Jeff Backus

The Sports Xchange NFL Team Report - Detroit Lions - INSIDE SLANT First day on the job, first position drill during rookie mini-camp and Ziggy Ansah, the Lions' first round draft pick, jumped the snap count. Later he jumped offside again on the first...

The Sports Xchange NFL Team Report - Detroit Lions - INSIDE SLANT Defensive end Ziggy Ansah, the fifth overall pick in the 2013 draft, agreed to a four-year contract worth an estimated $19 million with the Detroit Lions. The Lions were able to sign...

The Sports Xchange NFL Team Report - Detroit Lions - INSIDE SLANT Cornerback Darius Slay, drafted by the Detroit Lions in the second round despite his history of injuries at Mississippi State, will miss rookie minicamp to recover from recent surgery...

The Sports Xchange NFL Team Report - Detroit Lions - INSIDE SLANT The Lions went into the draft with a very specific goal. "One of our goals coming in was to get bigger and to get more athletic, and I think we did that," general manager Martin Mayhew...

The Bears might have improved their pass protection in the NFL draft, but they might not have moved closer to winning the NFC North. The reason is each of their division rivals may have improved their pass rush. That's why the Bears' selection of Kyle...

ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) — The Detroit Lions used their penultimate pick in the NFL draft to select Alabama tight end Michael Williams. Detroit took the 6-5, 278-pound Williams with the fifth pick of Saturday's seventh round, the 211 overall. The...

The Sports Xchange NFL Team Report - Detroit Lions - INSIDE SLANT The Lions might have preferred one of the can't-miss left tackles to still be on the board when they picked at No. 5 Thursday? They might have preferred to trade down a few notches and...

The Sports Xchange NFL Team Report - Detroit Lions - INSIDE SLANT The Lions are in an almost no-lose situation. With the fifth pick in the draft they are in position to land one of three top-tier offensive tackles, one of two top-tier defensive ends or,...

COYOTES-RED WINGS Red Wings beat Coyotes 4-0 in push for playoffs DETROIT (AP) — Johan Franzen scored twice and Jimmy Howard had 34 saves to help the Detroit Red Wings beat the Phoenix Coyotes 4-0 Monday night to get two desperately needed...

DETROIT (AP) — Johan Franzen scored twice and Jimmy Howard had 34 saves last night to help the Detroit Red Wings beat the Phoenix Coyotes 4-0. Damien Brunner and Valtteri Filppula also had goals for the Red Wings, who moved within a point of eighth-...

ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) — Detroit Lions general manager Martin Mayhew is declining to discuss the franchise's needs and how they might affect who he chooses with the No. 5 pick. The Lions, though, clearly require help at offensive tackle and...

So Manti T'eo goes in the first round, but USC's Matt Barkley doesn't? With less than three weeks to go before the NFL draft, that's a distinct possibility. The Times projects four safeties, two guards and the controversial Notre Dame linebacker to go...