Lions Gab

Newly acquired WR Dennis Northcutt is excited to be playing up North again. After a stint with the Jaguars, Northcutt was moved to the Lions last week in a deal that will see him likely be the number three wide out for the Lions in the 2009 season.

Some would think that coming to the Lions would be like a punishment since they were 0-16 last season, but as far as Northcutt is concerned, he’s excited about the opportunity to play and make a statement that he’s got game left in his veteran body.

“I’m excited,” Northcutt told the Detroit Free Press. “I feel like the Lions went out and won the Super Bowl last year, for real. I’m just excited about playing this game for a team that wants me and came out and got me.”

The early indications is that Northcutt will play as the three WR behind starters Calvin Johnson and Bryant Johnson. Some reports have him playing the slot wide out, a position Northcutt says he has no problem playing for the Lions.

“I think that’s one of the biggest reasons they brought me in was to get in the slot,” Northcutt said. “Obviously that’s my biggest strength. That’s has been my biggest strength through my nine years of playing in the NFL is working the slot. That’s where I’ve made my money basically.”

The Lions hope that he’ll earn his money with a big 2009 for a club that needs all the confidence they can get trying to get back to being even a competitive bunch again.

Ricky Sandoval, the Lions team’s director of security, died Thursday morning at Harper University Hospital in Detroit after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer that lasted more than three years. He turned 49 on June 30th and is survived by his loving wife, Gael.

Shortly after Sandoval was diagnosed in May of 2006, he and Gael formed “Team Sandoval,” a support group consisting of family, the Lions organization and his many friends and associates throughout the National Football League who also knew Sandoval from his days working with the San Francisco 49ers and with Contemporary Services Corporation (CSC), a company that once provided security services at Super Bowls for the NFL.

Gael chronicled Ricky’s fight and provided regular updates on their journey through www.rickysvictory.com, the official blog of Ricky & Gael Sandoval and Team Sandoval.

As a dedicated member of the organization, Sandoval touched virtually every person and every aspect of the team’s operations. He was hired as director of security in June of 2001, and for the past eight seasons he managed the team’s security operations. Sandoval handled all team security at the Lions Headquarters and Training Facility in Allen Park, along with team security detail during road trips. During his time with the team, he served as the team’s liaison with local, state and federal law enforcement and public authorities.
A graduate of Arizona State University and a southern California native, he and Gael lived in Royal Oak, Mich.

Funeral arrangements are pending.

If your a Lions fan that loves the food at Ford Field, this year there’s a treat in store for you, as the team has added all-you-can-eat seats according to the Detroit News:

The Lions announced an all-you-can-eat section at Ford Field this season. The Lions did a survey a few weeks ago asking fans if adding a grub section might lure them to more games. The response was positive, so the Lions have set aside 5,500 seats at Ford Field where fans get all the hot dogs, bratwurst, chips, cheese nachos and soft drinks they can handle.

New WR Dennis Northcutt will be asked to play the slot in the Lions 09 offense according to today’s Detroit Free Press:

Lions WR Dennis Northcutt, listed at 5-foot-11, 172 pounds, is expected to play in the slot between Calvin Johnson and Bryant Johnson, though he said he can play anywhere. “I think that’s one of the biggest reasons they brought me in was to get in the slot,” Northcutt said. “Obviously that’s my biggest strength. That’s has been my biggest strength through my nine years of playing in the NFL is working the slot. That’s where I’ve made my money basically. But I have been able to play outside.”

Booth Newspapers reports today that Ernie Sims will be asked to play more of a role in the teams new D under Jim Schwartz:

Under the new regime, Ernie Sims will be asked to play more of the role that he played at Florida State, trusting his instincts and flying to the ball. Sims was drafted ninth overall by the Lions in 2006 to be the “next Derrick Brooks” but many will tell you - including Lions head coach Jim Schwartz - that Brooks had a unique skill set to fill that weakside position in that scheme.

Every Tampa Two defense in the league is looking for the “next Derrick Brooks.” It will be interesting to see how Sims adapts to the new run defense - he’s undersized, but he’s a huge hitter who doesn’t shy away from taking on guards.

New Lions OL Jon Jansen continues to settle in with his new team, and so far he’s happy with what he’s seen from the new coaching staff and thinks that the team is for sure on the same page, an important aspect that has been missing with the Lions.

“I will say that they are doing things in a way that I think will be successful for us,” Jansen said in the Detroit Free Press. “I know coming from a guy who’s trying to make the team, trying to compete, that probably sounds like I’m kissing ass. But I think they’ve stressed to the guys what they want, and they’ve done it in such a way that guys are doing it willingly.

“I think if you can make guys make the right decision and they do it on their own, it really shows that one, there’s good leadership at the top and two, there’s good leadership amongst the players and a sense of urgency, and guys understand they need to get better.”

Jansen spoke at length about how the players have been around, and how they are getting into what is happening with the new coaching staff.

“Everybody’s been a part of everything that’s going on,” said Jansen. “I think when you see that coming in as late as I did, it really shows the dedication that these guys have made and also the stress that the coaches put on it to be here and allow guys to make that decision.”

