Roster

The Lions drafted three cornerbacks and three linebackers in April's draft, all of them with picks in Round 3 or later. The three cornerbacks are Louisiana-Lafayette's Dwight Bentley, Albion's Chris Greenwood and New Mexico State's Jonte Green. The linebackers are Oklahoma's Ronnell Lewis (who might play some defensive end), Temple's Tahir Whitehead and Oklahoma's Travis Lewis. Bentley's a tough, physical cornerback who might compete for a roster spot while Greenwood and Green's speed should help them land some work on special teams. Ronnell Lewis will definitely work on special teams and might move into a role as a pass rusher for the Lions as a defensive lineman while Travis Lewis is a tackling machine. Whitehead has good skills and can work in pass coverage as an outside linebacker.

Lions DE Willie Young picked up a sack in the Week 5 Monday night win over the Bears. Young recorded a sack for the second consecutive game as he finished with three tackles as well.

The Detroit Free-Press reports that Lions backup QB Shaun Hill would like to return to Detroit in 2012. The Lions have told Hill, his representatives and others that they want him back as the primary backup to Matthew Stafford. Hill also wants to return to Detroit -- and might even take a slight discount to do so. The 32-year-old appeared in two games last year and attempted just three passes, but he made 10 starts in 2010, when Stafford missed 13 games with two separated throwing shoulders.

Detroit DB Alphonso Smith registered a season-high eight tackles, including seven solo stops, and an interception during the Lions' 45-41 loss at Green Bay in Week 17. Smith picked off Packers QB Matt Flynn for his third interception of the season.

Lions RB Stefan Logan was able to return in Week 5 against the Bears after leaving with an undisclosed injury in the first quarter. Logan was injured on a rushing attempt in the third quarter and left the contest briefly. However, he was able to return to the contest shortly, and finished with 6 yards rushing on one carry.

Notable cuts out of Carolina on Saturday include: WR Darvin Adams, CB Kendric Burney, DE Ugo Chinasa, FB Tony Fiammetta, DB Michael Greco, DT Nick Hayden, DT Corvey Irvin, CB Chevis Jackson, K Adi Kunalic, WR Charly Martin, CB Robert McCain, DT DelJuan Robinson, TE Greg Smith, DE Malcolm Tatum, RB josh Vaughan, LB Sean Ware, WR Jamorris Warren and LB Lawrence Wilson.

Lions running back Jahvid Best will be cleared to participate in his first football-related activity since Week 6 of the 2011 season when Detroit holds a minicamp in June. Best missed the last 10 games of last season after suffering two concussions between August and October. "(Best's) doctors felt like it just made sense to (clear him for football activities) in June," general manager Martin Mayhew told WJR-AM. "It gives him the most time (to prepare for training camp)."

Concussion - Probable for start of 2012 training camp

Lions coach Jim Schwartz didn't give an update on when receiver Titus Young would be welcomed back to the team after reportedly punching teammate Louis Delmas when Delmas wasn't looking. The Lions say Young isn't suspended, just told not to come to their workouts, according to MLive.com.

The Lions drafted three cornerbacks and three linebackers in April's draft, all of them with picks in Round 3 or later. The three cornerbacks are Louisiana-Lafayette's Dwight Bentley, Albion's Chris Greenwood and New Mexico State's Jonte Green. The linebackers are Oklahoma's Ronnell Lewis (who might play some defensive end), Temple's Tahir Whitehead and Oklahoma's Travis Lewis. Bentley's a tough, physical cornerback who might compete for a roster spot while Greenwood and Green's speed should help them land some work on special teams. Ronnell Lewis will definitely work on special teams and might move into a role as a pass rusher for the Lions as a defensive lineman while Travis Lewis is a tackling machine. Whitehead has good skills and can work in pass coverage as an outside linebacker.

