The Lions have "made plans for cost-saving measures" due to the ongoing NFL lockout, according to Carlos Monarrez of the DETROIT FREE PRESS. Lions President Tom Lewand: "Immediately there were no staffing changes, no salary reductions, no furloughs and those kinds of things. As this goes on, those become more and more likely, and we do have plans in place for some changes that will occur." Lewand added that "everyone in the Lions' organization -- from the top of the top -- would be affected by the cost-saving measures" (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 4/10).
PLANNING AHEAD: Eagles President Joe Banner Friday said that "right now, the team is preparing for a normal spring and summer, including training camp, as unlikely as that might seem with the NFL in lockout limbo." Lehigh Univ. AD Joe Sterrett last week said that the school "would like to know by around June 1 whether the Eagles are coming for training camp this year." Banner said, "If we got so late, and then a resolution came, that we couldn't do it at Lehigh, we'd just do it" at the team's NovaCare Complex. However, Banner noted that an agreement the Eagles "made with the city and the surrounding neighborhood when the practice facility was built would preclude having the public attend." Banner added that the Eagles are "ready for whatever happens," though he said that the team has been given "no direction from the NFL about what rules would be in place" if the lockout is lifted. Banner: "You're almost running, 'If it goes like this, you do it this way; this, you do it this way.' There's no shortage of work for anybody. Whatever ends up, we'll deal with it" (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 4/9).
DEADLINE APPROACHING: In Dallas, Jeff Mosier noted Cowboys season-ticket holders "have until May 1 to pay for their seats, with or without a lockout." Cowboys Dir of Corporate Communications Brett Daniels: "We're moving forward business as usual. We're going to continue to do all of our planning and preparation for the season." Daniels added that he "didn't have details about how the Cowboys' approach compared with other teams" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 4/10).
GETTING TOGETHER: Cowboys LB Keith Brooking in an interview with ESPN Radio 103.3 Dallas said that the team's players "plan to hold unsupervised team workouts during the lockout." Brooking added that "fans 'can be assured' the players will be ready for the season even if the lockout eliminates training camp" (SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS, 4/9)....Jets QB Mark Sanchez "has invited teammates to the West Coast for workouts near his home in Mission Viejo, Calif." The workouts are "tentatively scheduled for the first week in May" (ESPNNY.com, 4/9).
