Lions Sign ‘Massive’ 6-Foot-7 Lineman to Replace Injured Veteran
The Detroit Lions have called in some big help after losing a key reserve lineman.
The team announced that tackle Jamarco Jones was headed to injured reserve after suffering an ankle injury in practice prior to the season opener. Jones had beaten out Dan Skipper for the No. 3 tackle spot, but was lost before the season started and will not return this year.
The Lions have already found a replacement, signing a 6-foot-7 lineman on Tuesday.
Lions Forced to Make Changes on Offensive Line
Lions head coach Dan Campbell confirmed to reporters on Tuesday that Jones would not be able to return this season, dealing a serious blow to the team’s depth. The Lions replaced him by signing former Cincinnati Bengals tackle Devin Cochran, who had been released before the start of the season.
Bengals reporter John Sheeran told AtoZ Sports that Cochran showed promise in nine appearances last season, including one start. While he will not compete for a starting role on what is considered one of the league’s best offensive lines in Detroit, Cochran will provide some trusted depth, Sheeran added.
“He’s not going to be a reliable starter, but as an emergency option off the bench, you could find worse as a midseason addition,” he said.
Reporter Jeremy Reisman of SB Nation’s Pride of Detroit predicted that the “massive” Cochran would be a servicable option if they neded to call on a backup.
“[Cochran] was finally called up from the practice squad [last season] and made nine game appearances for the Bengals, including one start at left tackle,” Reisman wrote. “Additionally, he logged 83 snaps at right tackle as a mid-game fill-in over three games. Over 100 pass blocking snaps, PFF charged him with eight pressures allowed, one sack, and a 50.8 pass blocking grade. Per PFF, he was slightly more successful over 52 run blocking snaps, earning a 57.5 grade.”
The Lions also have Skipper on the practice squad, with the possibility of three elevations this year if needed.
Lions Struggled on Offense in Week 1 Loss
After going 15-2 and earning the top overall seed in the NFC last season, the Lions got off to a rough start in 2025 with a resounding loss to rival Green Bay Packers. The Lions managed just six points in five red-zone drives in the game before finally getting a garbage-time touchdown from Jared Goff to rookie Isaac TeSlaa.
Campbell said new offensive cooridinator John Morton did a good job with the game design, but said the team needed to execute better in the running game in order to win.
“I thought he did good. There are a couple things that he wants back, certainly,” Campbell said of Morton. “But we got to be able to master bread and butter before you get to all the other stuff. The other stuff won’t matter if we can’t find a way to run the football for more than 2.1 per carry. That’s where everything starts for us.
“If we can’t, you’re out of play-action, you’re out of everything. Guys pin their ears back, and it makes it harder on some of those guys up front. That’s where it all begins really.”
Yankees' MVP outfielder has one wish with next contract in free agency
New York Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger has enjoyed quite the career resurgence since signing with the team this past offseason.
He's not the same Bellinger that smacked 47 home runs and 115 runs batted in on his way to winning the 2019 NL MVP with the Dodgers, but he has been nothing short of an asset on a team that fields four former MVP players.
However, as the power-hitting lefty hits free agency after this season, he does have one requirement for wherever he lands, be it with the Yankees or elsewhere.
Bellinger Says He Wants to Play for a "Winner"
In an interview with MLB insider Jon Heyman, the former MVP was very clear about what he was looking for as he tests the waters of free agency.
"Bellinger told me the other day that he wants to play for a winner, that's his only prerequisite," Heyman said on MLB Network. "
"Bellinger has had a terrific year in the Bronx, in fact one Yankees person told me 'he's our best player,' " Heyman said. "That's obviously an exaggeration, but he has been really good in four spots. I do think he would stay in a big market, whether it's the Yankees, or the Mets would be a fit too."
The Yankees likely wouldn't want to see another power-hitting lefty jump ship to the other New York team after Juan Soto did the exact same thing last season, but with how loved Belli is in the Bronx, and especially with how well he's done, retaining him should be high on their to-do list, keeping him with Aaron Judge, Paul Goldschmidt, and Giancarlo Stanton.
And as you can guess, free agency decisions are far from the outfielder's mind.
“As cliche as it is, as cliche as it sounds, I don’t even want to think about it,” Bellinger said. “I don’t think about it because we have 40-some games left."
Bellinger is hitting .277 with 27 homers and 88 runs batted in through 133 games played in the 2025 season.
