SB Nation - Darnell Bing

Texans Sign Tutan Reyes & Darnell Bing

Mike Kerns — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 14:08:51 -0000

In a move to provide depth to a quickly diminishing position, Houston signed Tutan Reyes to their active roster yesterday. Darnell Bing was also signed to the practice squad after Buster Davis was released yet again.

Reyes, a 31 year old, 6-foot-3, 310-pound 10th-year pro, has played in the league for seven different teams since being drafted by New Orleans in 2000 out of Ole Miss. He isn't expected to start, but could easily step in if asked to. Rookie Antoine Caldwell and veteran Chris White are expected to battle for the vacancy left by the injuy to Mike Brisiel.

"Some of the terminology is pretty similar to what I've seen in the past in the league," Reyes said. "I'll learn the offense, get in there and provide depth. If they need me to step in there and play, that's what I'm here for."

Darnell Bing was a first-team All-American safety at USC in 2005. He moved to outside linebacker after being drafted by the Raiders in the fourth round in 2006. Bing played in four games with the Detroit Lions earlier this season, recording four special teams tackles and a fumble recovery, and was released on Oct. 6.

Tuesday Notes: Lions Activate Zack Follett, Waive Darnell Bing

Sean Yuille — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 03:57:12 -0000

The Lions have activated linebacker Zack Follett from the practice squad. Linebacker Darnell Bing was waived to make room on the roster for Follett, who is being added to the active roster mainly for his special teams skills. He flies down the field on special teams, and during the preseason he had quite a few tackles on kickoffs, so the hope is that adding him to the mix will improve a rather lackluster coverage unit.
Adam Jennings was placed on injured reserve yesterday, as the ankle injury he suffered against Chicago is season-ending. To fill the opening created on the roster, the Lions claimed safety Marvin White, formerly of the Dallas Cowboys and Cincinnati Bengals.
RB Jehuu Caulcrick (of Michigan State fame), OT Isaac Sowells, OG Kurt Quarterman, DE Robert Henderson, LB Vinny Ciurciu, DB Vernon Fox, and S Todd Johnson tried out for the Lions on Tuesday.
Even if Jim Schwartz had challenged Johnny Knox's kick return for a touchdown (it appears Knox threw the ball before he reached the end zone), the Bears still would have ended up with the ball. The original thought was that the play would have been a touchback since the ball ended up in the end zone, but since Knox threw it forward, it would have simply been an illegal forward pass. The penalty would have put the Bears on the 6-yard line at worst, so in hindsight it wasn't quite as big of a deal. Still, it pisses me off that FOX Sports cut off the replay and kept the Lions from seeing if the play was worth challenging. I personally didn't even notice what happened at the time, as I turned away from the TV around the time Knox crossed midfield. I knew it was a touchdown by then and didn't want to see the rest of the play, so I didn't even realize what had happened until someone pointed it out in a FanPost earlier today.
John Clayton thinks the Lions will rest Matthew Stafford for a couple weeks since the bye week isn't too far away.
Don't expect any coaches (I'm looking at you, Stan Kwan) to be fired in the middle of the season, as it doesn't sound like Jim Schwartz rolls like that.
Cliff Avril isn't 100% just yet, but his "hamstring is getting better."
Chuck Darby spent much of the three weeks in between stints with the Lions fishing.
I don't have much to say about the Tigers other than I can't believe they choked that game away. They had so many chances to win the game or pull away, only to blow all of them and let the Twins end it in the 12th inning. I'm also extremely pissed off at the umpire for not realizing Brandon Inge got hit, costing the Tigers a run, but Detroit didn't deserve to win. They choked away the entire season over the last few weeks, and really I think it's time for a change at manager. Sure, there are many problems with this team, from the hitting to the pitchers to the management, but this entire organization needs some changes, starting with replacing Jim Leyland.