The Lions drafted three cornerbacks and three linebackers in April's draft, all of them with picks in Round 3 or later. The three cornerbacks are Louisiana-Lafayette's Dwight Bentley, Albion's Chris Greenwood and New Mexico State's Jonte Green. The linebackers are Oklahoma's Ronnell Lewis (who might play some defensive end), Temple's Tahir Whitehead and Oklahoma's Travis Lewis. Bentley's a tough, physical cornerback who might compete for a roster spot while Greenwood and Green's speed should help them land some work on special teams. Ronnell Lewis will definitely work on special teams and might move into a role as a pass rusher for the Lions as a defensive lineman while Travis Lewis is a tackling machine. Whitehead has good skills and can work in pass coverage as an outside linebacker.

The Broncos added WR Alric Arnett to their practice squad on Thursday.

The Lions signed defensive end Everette Brown on Thursday, adding another pass rusher to their rotation. Brown was a second-round pick by Carolina in 2009 and was signed by the Chargers in the middle of last season.

Lions TE Tony Scheffler was not much of a factor in Week 13 against the Saints. He caught just two passes for 41 yards in the 31-17 loss. He had a long reception of 36 and averaged 20.5 yards per grab. Scheffler was targeted four times in the defeat.

Detroit QB Matthew Stafford claimed the 2011 Associated Press NFL Comeback Player of the Year award after beating out six other players who received votes from a nationwide panel of 50 media members. Stafford fought through injuries his first two seasons, then threw for more than 5,000 yards in 2011 to lead Detroit to its first playoff berth in 12 years. He received 21 votes, six more than Cleveland LB D’Qwell Jackson. San Francisco QB Alex Smith finished third, followed by Carolina WR Steve Smith, Denver DL Elvis Dumervil, New England DL Andre Carter and Giants QB Eli Manning

Lions DB Aaron Berry left Week 14's game against the Vikings with a shoulder injury in the second quarter. He did not return to the game. Berry finished with one tackle on the afternoon.

Lions DL Kyle Vanden Bosch is in the game for the Lions in Week 16, after dealing with a neck issue in practice.

After getting arrested twice in a month this offseason on marijuana-related charges, the Detroit News speculates that Lions running back Mikel Leshoure will get suspended for two games for violating the NFL's policy on drugs. "It's over with," said Leshoure, who is working his way back from a torn Achilles that cost him his rookie season. "You live and you learn. You learn from your mistakes and you move on. That's what I am doing."

Achilles - Questionable for start of training camp

Cliff Avril was given the franchise tender by the Lions on Monday, all but ensuring he'll be back with the team in 2012. He's coming off a career-best year where he had 11 sacks, four passes defensed, his first career interception returned for a touchdown and six forced fumbles along with 36 total tackles.

The Lions drafted three cornerbacks and three linebackers in April's draft, all of them with picks in Round 3 or later. The three cornerbacks are Louisiana-Lafayette's Dwight Bentley, Albion's Chris Greenwood and New Mexico State's Jonte Green. The linebackers are Oklahoma's Ronnell Lewis (who might play some defensive end), Temple's Tahir Whitehead and Oklahoma's Travis Lewis. Bentley's a tough, physical cornerback who might compete for a roster spot while Greenwood and Green's speed should help them land some work on special teams. Ronnell Lewis will definitely work on special teams and might move into a role as a pass rusher for the Lions as a defensive lineman while Travis Lewis is a tackling machine. Whitehead has good skills and can work in pass coverage as an outside linebacker.

The 49ers cut down the roster by 26 on Saturday to get to the league-mandated 53 players on deadline. Among the casualties were WRs Ronald Johnson, Joe Hastings, Lance Long and Chris Hogan, CBs Phillip Adams, Phillip Davis, and Cory Nelms, LB Alex Joseph, TE Nate Lawrie, C Chase Beeler, QB McLeod Bethel-Thomspon, FB Jack Corcoran, DT Brian Bulcke, S Chris Maragos, RB Xavier Omon, TE Konrad Reuland, LB Monte Simmons, LB Kenny Rowe, NT Sealver Siliga, FS Curtis Taylor, and DB Anthony West.

