Jamaal is an ex-Lion. I have a couple fond memories but I’m a team first, player 2nd kind of fan. Just like Stafford is an ex-Lion. Some fond memories but now he’s the opponent, just like Jamaal.
I hope New Orleans & Rams suck, not because of Jamaal or Stafford, it’s because they are NFC opponents.
If Holmes gets asked about Williams contract comments i would defer or give a basic non-answer.
I’m not going into details of what was or wasn’t offered, cannot thank him enough for his efforts for the Lions the last two years. Jamaal is a tremendous person and player, we wish him all the best and thank him again for his efforts in Detroit.
Wouldn’t it be easier to just hope we’re Better ?
I’m glad it didn’t work out for Jamaal with the Lions. We’re a better team now. I’m excited to see what Monty can do. He does have the same limitation as Jamaal(top end speed), but offers more ability to make guys miss.
I don’t think DM is a bad player. He showed promise in a totally different offense with different players.
If I wasn’t in my feelings because our lions fans feel like they need to paint Jamaal like he’s a poor player and team mate , I’d embrace the signing more.
Lions still got to go play the games and can’t start season slow again. 0-2 1-4 1-7 historically those teams have extremely long odds to make playoffs though most of that data is from 16 game seasons and no extra wildcard spot.
I would have been happy if they had resigned Williams.
However, I’m happy with Montgomery as i do think he brings more to the table betweent he 20’s or the 10’s than Williams does.
I think both are leaders in the clubhouse from I saw with Williams in Detroit and what I have heard about Montgomery from friends that are diehard Bear fans.
Because there are two sides to every story and the Truth is generally somewhere in the middle.
For a team that has such a focus on communication, it sure seems like there was either a lack of communication or a miscalculation on one side or both.
Whatever. It’s done.
I’m with NFL Network on this one. It’s a head scratcher.
Who is Jamaals agent, anyway? I thought I read he had Rosenhaus? I swear that guy gets his jollies destroying non-darling teams.
Honestly, I don’t think there was anything unusual. Players get in the echo chamber just like fans and start to believe their press. “17 TDs”, “Heart of the team”, “Emotional Leader”, “Broke Barry’s Record.”
Quick show of hands, how many people here think Jamaal was a better runner than Barry?
Jamaal was just a solid back with a great personality. So, when he got a “just a solid back offer,” he was offended, but it was his market value and since GMs don’t talk about player’s contracts with players during the season (or after for that matter, they talk to agents) I can understand it.
No bad guys here, just emotional affection meeting market reality.
Cant wait around all week. Jamaal and his agent were part of the problem
Yeah, but there aren’t two sides here.
You’ve got Williams explicitly saying the Lions didn’t offer him as much as he thought he deserved, with the logical implication that it was no more than what he took with the Saints.
The Lions haven’t said anything, not that one would expect them to.
The other “side” is composed of concocted stories of what he was asking for, how he behaved, and what his agent did or did not do that are based on an unsubstantiated and contested report of what the Lions offered and a heap of supposition.
Unless one is predisposed too thinking all players are greedy, conniving assholes, it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.
The simplest explanation is that the Lions did offer Jamaal a deal far lower than his expectations.
It’s no stretch to think that Holmbell just didn’t place any premium on his personality, and even the most pro-Swaggy posters here (myself included) readily admit that his stats last season don’t reflect his actual talent level.
As others have pointed out, there have been comments from coaches about opportunities left on the field with the run game. The team could feel Jamaal is very limited, so it’s not mind-bending to envision a contract offer that reflected just that. 100% business.
Sure, it’s possible that the convoluted soap opera story is true, but I’m not sure why people are defaulting to that rather than the simpler, more logical explanation.
Did the Saints? I had Jamaal at 3 years 15m with 12m guaranteed.
Literally not one person I have seen had suggested this.
Also in todays nfl , some lions fans might say
Don’t pay Barry $X millions a year because running backs aren’t worth it
They stop producing at 28.
This whole post was great. I just don’t know why lions fans jump to these guys are bad guys , if business is just business. Jamaal was awesome for the fans and for the lions. More than I think any of us really expected or at least more than I expected. I needed it too after the BQMP years
I believe Jamaal said the Packers disrespected him also. He wears his emotions on his sleeve. The Lions started negotiations with Jamaal before FA began. They said they wanted him back. I am sure they made what they thought was a reasonable offer. He and/or his agent felt they could get more and the was worth it. I think that was a miscalculation based on his 17TD performance. Reality is that he was lucky to be playing on this team behind this line. ANYWHERE else and he does not have the same numbers. To his credit he was available all year long and ran hard on every play. But that does not earn him a premium contract. At 28 years old and a limited use back his market was set. His agent completely overplayed his hand. Brad Holmes is responsible for fielding the best team he can. Waiting longer for Jamaal put the team at risk of digressing rather than improving. Brad made the right decision. It had nothing to do with disrespecting Jamaal and I am sure the players on the team are familiar with the business side of things and don’t hold BH accountable. Wish J the best. We are a better team on the field with Montgomery. He gives us most of Jamall and Swith in one package.
99.9% of the human population would live in NOLA over Detroit 
Well count me in the .01%. Do not like NO at all.
This. Watching the fans who loved this guy now for multiple years jump on the F him train when it’s clear the Lions just wanted to upgrade the RB position is a clear reminder - fans root for laundry. They are inherently more interested in the best interests of the Ford Family than the players. We hear fans talk about players taking home town discounts and maybe we can get this guy for cheap. The NFL has done a phenomenal job making it so fans root for the owners instead of the players
I can truly see both sides….
I think 2 years and 8M would have been a fair offer.
I think 2 years and 9-10M with 5M guaranteed w/4-5M guaranteed would have been a generous offer that made sense both ways.
I think he was thinking about 3 years and 18M plus- or at least his agent was…. That’s how Buffalo and Cincy went from very interested to crickets???
8M guaranteed is on the high side of what I would have paid as he would have been expected to be the backup here. I would have loved Swaggy and Bijan or Gibbs- Now with Monty we could wait a hit longer and go Achane, Brown, Spears
See this is the type of revionist diminishing of history that makes me wonder why you’d spin narrative that way ?
Reality is
After horrendous culture and years of Patricia there wasn’t huge clamoring of talent to come to Detroit
So lions were also very very very lucky to get more than they bargained for in Jamaal
Who became a fan favorite, a favorite team mate , the guy the media team constantly built PR around …
Who really didn’t miss time. Stepped in when their plan A , C and D weren’t doing it …
Why can’t we just credit Jamaal ?
Why can’t we praise DM separately based on the potential he might do better but reality is he has yet to make it a full season in Detroit.
We hope team is better but they didn’t win Super Bowl or make playoffs last year.
I’m not sure either would change the lions record much on their own so it’s still the bigger plan needs to come together. How much did DM change the bears record on his own ?
And? So he doesn’t get 14 short yardage touchdowns and he ends up with 975 yards and 3 TDs averaging 4.5(that’s what his average would be if you take those away). That ain’t worth big money either. His touchdowns and short yardage ability was his selling point. Without that, he finds a job for half of what he got. A 28 year old RB averaging 4.5 is nothing special.