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Lions show interested in Chargers RB Michael Turner
BY NICHOLAS J. COTSONIKA • FREEP PRESS SPORTS WRITER • March 1, 2008
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The Lions appear interested in Michael Turner, considered the top running back in free agency, although it was unclear Friday whether they would have a real shot at signing him. Turner was visiting Atlanta.
Coach Rod Marinelli indicated Wednesday the Lions want to add talent at running back. The Lions want to run more now that Jim Colletto has replaced Mike Martz as offensive coordinator. And T.J. Duckett and Tatum Bell are free agents drawing interest from other teams -- Duckett from Seattle, Bell from Dallas.
Still, it was surprising when the NFL Network and the San Diego Union-Tribune reported the Lions were interested in Turner, considering Marinelli said the team wouldn't pursue bank-breakers. No free agents visited Friday, and no visits were scheduled for the weekend.
"I think it's easy to get headlines in March, but the ones that you're really shooting for are the ones in January and February, and that comes by building your team the right way," executive vice president Tom Lewand said Wednesday. "I think it's been shown in a lot of cases around the NFL that while guys you sign early in free agency can help, it's a very difficult market to navigate."
Turner has backed up San Diego's LaDainian Tomlinson.
Other running backs are available, such as Chris Brown, who visited the Lions last year, and Michael Pittman, who played for Marinelli's former team, Tampa Bay. Brown's agent, Ryan Morgan, wrote in an e-mail Friday that there had been some contact with the Lions but he had no update.
"We are working on a number of other opportunities right now," Morgan wrote.
BY NICHOLAS J. COTSONIKA • FREEP PRESS SPORTS WRITER • March 1, 2008
Read Comments(13)Recommend Print this page E-mail this article
Share this article: Del.Nor.us Facebook Digg Reddit Newsvine What’s dat?
The Lions appear interested in Michael Turner, considered the top running back in free agency, although it was unclear Friday whether they would have a real shot at signing him. Turner was visiting Atlanta.
Coach Rod Marinelli indicated Wednesday the Lions want to add talent at running back. The Lions want to run more now that Jim Colletto has replaced Mike Martz as offensive coordinator. And T.J. Duckett and Tatum Bell are free agents drawing interest from other teams -- Duckett from Seattle, Bell from Dallas.
Still, it was surprising when the NFL Network and the San Diego Union-Tribune reported the Lions were interested in Turner, considering Marinelli said the team wouldn't pursue bank-breakers. No free agents visited Friday, and no visits were scheduled for the weekend.
"I think it's easy to get headlines in March, but the ones that you're really shooting for are the ones in January and February, and that comes by building your team the right way," executive vice president Tom Lewand said Wednesday. "I think it's been shown in a lot of cases around the NFL that while guys you sign early in free agency can help, it's a very difficult market to navigate."
Turner has backed up San Diego's LaDainian Tomlinson.
Other running backs are available, such as Chris Brown, who visited the Lions last year, and Michael Pittman, who played for Marinelli's former team, Tampa Bay. Brown's agent, Ryan Morgan, wrote in an e-mail Friday that there had been some contact with the Lions but he had no update.
"We are working on a number of other opportunities right now," Morgan wrote.