The Lions drafted three cornerbacks and three linebackers in April's draft, all of them with picks in Round 3 or later. The three cornerbacks are Louisiana-Lafayette's Dwight Bentley, Albion's Chris Greenwood and New Mexico State's Jonte Green. The linebackers are Oklahoma's Ronnell Lewis (who might play some defensive end), Temple's Tahir Whitehead and Oklahoma's Travis Lewis. Bentley's a tough, physical cornerback who might compete for a roster spot while Greenwood and Green's speed should help them land some work on special teams. Ronnell Lewis will definitely work on special teams and might move into a role as a pass rusher for the Lions as a defensive lineman while Travis Lewis is a tackling machine. Whitehead has good skills and can work in pass coverage as an outside linebacker.

Lions WR Nate Burleson was targeted five times by Matthew Stafford on Saturday in Detroit's playoff game in New Orleans. Burleson caught four passes for 50 yards and also had one carry for 2 yards. The Lions would end up losing to the Saints, 45-28.

The Lions spent a fifth-round pick on Syracuse LB Doug Houge, adding depth to their linebacker corps. Hogue has decent speed and a knack for making plays behind the line (26.5 tackles for loss in 25 collegiate games). Linebackers coach Matt Burke believes Doug Hogue has the prototypical physical attributes to be a linebacker in Detroit's system. "(Hogue is) still a little bit raw," Burke said. "But that profile is exactly what we look for at that position. We feel that he can develop into a player for us."

With Kevin Smith (ankle) inactive and Maurice Morris out for part of the game with a chest injury, RB Keiland Williams was the Lions' primary running back for most of Week 14's win over the Vikings. Williams led the team with 12 carries, pounding out 43 rushing yards. He also made a pair of catches for an additional 17 yards.

The Detroit Lions signed DB Don Carey on Tuesday following a recent tryout. Carey was cut by Jacksonville prior to the start of the season.

The Texans placed LB Cheta Ozougwu and Terrence Toliver on injured reserve on Friday.

Undisclosed - IR. Out for the season

The Detroit Lions have re-signed defensive tackle Andre Fluellen to a one-year contract. Terms were not disclosed. Fluellen has played in 51 games over four seasons with the Lions. Detroit drafted him in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft and he started five games combined in his first two seasons. He has played in 29 the past two years as a backup. Fluellen has 46 career tackles.

Lions kicker Jason Hanson anticipates having competition for his job in training camp, and is ready for it. "I think the days of not having competition are over, because I'm old and they're probably always wondering when's the day when he falls to the ground," Hanson told the Detroit Free Press. "Not going to happen. And competition's good. Unless you're 30 of 31 (on field goals), then I don't think you get the freebie. But I feel like I can kick as well as anybody if I'm healthy. And I was, and I will be."

Lions defensive tackle Nick Fairley was arrested in Mobile, Alabama, on a second-degree marijuana possession, according to the Sun-Sentinel. It is a misdemeanor charge. Fairley had a sack and 15 total tackles last year.

Detroit DB Amari Spievey tallied 10 solo tackles in Week 13 versus New Orleans, which was the most on his team.

Detroit DL Sammie Lee Hill registered his first sack of the season in Week 13 against New Orleans. He finished the game with two solo tackles.

Cornerback Jacob Lacey agreed to terms with Detroit on Tuesday. Lacey, who started 10 games at left cornerback for Indy in 2011, was fourth on the team in tackles with 72 (48 solo) and had one interception. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Colts in 2009.

The Saints waived RB Joique Bell to make room for the return DE Will Smith, according to a league source.

Detroit LB DeAndre Levy made six solo tackles, three for losses, in Week 10 against Chicago. The Bears would win the game, 37-13.