Wednesday Notes: Lions Claim Orion Martin, Release Eric Fowler

Sean Yuille — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 08:18:20 -0000

Don't forget, individual tickets for Lions home games go on sale tomorrow morning.
The Lions claimed linebacker/defensive end Orion Martin on Tuesday. Martin was released by the Dolphins on Monday, and the Lions wasted little time in claiming him. With depth at linebacker getting a little thin thanks to Darnell Bing's injury, the Lions felt it was necessary to bring someone in to shore things up a bit. Martin is an undrafted rookie from Virginia Tech.
To make room on the roster for Martin, the Lions released Eric Fowler. With a trio of Lions receiver returning to practice earlier this week, it's not too surprising that Fowler was released. I would have rather seen Keary Colbert get released, but it's not like Fowler was doing anything special. I'm sure he will be back at some point anyways. It seems like he is always getting signed and released by the Lions.
Brandon Pettigrew was back in practice on Monday, though it was in a limited fashion. Regardless, it's good that he has returned. There is a chance he could play against Indianapolis, though I imagine things would have to go perfect for him the rest of this week for that to happen.
Anthony Henry missed the morning session of practice yesterday, and fellow cornerback Phillip Buchanon only participated in individual activities.
Aveion Cason missed practice again, as did Allen Ervin, who just stopped wearing his protective boot.
While the Lions did add a running back to the team earlier this week, they may not be done with that position just yet. If injuries continue to pile up, undrafted rookie Tyrell Fenroy, who visited the Lions on Monday, could join the team. Fenroy went to Louisiana-Lafayette and was briefly on the Bears following the draft.
Although receiver turned kicker Dane Looker didn't miss a single field goal during yesterday's practice, the Lions are going to host a few free agent kickers for a visit today. Everyone was impressed with what Looker did, but the Lions probably want him to stay focused on being a receiver. Plus, the Lions need to have a kicker ready to go just in case Jason Hanson isn't able to return when the regular season begins. Swayze Waters hasn't looked bad or anything, but Detroit has to make sure he isn't injured on a regular basis with Hanson's status in question. Considering that, a backup backup plan may be necessary.
Aaron Brown is spending time in practice working on his pass-blocking.
With T.J. Duckett becoming a free agent, there has been some talk about the Lions bringing him back. Duckett is a good player for short-yardage situations, but I'm happy with Jerome Felton.
As if Daniel Bullocks wasn't having a rough enough time as it is, news broke yesterday that he may have been a victim of a Ponzi scheme.
Former Lion Dick LeBeau is a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame's 2010 class.

Monday Notes: Training Camp Countdown Nearing Single Digits

Sean Yuille — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 17:20:51 -0000

Training camp is less than two weeks away. Part of me is a little sad about that fact since summer is going by so quickly and my time of relaxing is coming to a close, but another part of me is pumped that football is almost here and there will actually be stuff to write about every single day.
Jon Jansen, who is quite knowledgeable about the business side of the NFL, doesn't think there will be a strike in 2011. His reasoning for that belief is that when it comes down to it, both players and owners enjoy making money too much to let a strike happen. If there was a work stoppage, nobody would make money, and in the end no one wants it to come to that.
Despite being a raw player that needs time to develop, Tom Kowalski thinks that a lack of depth could force Sammie Hill into substantial playing time early in the season.
Darnell Bing is finally feeling comfortable at linebacker. Bing was a safety at USC but moved to linebacker with the Raiders. Early in his career with the Raiders he suffered a neck injury that proved to be a big obstacle. Since then, he has moved around to a few different teams, with the Lions being his latest one. Only now is he fully adjusted to being a linebacker, which gives him hope that he can make the team this coming season.
The FanHouse's Chris Burke wrote an excellent article about why comparing Matthew Stafford to former Georgia quarterback David Greene as a way of warning what Stafford's career could be like should things go wrong (as the AJC's Jeff Schultz did) is just ridiculous.
Barry Sanders Jr. isn't necessarily a fan of the Lions (he likes the Redskins), but he supports them.

