Smooth Lions offseason hits serious turbulence with four player suspensions

Defensive back CJ Moore and wide receiver Quintez Cephus were cut by the organization following news of their indefinite suspensions. Wideouts Williams and Stanley Berryhill received six-game suspensions but were saved from losing their roster spots.

Per ESPN's Eric Woodyard, the Lions general manager Brad Holmes said, "These players exhibited decision making that is not consistent with our organizational values... We are disappointed in Stanley and Jameson and will work with both players to ensure they understand the severity of the violations and have clarity on the league rules going forward."

Things had been going too well for Detroit this offseason. The franchise has long dwelled near the bottom of the league but was trending in the right direction beginning with a surprisingly competitive 2022.

The Lions went 9-8 after going 17-46-2 from 2018-2021, fielding one of the league's best offenses. Per Oddschecker, Detroit (+155) is the favorite to win the NFC North, and those odds likely won't drift too much considering none of the four players were major contributors last season. 

Moore primarily played on the special teams unit. In 11 games, he had 12 tackles and one pass deflection. Cephus was placed on injured reserve on Oct. 8, ending his season after playing 51 offensive snaps and having two receptions for 15 yards. Berryhill played in four games but only six offensive snaps. He had more tackles (one) than receptions (zero).

The Williams loss hurts the most, but the team dodged major catastrophe with him only receiving a six-game suspension. Still, it's a hugely disappointing development for the 12th overall pick in last year's draft, who missed 11 games last season recovering from an ACL tear suffered during the 2022 College Football Playoff National Championship game.

After Calvin Ridley received a one-year suspension last offseason for gambling, there's no excuse for players to fail to understand how seriously the NFL takes the issue. We might wish the league handled other off-the-field transgressions with the same force, but the NFL has made it clear what its priorities are.

Detroit luckily has the draft next week to make up for some of its losses, and with two first-round picks, the capital to select players who can contribute right away. But for a team that had everything going right for it this offseason, these suspensions are a major unforced error. 

At this point, we should know that when it comes to the Lions, nothing is ever easy.