fill.

Redding, incidentally, is due a $250,000 workout bonus this offseason so if the Lions are in trade discussions there might be incentive to get a deal done before the team's offseason program starts Monday.

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4 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Alex Marvez over at Fox Sports is reporting that a 5th Rd pick is involved, but the way he wrote the article, he made it sound like the Lions are giving up the pick, rather than the Seahawks. That doesn't make sense to me.

1:00 PM 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Yes, it's Redding plus the Lions' 2009 5th-round pick for Peterson.

1:14 PM 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I like this trade big time. Redding was too expensive and too small. Schwartz wants some big guys and I think Redding would be better of as a DE than a DT anyway. We do have to fill his spot with another DT though which will probably have to come though the draft. finally a decent LB though, even though his contract is outrageous as well

1:58 PM 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

JAMES L over REY any day.

3:12 PM 

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