Recent Draft History: Oakland Raiders

Jeremy Bolander — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 20:00:11 -0000

2008 Draft:

1 (4) Darren McFadden, RB STARTER

No one doubts his talent, but better backs have faltered with fewer problems. McFadden spent he season never quite getting on track with various injuries, including the dreaded turftoe, which is the bane of speedsters everywhere. He will likely benefit from the new coaching regime in Oakland, and is a huge part of helping QB Russell develop.

4 (100) Tyvon Branch, CB STARTER

Multiple injuries put the kid on reserve, but in his short time starting, he made Michael Huff expendable. A key component going forward.

4 (125) Arman Shields, WR Backup

After missing most of offseason practices with a bum knee, he was finally IRed and missed the entire season. He'll get a chance to prove himself all over again in 09.

6 (169) Trevor Scott, DE Backup

As a rotational starter this late pick showed the kind of workethic that could elevate him to a star. WIth 5 sacks in only limited reps he looks to be a key piece moving forward, but his slight frame and lower weight than ideal for the position may cap his ceiling at exceptional backup, or roleplayer.

7 (226) Chaz Schilens, WR Backup

Another solid late round pick, injuries hampered him, but whne he was given opportunities, this big WR managed to make Russell's life a lot easier. A big third down target, Schilens could have a possession role for the rest of his career and thrive.

2007 Draft:

1 (1) JaMarcus Russel, QB STARTER

While his development may not be going at ludicrous speed, lost in all of that he is still the youngest QB in the league, who was drafted on upside. With his arm, he has the ability to get out of any predicament, but he still needs to get the nuances of NFL QBing under his belt. Development, development, development is the word with Russell. he can't be asked to dumb his game down with dink and dunk Flacco-style playcalling, or he will never see his full potential. The Raiders knew they would have some growing pains with this QB, and more important than laboring over every little flaw in his game, is the addressing of the offensive line to give him the opportunity to continue to grow.

2 (38) Zach Miller, TE STARTER

By far the most potent and consistent weapon on the offense, Miller will only get better as the team upgrades around him. Tough, no-nonsense, and a willing and capable blocker make Miller one fo the top finds for Oakland in this draft.

3 (68) Quentin Moses, DE Backup/Miami

Moses made no impact for Oakland, and was shipped out before the 2008 season. In Miami he has been injured and deactivated.

3 (91) Mario Henderson, OT STARTER

Henderson has been a huge part of Russell's development, and looks to continue to be so. With his ability to shift to RT, it will give the Raider's plenty of options in the draft.

3 (99) Johnnie Lee higgins, WR STARTER

One of the few Raiders WRs who isn't mired in personal problems, Higgins is their most legitimate threat at the position. He is better served in the #2 role however, so the Raiders will be hoping someone else steps up and allows Higgins to slip back into a less central role.

4 (100) Michael Bush, RB Backup

After failing to be activated in his rookie year, his development was even further delayed under oustered coach, Kiffin. When he can get into a game, he tends to have a dramatic effect, and his bruising style should be jsut what the 2009 Raiders are looking for. He has the potential to be a "breakout" player, just from being used consistently and correctly.

4 (110) John Bowie, CB Backup

After playing the role of weekly inactive his first season, his second season was over before it started with a trip to IR. Bowie will be retained for depth reason, but should be jettisonned once the team clears the high water mark in this rebuilding phase.

5 (138) Jay Richardson, DE Backup

Richardson has stepped in adequately the last two years in the event o fiinjury, and has a good, teamfirst attitude. he will likely serve a depth role for a while with Oakland, and has just enough potential to not be written off in the future as a player who could deliver some impact.

5 (165) Eric Frampton, S backup/Vikings

After failing to turn heads in Oakland, the Vikings poached Frampton and struggled to get him on teh field, deactivating him initally for depth reasons,a nd eventually for injury reasons. his future looks pretty uncertain.

6 (175) Oren O'neal, FB Backup

After an inconsistent rookie year, injuries reared again in 2008 and cost him the whole season. His rehab has been reported as going well, and he expects to be ready for 2009.