Lions DL Lawrence Jackson tallied four solo tackles in Week 10 against the Bears. He also recorded a sack in the game, giving him 4 1/2 on the year.

Lions TE Brandon Pettigrew caught four passes for 49 yards on Saturday versus the Saints. He was targeted five times by Matthew Stafford, but failed to find the end zone in his team's 45-28 loss.

Detroit DL Corey Williams (shoulder) was active for the Week 13 game against the Chicago Bears. Williams has been on the injury report over the last few weeks with a shoulder injury but has not missed any time.

Lions DL Ndamukong Suh made his return from a two-game suspension in Week 15 and was relatively quiet for almost 60 minutes, until he blocked a potential game-tying 65-yard field goal attempt in the game’s waning moments to preserve a 28-27 Lions victory over the Raiders. He added just two tackles otherwise.

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports that the Cowboys made some roster moves on Wednesday, including the release of DE/LB Alex Daniels and DB Ross Weaver. Both players have been sidelined by ankle injuries.

The Lions drafted three cornerbacks and three linebackers in April's draft, all of them with picks in Round 3 or later. The three cornerbacks are Louisiana-Lafayette's Dwight Bentley, Albion's Chris Greenwood and New Mexico State's Jonte Green. The linebackers are Oklahoma's Ronnell Lewis (who might play some defensive end), Temple's Tahir Whitehead and Oklahoma's Travis Lewis. Bentley's a tough, physical cornerback who might compete for a roster spot while Greenwood and Green's speed should help them land some work on special teams. Ronnell Lewis will definitely work on special teams and might move into a role as a pass rusher for the Lions as a defensive lineman while Travis Lewis is a tackling machine. Whitehead has good skills and can work in pass coverage as an outside linebacker.

The AFC champion New England Patriots released four players a day after wrapping up their first winless preseason since 1990 with a 19-14 loss to the New York Giants. The cuts of tackle Steve Fifita, offensive lineman Jimmy Martin, cornerback Jeff Shoate and tight end Jonathan Stupar leave New England with 71 players before Saturday's deadline.

Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson was selected Wednesday to appear on the cover of Madden NFL '13, the popular video game, in a vote by fans. Johnson beat out Panthers quarterback Cam Newton by garnering 52 percent of the more than 651,000 votes in the competition between the playmakers. But with the honor comes what some believe is a curse: The majority of players who have appeared on the cover have seen a decline in stat production, usually due to injury. In the 14 years that the game has had players on the cover, only Larry Fitzgerald and Drew Brees have maintained quality stats, albeit not career-highs. Johnson, who just signed the richest deal for a wide receiver in NFL history, had a career-best 16-touchdown, 1,681-yard season in 2011. He also doesn't buy into the Madden curse. "No, not a big guy for curses," Johnson told the Detroit Free-Press earlier this offseason. "I don't even think about it."

As reported on Wednesday, Detroit will sign S John Wendling to a three-year, $2.75 million dollar contract, the Detroit News reports. Wendling featured at safety late in 2010 when injuries decimated the secondary. His true worth is on special teams, where he turned in a performance last season worthy of Pro Bowl alternate status.

Detroit LB Justin Durant posted a team-high tackles during the Lions' 45-41 loss to Green Bay in Week 17. Durant amassed 20 tackles over his final two games of the regular season to finish with 68 stops during his first season with Detroit.

The Lions listed the following players as inactive for Week 15 at Detroit: QB Matthew Stafford, DB Brian Witherspoon, Don Muhlbach, WR Eric Fowler, DL Turk McBride, DL Andre Fluellen.

Despite being listed as questionable for Week 17, Detroit DB Chris Houston (hand, knee) is active for Sunday's game at Green Bay. Houston suffered a broken finger on his left hand in last week's win over San Diego and wore a cast on his hand Wednesday.

