By Michael Stets
May 2 is the deadline for the Lions to decide whether or not they will pick up the fifth-year option on tight end Eric Ebron. And on Tuesday evening, Lions general manager Bob Quinn, who was a guest on the NFL Draft Recap Show on WJR, said an update on the team’s plans for Ebron could be revealed as soon as Tuesday.
“[We are] Working towards a decision,” Quinn told Dan Miller and Jim Brandstatter. “I think we will have some news for that tomorrow. So everyone can tune in and we will have something for you.”
During his pre-draft press conference, Quinn said there was a possibility that the draft could impact the decision on Ebron, who will make around $8.5 million if the fifth-year option on his contract is picked up. Quinn said he “had an idea” what the team was going to do, but his mind was “not made up” yet.
On day two of the 2017 NFL Draft, the Lions took Toledo tight end Michael Roberts in the fourth round with the 127th overall pick. Roberts scored 16 touchdowns for the Golden Eagles last season and was a candidate for the John Mackey Award.
“I’ve been a fan of Eric Ebron, you know, since he was back in N.C.,” Roberts said on Saturday during a conference call with local reporters. “I’ve watched him closely while he was in college, I watched him while he was in Detroit. You know, great athlete. I’m very excited to work with him.”
While addressing the media on Saturday evening, Quinn was asked if drafting Roberts would impact the team’s plans for Ebron and said, “I don’t think it affects the decision on Eric that we’ll make here in the next couple days. I would say this though, Michael is a different kind of tight end than Eric is. Eric’s a fast, athletic, ‘F’ tight end, we call them. Big Mike is a ‘Y’.”
Ebron, 24, finished 2016 with 61 receptions, 711 yards and one touchdown in 13 games. The Lions 2014 10th overall draft pick is due to make $1.5 million in base salary in 2017 with a $500,000 roster bonus.