7 Jonathan Holland, WR Backup

After being waived with an injury settlement as a rookie, Holland was brought back to the practice squad in 08, and eventually promoted to teh active roster. He will be in the mix for reliable receiver depth in the 09 training camp.

2006 Draft:

1 (7) Michael Huff, S STARTER

Though the team was expected to let Huff go, the loss of Wilson in FA forced their hand. This highly touted prospect is essentially down to his last chance. If he fails to improve by leaps and bounds in his fourth year, there is no chance he even makes it through the whole season.

2 (38) Thomas Howard, LB STARTER

Howard has developed into a young stud, and has prompted comparisons to all time greats at the position. He is definitely an anchor that the team can rely on, and is a devestating force in the middle. 2008 seemed to expose some flaws in his coverage, but he will probably rebound from that in 09, along with the rest of the defense.

3 (69) Paul McQuistan, G backup

With Jake Grove leaving in free agency, the interior of the line should see some shifting to go along witht eh shifting on the ends. McQuistan is one of the bigger more powerful guards, but he will have a tough battle with icumbent Cooper Carlisle, who has done a good job and held his own.

4 (101) Darnell Bing, LB Backup/Detroit

After failing at LB in oakland, the 49ers picked him up and tried hima t safety, followed by an experiment witht he Jets, and finally an inactive roster spot on the Lions.

7 (214) Chris Morris, C Backup

Morris has amounted to little more than safe depth at the center position. As a value at #3, it is unlikely that the Raiders will part with him anytime soon, especially with the loss of a free agent C.

7 (255) Larry McMahan, WR Out of NFL

McMahan disappeared sometime during the 2006 training camp,a nd was never seen nor heard froma again...

Lions Place Alex Lewis on IR, Sign Darnell Bing

Sean Yuille — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 06:53:37 -0000

The Lions placed linebacker Alex Lewis on the injured reserve earlier this week, ending his season. Lewis suffered a torn pectoral muscle against the Buccaneers when he attempted to tackle Cadillac Williams. Though the injury didn't look good, Lewis hoped to come back for the final games of the season. Instead he is headed to the IR.

To fill the void at linebacker, the Lions signed Darnell Bing from the practice squad. Bing is in his third season out of USC, where he played safety. The Oakland Raiders drafted him and converted him to linebacker, although they switched him back to safety prior to the 2007 season. Bing went on the IR himself before the 2006 season due to a neck injury and was released by the Raiders in July of 2007. After his release, he went on to play for the 49ers and Jets before coming to Detroit this past August.

In another roster move, the Lions signed defensive end Rudolph Hardie to the practice squad. Hardie was with the team up until the final round of roster cuts this past summer. After the Lions cut him, he was on the practice roster of the CFL's Saskatchewan Roughriders for two days. Following that short stint, he was signed to the Packers' practice squad before being released twelve days later.

Lions Release 20, Place 2 on IR to Trim Roster to 53 Players

Sean Yuille — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 00:39:01 -0000

The Lions announced their 53-man roster today after releasing 20 players and placing 2 on the injured reserve. The two players placed on the IR were running backs Brian Calhoun and Aveion Cason. With both Calhoun and Cason done for the year, you would have thought that Artose Pinner would make the team, but he didn't. That means the Lions will carry only two running backs going into the regular season.

Here is the full list of the players released today by Detroit:

QB Drew Henson
RB Artose Pinner
WR Ron Bellamy
WR Devale Ellis
WR Brandon Middleton
WR Kenneth Moore
WR John Standeford
TE Clark Harris
OT Jonathan Scott
OG Frank Davis
OG Corey Hulsey
DE Victor DeGrate
DE Rudolph Hardie
LB Darnell Bing
LB Buster Davis
LB Leon Joe
CB Dovonte Edwards
CB Kiwaukee Thomas
S Greg Blue
S LaMarcus Hicks

I'll post a full analysis of what all of this means tomorrow.