It's a week into free agency and the Lions have signed five players: cornerbacks Phillip Buchanon and Eric King, defensive tackle Grady Jackson, running back Maurice Morris and receiver Bryant Johnson. They've also swung a trade for cornerback Anthony Henry, re-signed offensive lineman Damion Cook and lost a couple of their own free agents in Moran Norris and Dan Orlovsky.

It's too early to pass out letter grades. The Lions still have a few moves to make and the draft is more important than any free agent they sign. But I've gotten a number of emails asking for my take on what's happened already, so here goes:

I like the Jackson signing. I know he's old (36) and won't play on passing downs, but you don't find good, young defensive tackles on the free-agent market. The Lions will be better against the run next year, and their defensive line isn't that bad overall (assuming Cliff Avril continues to develop and Cory Redding and Dewayne White stay healthy).

Buchanon got a two-year, $8.5-million deal according to reports, which seems about right for a soon-to-be 29-year-old corner who'll start for the Lions but wasn't considered top-of-the-market material. Jabari Greer's a better player and maybe Ron Bartell, too, but the Lions didn't want to pay Greer's asking price (he got four years, $23 million from the Saints) and I don't know how high they were on Bartell. Considering the dearth of good corners available in free agency (and the uncertainty of the draft class), I would have shelled out the extra money ($1.5 million per year) for the better player who's a year and a half younger and has more big-play ability. Buchanon's an upgrade, but the Lions could have done better.

I like the King addition better than most. I talked to someone familiar with Tennessee's personnel back in January and he said King is Jim Schwartz's type of player and he'd have a bigger role with most other NFL teams. He doesn't have a lot of wow factor, but he can play some nickel and should get a chance to contribute in the Lions' secondary.

On offense, the Morris signing was adept. The Lions needed a backup for Kevin Smith and Morris is the type of under-the-radar back capable of playing a bigger role if needed. It was curious that he was the first free agent signed this offseason, but the more I thought about it the more I liked it. The Lions don't need to be spending a valuable draft pick on a rookie who'll be Smith's backup. Getting Morris early was a smart move.

I'm not quite as high on Johnson. He'll be the No. 2 receiver in Detroit, but he's proven throughout his career he's not a No. 2 receiver. Sure, he's got better skills than Travis Taylor or John Standeford, and he could put up decent numbers next to Calvin Johnson, but receiver is still a hole in my opinion and Bryant Johnson won't help in the return game.

Bottom line is, the Lions aren't done shopping. They still need help at quarterback, left guard (or tackle), fullback and tight end on offense, and most pressingly at linebacker (middle and strong-side) and in the secondary (either corner or safety, depending on where Henry plays) on defense. There aren't a whole lot of starters out there, so I wouldn't expect many more impact signings in what so far has been a deliberate and blue-collar makeover of the team.

After failing to sign free-agent offensive linemen Derrick Dockery and Daniel Loper, the Lions turned to one of their own Thursday, re-signing guard Damion Cook.

Cook played in seven games and made four starts at left guard last year. The Lions will continue searching for competition at that position and could add a player in the draft, but Cook is at least a stop-gap measure who can play multiple positions.

Edwin Mulitalo, who shared the starting duties with Cook last year, was released last month.

General manager Martin Mayhew recently asked Jeff Backus about changing positions from left tackle to guard, a team source said. Backus, the same source said, is open to the idea.

It's not known whether the change will take place – Backus has started every game, 128 straight, at tackle since entering the league as a first-round draft pick in 2001 – but the fact that both sides are comfortable with the move gives the Lions more flexibility this offseason and might make it more likely they'll consider drafting an offensive lineman No. 1 overall.

Both Mayhew and new coach Jim Schwartz have expressed a desire to get bigger and more physical up front, and the Lions have a vacancy at guard after releasing Edwin Mulitalo last week. (Damion Cook, who shared the starting duties with Mulitalo last season, is scheduled to become a free agent.) The Lions return Backus, center Dominic Raiola plus the entire right side of a line (tackle Gosder Cherilus and guard Stephen Peterman) that allowed 52 sacks last year, second most in the league.

“Just because 4/5ths (of last year's starting linemen) are on the team right now doesn't mean that 4/5ths are going to be starting at the end of training camp when we go into next year,” Schwartz said Tuesday. “Like I said, those decisions haven't been made. It's way too premature to read too much into that. You want to have as many options open to you when you go into the season as you can. That includes experience, that includes guys that are familiar with the scheme and everything else.”

While most pre-combine draft projections have the Lions taking Georgia quarterback Matt Stafford with the first pick, three elite tackle prospects also are available in Alabama's Andre Smith, Baylor's Jason Smith and Virginia's Eugene Monroe. Last year, eight tackles went in the first round (including Cherilus) and the Dolphins took Michigan's Jake Long No. 1.

ESPN analyst Mel Kiper predicted last week that “by the eighth pick three offensive tackles are off the board” this year.

The Lions made their final two roster moves late Saturday, releasing tackle Jonathan Scott and placing running back/return man Aveion Cason on injured reserve with a badly sprained ankle. By placing Cason on IR and ending his season, the Lions enter next week with just two running backs, Kevin Smith and Tatum Bell, and no real return man. Fullback Jerome Felton also can carry the ball, but expect the Lions to explore their trade/free-agent options. In cutting Scott, they opted to keep Damion Cook as the final offensive lineman. Rookie seventh-round pick Landon Cohen also made the team as the 11th defensive lineman. Cohen earned a spot with a strong final preseason game.

Every day during training camp, Lions beat writer Dave Birkett takes you inside practice at Allen Park with notes, quotes and observations of interest.

• After three straight two-a-days, Lions coach Rod Marinelli gave players Thursday off except for a morning weight-lifting session. They'll return for one practice Friday and a walk-through Saturday leading up to Sunday's second preseason game at Cincinnati.

• During the afternoon special-teams period, quarterbacks Jon Kitna, Dan Orlovsky and Drew Stanton engaged in a spirited game of garbage-can toss. The quarterbacks took turns throwing balls at a garbage can resting inside another, on a 45-degree angle, 42 yards away. Orlovsky put a pass in the can on one of his first attempts, but lost to Kitna on points, 9-8. Passes that landed in the can were worth five points, passes that hit the can three. "At the beginning it was a point for hitting it and five points for putting it in," Orlovsky said. "I hit it, I put it in, so I'm up 5-0 and then Jon hits it and he's like, 'Hitting it's three points.' Figures. So that's how it plays out."

• One more quote from Orlovsky: "It's unbelievable how he weasels his way into things. He's in mid-life crises. He realizes it's winding down now."

• Kitna got another laugh in at the end of practice when he doused safety Dwight Smith with baby powder. Smith, who's already emerged as the vocal leader of the secondary, turned 30 on Wednesday.

• Injury update: Roy Williams was back taking part in team drills after sitting out 11-on-11 in the morning. Linebacker Gilbert Gardner said he's fine after suffering a concussion last week against the Giants and will play Sunday against the Bengals. Garder is playing both outside linebacker spots. Wednesday's second practice was in helmets only.

• Recently-signed offensive lineman Damion Cook has been taking reps at right tackle, with Gosder Cherilus on the left side. I covered Cherilus yesterday. Coaches want to dual-train him in case something happens to starting left tackle Jeff Backus during the season. As for Cook, they need to see if the eight-year veteran can play on the outside if necessary. Jonathan Scott is favored to win the third tackle spot, but Cook played under Lions offensive coordinator Jim Colletto for parts of three seasons from 2002-04.