Detroit
Lions

Lions Team Report

Updated: February 11, 2012 02:12 EST

President Tom Lewand sounded an optimistic tone during Super Bowl week when discussing the re-signing of the team's vital free agents - defensive end Cliff Avril, middle linebacker Stephen Tulloch, cornerback Eric Wright and left tackle Jeff Backus.

He was equally upbeat about the chance of working out an extension for wide receiver Calvin Johnson, whose rookie contract expires after the 2012 season.

But he also offered this cautionary note: "There are only so many eggs in the basket."

In other words, not every free agent is going to get what he's looking for, so most likely not every free agent will be re-signed unless some agree to take less than they might get elsewhere. That's the nature of the business in a salary-cap world.

"All (talks) are at different stages and they all move at a different pace," Lewand said. "We have had discussions with Calvin. The challenges going forward are different than they were in the past. We want to keep the nucleus of the players we have together for as long as we can.

"But I will take the problems of trying to keep good players over the problems of trying to find good players."

The one question general manager Martin Mayhew has to answer is, which of the players can be reasonably expect to replace and which can't be replaced.

Avril, given the importance of pass rushing defensive lineman in the Lions' scheme, cannot be replaced. Willie Young and Lawrence Jackson are certainly capable defensive ends, but Avril is on the brink of stardom.

Tulloch cannot be replaced. Sure, they could move DeAndre Levy back to the middle, but then they are back where they were in 2010 - weaker in the middle and on the outside.

Backus cannot be replaced, at least not yet. The Lions' developmental left tackle - Jason Fox -- hasn't been able to develop because of injuries. It would probably cost the Lions as much to bring in another free-agent left tackle as it would cost to keep Backus for another year or two (or three).

Wright can probably be replaced. He had a bounce-back year, but it appeared he was more productive working in the slot than he was on the corner. The Lions have a couple of young corners - Aaron Berry and Alphonso Smith - who, despite some inconsistency, have shown they are capable of playing right cornerback.

If Wright is expected a huge pay day, he may have to find it elsewhere.

"Generally speaking, if we want to get a deal done and a player wants to get a deal done with us, it usually gets done," Lewand said. "Calvin, Cliff, Jeff and the others have said publicly they want to be here. They like where we're going. We've said we want them here and we are going to work as hard as we can to get deals done for all of them and fit them in the budget that all 32 teams face when it comes to the salary cap."

--Wide receiver Calvin Johnson's cap number for 2012 will be in excess of $21 million, which is why the Lions' are eager to work an extension. They won't put the franchise tag on him, either. His number for 2013 would be $25.2 million if they did and that's prohibitive. The Lions are going to have to make Johnson the highest paid non-quarterback in the league. It is possible the Lions will use the contract the Cardinals gave to Larry Fitzgerald in 2009 as a model. They signed him to a four-year deal worth $40 million, with $30 million guaranteed. That contract made Fitzgerald the highest paid receiver at the time and allowed him one more negotiation - which he parlayed into a seven-year extension averaging $16 million per year.

--The Lions have raised ticket prices for the first time since after the 2007 season. "It's a decision we don't take lightly," Lewand said. "But after a lot of consideration and hopefully intelligent thought, for us the focus was on the value proposition and the desire we have to provide a top-tier product in the NFL for a mid-level or below investment."

Season ticket prices will increase on average 7.9 percent for the 2012 season. The average ticket price is $72.04. Some 30,000 seats will increase only 4 to 5 percent. The Lions had the 28th lowest average ticket price last season. With the increase, they expect to remain well below the average -- 23rd or 24th. Twenty-two other teams in 2011 had an average ticket price above $75 and 22 teams also charge more than $100 for their best seats.

--Forbes Magazine has dubbed DT Ndamukong Suh as the fourth-most disliked athlete in America. He scored a 51 percent dislike rating in a Nielson, E-Poll Market Research survey. Only Michael Vick, Tiger Woods and Plaxico Burress were more disliked. "Suh has plunged from the NFL's most liked player to one of its least liked within a few months," the magazine wrote. "Who'd have thought stomping an opponent on national TV would be such a quick and harsh reputation killer."

--QB Matthew Stafford was named AP Comeback Player of the Year, an award he wasn't all too sure how to take. "Hopefully, I don't have a chance to win it ever again," he said. "I hope I am not coming back from anything." Stafford was good-natured but clearly he felt out of place at the NFL awards show. If he had his druthers, he would rather trade places with Tom Brady or Eli Manning. "Yeah, you want to be playing in the game and not be busy walking around radio row or the red carpet, that's for sure," he said. "But we took a good step forward this year and learned a lot about our team. Hopefully we can take that into next year and be better for it."

QUOTE TO NOTE: "We're close, but we have some steps to make. There are teams year in and year out that make it to the playoffs and don't go back for a couple more years. Hopefully we can avoid that. Hopefully we can be smart enough and tough enough to go out and make it back to the playoffs. From there, anything can happen." -- QB Matthew Stafford on how close the Lions are to reaching the Super Bowl.

Although general manager Martin Mayhew said after the season that he didn't think the defense needed to be retooled, the Lions clearly have more holes and concerns there than on the offensive side.

They presently have no cornerbacks on the roster signed beyond 2012. Although Chris Houston has emerged as a dependable left corner, he has dislocated the same shoulder two years in a row and there are concerns that the injury may be chronic.

There is a similar concern over the durability of FS Louis Delmas, who has battled injuries the last two seasons.

The Lions almost certainly will be looking to upgrade the secondary - be it through the draft or through trades.

At linebacker, the Lions have to first re-sign Tulloch and then determine if DeAndre Levy is what they are looking for on the outside, or if he would be better suited to be the fourth linebacker, shifting between the middle and outside.

Justin Durant, the other outside linebacker, has one year left on his contact.

MEDICAL WATCH

--LT Jeff Backus had surgery to repair a torn biceps. He is expected to be ready to participate in offseason workouts.

--RB Jahvid Best (concussion) has yet to be cleared to participate in football drills. He said after the season that he would continue conditioning, but not take any more concussion tests until the spring.

--RB Mikel Leshoure (Achilles tendon) is expected to be ready to participate in offseason workouts in April.