Lions 2023 Free Agency

[Old Lion]

Report: Detroit Lions signing CB Cameron Sutton to 3-year deal

The Detroit Lions made a big splash in free agency by agreeing to terms with free agent cornerback Cameron Sutton.

www.prideofdetroit.com

As first reported by Ian Rapoport, the Lions have agreed to terms with former Steelers cornerback Cameron Sutton. Per Rapoport, it’s a three-year deal worth $33 million with $22.5 million guaranteed.

Per PFF, he allowed just 411 receiving yards last season, good for ninth among cornerbacks who played at least 400 coverage snaps last year.

Sutton is also capable of playing both inside and outside cornerback, but favors playing the outside, even though he’s slightly undersized (5-foot-11, 188 pounds).

Looks like they will be redoing all those mock drafts.

 

[Old Lion]

This just in. He will not be wearing number 20.

 

[Old Lion]

That said, some did think the Lions paid a little extra for Sutton. The contract projections at both PFF and Spotrac were well under his $11 million average per year. Some analysts took issue with the slight overpay:

BB_72: LOL. I believe both were predicting 9M per at 3-years. That 11M isn't that far off.

Me too but I am still glad to have him.

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

Looks like they will be redoing all those mock drafts.

BH will still draft a CB early which means in those first three picks.
Cam Sutton is merely a band-aid because, on paper, he's better than Chase Lucas, Jerry Jacobs and Jeff Okudah. Some fans are referring to Sutton as a CB1. He isn't except for being on this team. He's a temporary CB2 filling the role of a CB1 and that's it.

 

[Old Lion]

Cameron Sutton Draft and Combine Prospect Profile | NFL.com

• Praised by coaches for competitive character and selfless, team-first attitude

HEIGHT
5’ 11’’
WEIGHT
188 lbs
ARM
30’’
HAND
8 1/4’’

With those stubby arms and carny hands he had no choice but to play defense.

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

This just in. He will not be wearing number 20.

Barry isn't letting that go not even if Bijan ends up a Lion. IDK Bijan's CFB jersey # either.

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

@Mebert

T.J. Edwards Contract Details, Salary Cap Charges, Bonus Money, and Contract History | Over The Cap

T.J. Edwards contract and salary cap details, including signing bonus, guaranteed salary, dead money, roster bonuses, and contract history

overthecap.com

Damn that's an easy contract to get out of and quickly.

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

Cam Sutton contract

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

^^^^^^^

EFFING VOID years are getting ridiculous.

 

[Mebert]

^^^^^^^

EFFING VOID years are getting ridiculous.

It is the new way. Getting Sutton for a 3 million cap hit is a huge win.

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

It is the new way. Getting Sutton for a 3 million cap hit is a huge win.

I do get it, but I'm old and set in my ways. Moves like this came back to haunt the Eagles, Saints, Bucs and some other teams and now they're all hitting the reset button doing it again by re-structuring more veteran players.

It's me and not them. I hope they all fail in their quest to get to the playoffs. 49'ers are well on that way also.

 

[Mebert]

I do get it, but I'm old and set in my ways. Moves like this came back to haunt the Eagles, Saints, Bucs and some other teams and now they're all hitting the reset button doing it again by re-structuring more veteran players.

It's me and not them. I hope they all fail in their quest to get to the playoffs. 49'ers are well on that way also.

It is worth noting the 3 teams you mentioned all have relatively recent Super Bowl wins

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

LOL at the Browns and that P.O.S. as a human being.

 

[Mebert]

LOL at the Browns and that P.O.S. as a human being.

I am curious how they can restructure. Isn't it already 100% guaranteed?

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

It is worth noting the 3 teams you mentioned all have relatively recent Super Bowl wins

This is true but the Eagles won before all of their contract issues and so did the Bucs and this year they were re-structuring numerous contracts because of Brady. Saints did the same thing to keep Brees and he bailed after one year. Rams are either trading away players or releasing them and it's only beginning for them.

I surely hope BH is smarter than that.

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

I am curious how they can restructure. Isn't it already 100% guaranteed?

Easily. They can move Base Salary into a bonus which is spread out over x-years.

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

I am curious how they can restructure. Isn't it already 100% guaranteed?

Here's your answer.

To create the cap room, the Browns reduced Watson’s salary for the year to the minimum and turned $44.92 million into a signing bonus that will be prorated over the next five seasons with a void year included. The move will increase Watson’s cap charges from 2023 to 2026 by $8.984 million per season. That now leaves Watson with cap charges just under $64 million in each of those seasons. There will also be an $8.9 million charge in the void year.

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

Roster impact of the Lions re-signing LB Alex Anzalone

The Detroit Lions are bring back the quarterback of their defense in Alex Anzalone but does that mean their done adding to the linebacker position?

www.prideofdetroit.com

So, the Lions surely aren’t done adding depth and competition to the position, but it’s probably important to temper expectations. Don’t expect another big signing re-signing in free agency but adding a special teamer like Josh Woods or Chris Board could be in the cards.

Drafting a starting-level linebacker (Drew Sanders, Arkansas or Jack Campbell, Iowa) is also probably not realistic while adding a matchup athlete (Trenton Simpson, Clemson or DeMarvion Overshown, Texas) or depth on Day 3 (Anfernee Orji, Vanderbilt) capable of being a heavy special teams contributor is a more likely possibility.

Make no mistake, the Lions need depth, but the priority level is much lower than it was before Anzalone re-signed.

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

Cameron Sutton: What the Lions are getting in their new CB

Breaking down what the Lions are getting in free agent CB Cam Sutton and how it helps shape the Detroit secondary

lionswire.usatoday.com

He’s coming off his best season, and it’s a year where he spent more time playing outside than in the slot. Pro Football Focus charted him aligning outside on 655 snaps to just 185 in the slot. Two of his three worst coverage grades came in games (Week 2 vs. NE, Week 16 vs. LV) where he spent more time inside.

The Steelers played a lot of Cover-3 and Cover-1 zone, more than they did man coverage. Sutton worked better outside in zone partly because of his biggest weakness: tackling.

Sutton isn’t a big guy at 5-11 and a listed 188 pounds, and he doesn’t play with a lot of power. He will leave his feet early on tackle attempts at times, as well as aiming too high without the strength to make that work consistently. He’s more reliable at terminating pass plays when he gives up a completion than he is in run defense.

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

^^^^

Sutton will be playing more Cover-2 and Cover-1 man free in Detroit unless AG changes schemes.