Around the NFC North: A Rookie Signs, Rodgers Still Waiting, Lions Making Moves, More

Jul 21, 2018

Happy first day of practice! Let’s check out what is happening elsewhere around the division.

Randall Cobb was excused from June OTAs, but it appears he was nursing an ankle injury and was seen wearing a walking boot. But Cobb is out of the boot and will be back for training camp. “I will be involved in training camp when training camp comes around,” Cobb told Chris Roth of WBAY.com. Cobb has had a few down years in a row here but is still young – he doesn’t turn 28 until August. And while he hasn’t had a 1,000-yard season since 2014, Cobb is still one of the league’s premier slot receivers … which still leaves him as a threat.

As for the guy throwing Cobb passes, there’s nothing new to report. A source tells Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio that “no meaningful progress has been made” between the two sides regarding a contract extension. Rumors have swirled regarding a potential new deal for the two-time NFL MVP throughout the offseason. Derek Carr, Matthew Stafford, Jimmy Garoppolo, Kirk Cousins, and Matt Ryan have since lapped Rodgers in the contract department even though none of those aforementioned signal callers can hold a candle to Rodgers’ career accomplishments. If I were Rodgers, I’d be a bit steamed about being passed by the likes of Carr, Cousins, Garoppolo, and Stafford – none of whom have ever won a playoff game. But that’s just me.

Forget signing a franchise quarterback to an extension, I didn’t know you were even allowed to sign first-round picks:

Another first-round contract done: the #Vikings have an agreement in principle with top pick Mike Hughes, source said. Hughes had a productive spring and will be in training camp on time to compete for nickel and punt return duties. Rookies report Tuesday.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) July 19, 2018

There’s a ton of Lions-related news, so try and keep up. For starters, team president Rod Wood said the team is looking at the possibility of retro-fitting Ford Field with a retractable roof as the stadium looks to attract a Major League Soccer club. The Lions’ home field would probably have to ditch its hybrid turf for natural grass, which is what MLS teams prefer. Detroit football has been played indoors for as long as I can remember and seeing them on natural grass with an open roof would be a jarring look.

From the field to the broadcast booth, the Lions have parted ways with long-time radio voice Jim Brandstatter. He shared a statement on Twitter reflecting on his time with the team:

A quick heads up guys. This morning, WJR let me know they were going a different direction and terminated me from their Lions broadcasts. I had a great run of 31 years. I can’t thank Lion fans enough for spending time with me on all those Sundays. #ILoveDetroit #OnePride
— Jim Brandstatter (@jimbrandstatter) July 10, 2018

Detroit has since replaced Brandstatter with Lomas Brown, an 18-year veteran who played 11 years with the Lions – including six straight Pro Bowl seasons from 1990-95.

ESPN introduced its new Monday Night Football crew featuring Joe Tessitore, Jason Witten, Booger McFarland, and Lisa Salters earlier in the year, but having a doubleheader means you’re going to need two broadcast crews. The network announced that Beth Mowins, Brian Griese, and Laura Rutledge will call the early game of the twin-bill that will feature the Lions and Jets.

In other news regarding the World Wide Leader, Andrew Marchand of the New York Post reports ESPN has hired ex-Lions quarterback Dan Orlovsky as an analyst. Orlovsky has carved out a niche breaking down quarterbacks, so we’re looking forward to checking out his work as soon as we can get our hands on it. And it’s not just because he seems to think highly of Mitch Trubisky.

written by

Luis C. Medina

Luis C. Medina, who you can find on Twitter at lcm1986, has been covering the Chicago Bears at Bleacher Nation since 2017. Since then, he has written about 3 head coaches, 5 play-callers, and 11 starting quarterbacks. Previously, Luis wrote about the Cubs and MLB at BN (2015-16) and worked in the Chicago Tribune sports department (2011-16). He also co-hosted a Cubs postgame show, Outside the Ivy, in 2019.

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