No deal, no Johnson
Wide receiver Calvin Johnson won't be on the field when the Lions begin training camp practices this morning.
The Lions have not reached a deal with the second overall pick in this year's draft, though they reached deals with their three second-round picks Wednesday and wrapped up a renegotiation with
Coach Rod Marinelli said chief operating officer Tom Lewand felt there was a chance to reach a deal with Calvin Johnson "in the next three days or something like that."
Lewand said it would be silly to make predictions but that deals typically got done as camps opened around the NFL.
"We continue to have discussions and trade proposals," Lewand said. "We're going to keep working at it until we get it done."
Calvin Johnson's agent, Bus Cook, did not respond to messages.
The Lions reached four-year deals with each of their second-round picks: quarterback Drew Stanton, defensive lineman Ikaika Alama-Francis and safety Gerald Alexander. Stanton and Alama-Francis signed; Alexander was on his way to Detroit to sign.
Woody has lost a significant amount of weight and his new contract is lighter on the salary cap. Lewand declined to give details.
"I just know the kind of player he can be," Marinelli said. "We all do. I think he's done a heck of a job in the off-season. I believe when you work that hard and get yourself in shape, you start playing better because you're committed to something."
Marinelli said three or four players probably would start camp on the physically unable to perform list, but he wouldn't announce them until this morning.
Running back Kevin Jones (foot) is expected to be on the list. Defensive tackle Shaun Rogers (shoulder, knee) is a candidate.
Asked about Rogers' conditioning, Marinelli said, "We've got some work to do still. He's had a good off-season in working at it, but I want to make sure he's looked at with the trainers first and the strength coaches and all those things. ... He's a guy that I want to make sure is right."
The Lions released defensive end Bill Swancutt, a sixth-round pick in 2005, who spent last season on injured reserve with a knee problem.
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