Potential rules changes: It was reported by the NFL Network Wednesday night at the Combine in Indianapolis that the NFL is considering changing overtime rules in the regular season to the playoff format where each team has a chance to possess the ball even if a touchdown is scored on the opening possession. Among other changes, which will have to be voted on at next month's league meetings in Florida, is a plan to use a virtual measuring system to determine first downs — the same system tennis uses to determine if a ball is in or out of bounds.
Rodeo tight end: Apparently, Michigan tight end Colston Loveland is a huge fan of the rodeo. He was also asked what he wanted to do when his football career is over one day and said he'd like to buy some land and some cows. Loveland grew up on a farm in Bliss, Idaho.
Salary cap news: The NFL and NFLPA have agreed to a 2025 salary cap of $279.2 million per club, per the league office. It will be a record high. The cap was $255.4 million last season. The Lions are currently listed by overthecap.com as having roughly $51.8 million in cap space, the 10th most in the NFL.
Alabama reunion: Safety Malachi Moore from Alabama said he talks to former college teammates and current Lions defensive backs Brian Branch and Terrion Arnold weekly for advice leading up to the Combine and the NFL Draft process as a whole. Moore said if it worked out, he'd love to join Branch and Arnold in Detroit.
"It would be great to play with my guys. Terrion and BB on the defensive side of the ball. We already have that great chemistry. We come from the same lineage in college football and playing under coach (Nick) Saban. We are like-minded. We still brothers to this day and our relationship is great."
Ball production: Notre Dame's Xavier Watts is an intriguing prospect and considered one of the best safety prospects in this draft. There's one thing that definitely stands out about his game that NFL personnel and coaching staffs are going to love — his ball skills. Watts had six interceptions and 10 passes defended this past season to go on top of seven interceptions in 2023.
Unique weapon: The defensive linemen begin on-field drills Thursday at the Combine and Ole Miss defensive tackle JJ Pegues will take part alongside his fellow defensive linemen. Pegues also moonlighted as a fullback in college. The former tight end plans to do defensive drills, fullback drills and tight end drills at 6-foot-2 and 323 pounds. He said the thing that sets him apart from other prospects, except maybe Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter, is his ability to play on both sides of the ball.
Following in a friend's footsteps: Luke Lachey is hoping to be the next great Iowa tight end to have a productive NFL career. Iowa's produced a lot of them recently from George Kittle to T.J. Hockenson to Detroit's Sam LaPorta. It turns out Lachey and LaPorta are really close friends.
"On the field he's a great leader, obviously you see that in Detroit now," he said of LaPorta. "He's a great player who goes out there and does a great job every game. Off the field, he's a goofy guy and we like spending time together."
Special performer: Darien Porter is trying to become an NFL cornerback having started at the position only one season. The 6-foot-2, 197-pound corner switched from receiver in 2022. He's got elite athletic traits and is expected to run a really fast 40-yard dash. Special teams might be where he makes an immediate impact in the NFL. He said he blocked four punts, one field goal and was a double-digit tackler as a gunner. There is a place for players with that kind of special teams impact in the NFL.
Hunter use: It's still up in the air how Hunter will be used in the NFL. He told reporters Thursday he's done some interview sessions with teams down here at the Combine as a receiver and others as a defensive back: "They say nobody has ever done it the way I do it," Hunter said. "But I tell them I'm just different. I'm a different person."
