The current structure of the NFL often results in teams with lesser records hosting playoff games, because every division champion is guaranteed one of the top four spots on the conference’s playoff tree. That sparks periodic complaints, when wild-card teams with better records than division champions must play on the road in the postseason.
The Lions, who would have faced that outcome if they’d lose a Week 18 game against the Vikings, have proposed a change to that approach.
The suggestion is a simple one. The seedings for each conference would be determined by record, without regard to whether any team won its division.
Division champions would still get in. They would no longer be guaranteed a home game, and their spot on the playoff tree would be determined relative to the records of the other playoff teams in the conference.
Despite the legitimate gripes regarding the fairness of the current approach, there’s never been any real sense that teams will support a change to the rule. As it stands, each team has a one-in-four chance every year to host a playoff game.
Of course, given that the conference has sixteen teams and four teams land with the top four seeds, there’s still a 25-percent chance each year of being one of the teams that will host a playoff game.
Still, it will take plenty of work for the Lions to get at least 23 other teams to agree. The league generally believes there should be extra meaning to winning a division. Guaranteeing a home game provides it.
The 2025 rules proposals are out. And the Lions have offered a potential rule change for which there had been no advance buzz.
Detroit wants the automatic first down to be eliminated from the rules against defensive holding and illegal contact.
Currently, such fouls against eligible receivers result in a five-yard penalty and an automatic first down. The change would make it a simple five-yard foul, like offside or encroachment. It result in a first down only if the penalty yardage moves the ball past the line to gain.
The reason given for the proposal is this: “Competitive equity. Current penalty enforcement is too punitive for the defense.”
There’s currently no reason to think the proposed change will generate sufficient support to pass. Ultimately, 24 or more teams would have to vote for the change.
Quarterback is back.
After a one-year hiatus, driven by the fact that the producers couldn’t find anyone to do it, the Netflix Quarterback series will return for 2025.
Netflix announced the move on Wednesday, with a trailer featuring the three subjects of the show: Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, Lions quarterback Jared Goff, and Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins.
Last year, the effort pivoted to a quintet of pass catchers, and it was dubbed Receiver.
The 2025 show will undoubtedly chronicle the trio of quarterbacks’ respective 2024 seasons, only one of which culminated in a playoff berth. And since the show won’t be landing until July, there’s a chance the storylines will trickle into the offseason — with Burrow pushing the Bengals to quit being so cheap with other players and with Cousins trying to finagle an exit from Atlanta.
Other obvious topics for consideration will be the December robbery of Burrow’s home by a group (allegedly) of Chilean nationals, the benching of Cousins for Michael Penix, Jr., and the failure of the Lions to get beyond the divisional round of the playoffs despite sky-high expectations.
The Lions re-signed a couple of their free agents on Tuesday.
The team announced that they have agreed to new deals with running back Craig Reynolds and defensive lineman Pat O’Connor.
Reynolds spent time with Washington, Jacksonville, and Atlanta before landing with the Lions in 2021. He played in 14 games in 2021 and 2022, but has played in every game over the last two seasons.
Reynolds has 150 carries for 650 yards and a touchdown to go with 24 catches for 255 yards during his time in Detroit. He has also been a regular on special teams.
O’Connor had 18 tackles and a sack in 12 games for the Lions last season. He appeared in 68 games for the Buccaneers over his first six seasons.
The Lions will be holding onto tight end Shane Zylstra.
Zylstra’s agents announced that he has agreed to terms on a new deal with the reigning NFC North champs. No terms of the deal were included in the announcement.
Zylstra signed to the Lions’ practice squad in 2021 and played in four games as a rookie. He made 13 appearances in 2022, missed 2023 with an injury and returned to play in 12 games last year. He has 15 catches for 116 yards and a touchdown over his entire NFL career.
Sam LaPorta, Brock Wright, and Kenny Yeboah are the other tight ends in Detroit.
The Lions have re-signed one of their own free agents.
Detroit announced on Monday that the club has brought back linebacker Mitchell Agude.
Agude, 26, was set to become an exclusive rights free agent, but he was not tendered by the Lions. Nevertheless, he is now set to be back with the club for 2025.
Agude entered the league as an undrafted free agent with the Dolphins in 2023. But after he was waived in August, he signed with Detroit’s practice squad in September of that year.
He stuck with the club through training camp of 2024, signing with the practice squad after roster cuts in August. With Detroit dealing with several injuries at linebacker, he was signed to the 53-man roster late in the year and appeared in four games — mainly on special teams. He finished with three total tackles and a forced fumble in 55 special teams snaps and 40 defensive snaps.
The Vikings may be adding a former first-round pick to their defense.
Cornerback Jeff Okudah is visiting with Minnesota on Monday, the team announced.
Okudah, 26, was the Lions’ No. 3 overall pick in 2020 but his career has been plagued by injuries.
After spending 2023 with the Falcons, he signed a one-year deal with Houston last offseason. But a quad injury limited him to appearing in just six games with his snaps mostly limited to special teams. He recorded nine total tackles with one pass defensed in 2024.
In 44 games with 31 starts for the Lions, Falcons, and Texans, Okudah has registered 14 passes defensed and two interceptions.
Earlier this week, the 49ers had lost 11 of their 22 starters from Super Bowl LVIII. That number is back down to 10.
Fullback Kyle Juszczyk has returned, with a two-year deal.
Per a source with knowledge of the terms, the contract has $7 million fully guaranteed. It includes an annual $250,000 annual Pro Bowl incentive as part of the $8 million total package. He’s made it every year since 2016. He’ll likely continue the streak. Primarily since few can name many/any other NFC fullbacks.
He ultimately took a relatively small pay cut but emerged with two guaranteed years.
The 49ers made that move at a time when the Steelers were, we’re told, hot on his trail. The Raiders and Lions also had interest, but it came down to Pittsburgh or San Francisco. In the end, the 49ers came through.
The Lions have agreed to terms with tight end Kenny Yeboah on a one-year deal, Dave Birkett of the Free Press reports.
Yeboah, 26, joins a tight ends room with Sam LaPorta, Brock Wright and Shane Zylstra.
Yeboah spent the past four seasons with the Jets, appearing in 33 games with two starts. He saw action on 309 offensive snaps and 610 on special teams.
He has nine catches for 111 yards and a touchdown and 11 special teams tackles.
In 2024, Yeboah played nine games with one start and had career bests with five catches for 47 yards and a touchdown.
Detroit’s receiving corps will remain intact in 2025.
The Lions announced today that wide receiver Tim Patrick has signed a new contract.
Patrick has had an up-and-down career. He was plagued by injuries in college, went undrafted, and was cut three times in the NFL before he ever played in a regular-season game.
But once he caught on with the Broncos he established himself as a solid receiver -- until the injury bug bit him again and he missed the entire 2022 season with a torn ACL and the entire 2023 season with a torn Achilles. The Broncos cut him in 2024, but the Lions picked him up and he eventually emerged as their third receiver last year.
After thriving in Detroit while coming back from his injuries, Patrick wanted to stay with the Lions and even posted on social media at the start of free agency that the Lions were the only team he wanted to play for. Now he’ll get to do that for another season.