The Bucs, along with most of the NFL, made their final cuts on Saturday before the deadline. Among the casualties were RB Armando Allen Jr., S Ahmad Black, QB Rudy Carpenter, QB Jonathan Crompton, WR Ed Gant, TE Daniel Hardy, S Dominique Harris, LB Brandon Heath, LB Simoni Lawrence, RB Mossis Madu, DE Alex Magee, TE Nathan Overbay, WR Maurice Price (Injury Settlement), TE Ryan Purvis, FB/LB Nick Reveiz, K Jacob Rogers, LB Derrell Smith and DT Al Woods.

Kevin Smith saved the Lions' run game for a few weeks in 2011, helping them throw off defenses expecting them to pass. In return, the Lions re-signed him to add depth to their run game for 2012. He agreed to a one-year deal. In seven games (four starts), Smith had 72 carries for 356 yards and four touchdowns plus 22 receptions for 179 yards and three scores.

The Lions re-signed tight end Will Heller on Thursday. He's considered a strong blocking tight end and plays some H-Back.

Lions rookie wide receiver Ryan Broyles, who is six months removed from surgery that repaired a torn ACL, participated in individual and position drills during the team's OTA on Monday. The official team website reports that while Broyles isn't close to 100 percent, he is running routes and catching passes. Broyles was the Lions' second-round pick in April's draft.

Knee - Questionable for start of training camp

Lions linebacker Stephen Tulloch said the knee tendinitis that will keep him out of OTA workouts until the end of May wouldn't have caused him to miss regular-season practices or games. Tulloch confirmed that he's received an injection to help the tendinitis heal, but he insists the condition will have no longterm effects. "The whole knee is structurally fine," Tulloch said. "(The tendinitis) is just one little spot. I just wanted to take precautions when it comes to (rehab), so I can give 100 percent during the regular season."

Knee - Probable for start of training camp

Detroit signed wide receiver Roy Hall to the practice squad. Hall was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the fifth round in 2007. He has spent time with both the Colts and New Orleans Saints.

Detroit promoted DB Ricardo Silva to the active roster on Tuesday to help bolster its injury-depleted secondary. Silva has spent the entire season on the Lions' practice squad.

The Bills released the following players: TE Derek Fine, WR Justin Jenkins, DE Jermaine McGhee, LB Ashlee Palmer, DE Marcus Smith and DB John Wendling.

The Lions made eight cuts on Monday to get their roster down to 82 players. The players cut were: WR Demario Ballard, RB Mike Bell, TE Richard Dickson (waived/injured), LB DeJuan Fulghum, WR Marcus Harris, DB Michael Johnson, K Dave Rayner and DT Montavious Stanley.

Lions DB Louis Delmas was listed as inactive for Week 14 against the Vikings. He will miss his second straight game with an MCL tear.

The Lions placed running back Jerome Harrison on the reserve/non-football illness list. Harrison had surgery in October for a brain tumor, which was discovered after the Lions attempted to trade him to the Eagles.

Illness - NFI. Out for the season

The Jaguars promoted LB Slade Norris to 53-man roster from their practice squad on Thursday. He replaces Jacob Cutrera (concussion).

Lions safety Erik Coleman had offseason knee surgery, the Detroit News reports. There is no word on the severity of the surgery or a timetable for recovery.

Knee - Questionable for start of training camp

The Lions released the following players Saturday: WR Dominique Barnes, DT Robert Callaway, LB Caleb Campbell, RB Matt Clapp, DE Keyunta Dawson, TE Joe Jon Finley, DB Aaron Francisco, WR Nate Hughes, RB Ian Johnson, DB Anthony Madison, DB Prince Miller, LB Cobrani Mixon DT Quinn Pitcock, DB Paul Pratt, TE Gijon Robinson, QB Zac Robinson, DB Ricardo Silva, WR Tim Toone, DB Nathan Vasher, WR Derrick Williams and DE Narada Williams.