--The Lions still have confidence in RB Jahvid Best, who missed time last season as a rookie because of a turf-toe issue. Best had injury questions coming into the draft last year.

"Whatever we need him to do, he can do it," coach Jim Schwartz said at the recent league meeting. "Obviously, his toes didn't allow him to be able to do that for about eight or nine games in the middle of the season, and obviously he wasn't the player that he can be and that he is.

"But I think it says a little bit about him. If you do some research on turf toes, you look around the league, there's a lot of players that missed a month with a turf toe."

Best missed only one game, but he was affected by the injury.

Said Schwartz, "Jahvid could still do his job. He wasn't as good as he can be, but could he still contribute to the team? Yeah, and I think that's sort of what we tried to balance. Could we have gotten him back a little bit faster (if he had sat for a few games)? Maybe. Would it have lasted just as long? Maybe."

--QB Matthew Stafford tweeted on Saturday (March 26) that he was "Feelin good after throwing a lot yesterday."

Asked about Stafford being affected by the lockout, Schwartz said, "I've heard a lot of people talk about young quarterbacks and the potential of missing offseason workouts and how it sets them back in their development. I know enough about Matt to know we're not really talking about that. We're talking about his health, not that he needs to learn the offense or he needs to become a more accurate thrower or he needs to learn the defenses or his work ethic needs to get better. He's not dealing with issues like that. He's dealing with the ability to be on the field and we are confident he is going to get that behind him."

--The Lions have appealed a tampering ruling by the league for comments defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham made last year concerning players on the Chiefs.

The league announced the Lions and Chiefs would swap draft positions in the fifth round, with the Lions also forfeiting a seventh-round pick.

--C Mike Pouncey from Florida and Pitt DE Greg Romeus visited the Lions in mid-March. Said Pouncey, "I loved the facilities. It's a nice town and I just loved the whole visit, meeting with the coaching staff and everyone."

Romeus said he's impressed with the team's defense. He said, "The Lions' defense is much different compared to other defenses that I've seen. It works. I love the way their scheme is presented with the way they're playing and just the hustling that they have on the field. It would be a great fit for me."

The Lions also have had visits from Colorado CB Jimmy Smith, Nebraska CB Prince Amukamara and Cal DE Cam Jordan. They have workouts scheduled with Oklahoma RB DeMarco Murray, Virginia Union OT Dave Mims and Fresno State LB Chris Carter.

QUOTE TO NOTE
"I don't think that there will be an agreement anytime soon. I'm saying that I'm not too hopeful, but I'm working out right now as if I'm getting a call any day that things are back on." -- WR Nate Burleson.

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