MLive.com reports that the Lions new O-linemen Jon Jansen says he’s happy playing anywhere on the teams O-line this fall:

Jansen is with the Detroit Lions and he’s looking to land a job. He doesn’t care where it is — right or left tackle, either guard position and, surprisingly, center. “Yeah, we’re going to take a look at him there,” Lions coach Jim Schwartz said. “I want to make myself as marketable as possible,” Jansen said. “You’ve got to play all five spots if you’re going to be a backup.” - “Right now, I’m just trying to get the playbook down, but I anticipate getting reps at just about ever spot on the line,” Jansen said. “If I can be the right tackle, that’s great. If I can be the center or left guard or right guard, I just want to be on the field. And I want to be part of a quality line.”

The Jacksonville Jaguars have traded wide receiver Dennis Northcutt to the Detroit Lions in exchange for safety Gerald Alexander, according to John Clayton who covers the NFL for ESPN.

Northcutt was informed during the week he was going to be traded. The Lions showed interest but didn’t want to give up a draft choice. Once they talked to the Jaguars, the Lions decided to offer Alexander in a straight player-for-player deal.

The trade was agreed to on Friday and is expected to be finalized next week. The irony of the trade is that Northcutt and Alexander are represented by the same agent, Jerome Stanley, who was surprised to find out Alexander was involved in the trade.

Northcutt was the most productive remaining wide receiver on the Jaguars. Northcutt caught 44 passes for 545 yards last season in Jacksonville.

The 31-year-old Northcutt will be joining his third team. He has previously been with the Cleveland Browns and Jaguars.

Alexander, 24, is entering his third season. He started 16 games in 2007 but only started one game last season.

William Clay Ford Sr said that in the past, he had relied on others to make some of those decisions for him. That information was revealed when Ford was asked why fans should believe the Lions will be different now.

“Well, this is going to sound a little egotistical, and maybe it is, but because this was solely my decision, rather than being influenced by a lot of other thoughts and people who — I respected their opinions — but they were not exactly the same as mine, which is fine. But they influenced the decisions that were finally made. If Jim Schwartz doesn’t work out, you can blame me 100 percent. I just have confidence in him,” Ford said.

When it came to hiring the coach, Ford said he already had decided it would be Schwartz, but also got the input from Martin Mayhew and Tom Lewand. All three agreed it should be Schwartz — a consensus rarely reached in recent years.

“It wasn’t … not bicker, but arguments that we might have had in the past — if that’s the right word. Maybe it’s a little strong, but it was a difference of opinion that we’d had in the past. This was 100 percent from everybody,” Ford said. “Long before I had given my opinion, I asked for their thoughts and I happened to agree with all of them. And anybody who agrees with you is a genius.”

Ford was hesitant to say he would have overruled Mayhew and Lewand if they had wanted another head coach, but Ford appeared adamant about who would get the job.

“We would’ve had a long discussion,” said Ford, adding he was determined to make his own calls this time around. “I suppose in the back of mind, yeah. Because we’d gone wrong in the past and some of the hirings and firings I wasn’t too crazy about.”

What asked about the hirings of former coaches Steve Mariucci and Rod Marinelli, Ford said, “I guess you could say that, yeah. I didn’t know their backgrounds particularly and, again, I relied on Matt (Millen) and others for their opinions. The decision wasn’t mine. I’m not saying I was against it.”

Ford also replied as to how he has taken the personal criticism because of the Lions’ failures on the field for all the years that he he has owned the team.

“By and large, you pay attention to it,” he said. “If there’s a noticeable decline in attendance and the comments are not favorable, you pay attention to it. As I’ve said, the fans are the ones we want to please out here. Especially now with Detroit in the shape it’s in, we’ve got to try twice as hard to give them their money’s worth. Money is tough to come by for all of them, I understand that. The least we can do is put on a good performance for them, and I think we will. I certainly hope we will.”

Ford said he doesn’t worry about his legacy, and he knows that he is ultimately responsible for the teams failures and he very much wants to win.

“I want it, I can promise you that,” Ford said. “Starting with Jim and on out, as far as my livelihood goes, I’m going to shoulder the responsibility for any mistakes we made. I don’t mean every play or stuff like that, but if things go sour and the fans turn against us, I’ve got nobody to blame but me, and I’m aware of that. That’s a nice challenge to have. I’m going to try to keep them happy in bad times.”

The Lions today inked center Dominic Raiola to a four-year contract extension, keeping him with the club through 2013. The deal includes $20 million in new money, with $9 million guaranteed. The center said Thursday that he never thought about playing out the last year of his deal and moving on.

“There’s so much I put into this,” Raiola said. “I think it’d be like quitting. This place is worse now than when I came in. I definitely want to be a part of when this thing is turned around.” He was drafted by the Lions in the second round of the 2001 season.

“I’ve seen pretty much every other sports franchise win in this city, and there’s nothing more that I want for the city than to see this team win,” Raiola said. “This city’s special to me. It’s hard times right now, and I’ve been through a lot with the fans. I think that’s just because I’ve been here for so long. I’m excited to try to change that view on the Lions.”

Raiola is a leader on the team, and at 6-foot-1, 295-pounds he is a bit undersized, but still is a solid player at the center position. “He’s got great leverage,” coach Jim Schwartz said. “He’s got great balance. He’s a good athlete. And the center position, you don’t need a giant to play center. Center’s one of the positions that you can get by with a smaller guy.”