My head is already officially spinning from the madness that is free agency. Spinning so much in fact, that I will need to wait until it’s firmly back in place before I can update you on the happenings at Lions camp.

Free agency is — in a word — nuts.

In the meantime, here’s what’s happening in the NFL through Thursday — including the opening of Lions training camp.

July 26

• At 10:00 a.m., New York time, Club facilities open. Players may report for physicals and voluntary strength and conditioning.

• At 10:00 a.m., New York time, Trading begins for 2011 League Year.

• Rosters expanded to 90-man limit.

• At 10:00 a.m., New York time, Clubs may negotiate with and SIGN their own Drafted Rookies and any Undrafted Rookie. Clubs may have such players report to the Club’s facilities for physical examinations prior to signing. All 2011 Contracts signed on or after July 26 shall be binding upon the player and the Club when signed, but shall not become effective unless a CBA is ratified by the NFLPA (August 4)

•  At 10:00 a.m., New York time, Clubs may NEGOTIATE with, but not sign, or extend Offer Sheets to, their own UFAs, RFAs, Exclusive Rights Players and Franchise Players and other Clubs’ UFAs, RFAs, non-exclusive Franchise Players and free agents. » Continue reading “And So it Begins …”

The NFL released all regular season schedules earlier today and I think it’s safe to say that — the Lions are back. Well at least sort of. The Lions 2011 schedule includes its first Monday Night Football game since 2001. The Oct. 10 game will pit the Lions against Da Bears.

Do I smell redemption? Yes, I think that’s what I smell. The Lions have a lot to prove — and this will be the perfect game to do it. And we can only hope this one won’t end like last year. ::Cough, Calvin Johnson, Cough::

The schedule also includes — as usual — the Lions Thanksgiving Day game against Green Bay, which will mark the 72nd year Detroit has played on Thanksgiving and the 20th time Detroit and Green Bay have met on turkey day.

The Lions kick off their regular season Sept. 11 when they travel to Tampa to face the Bucs. The complete 2011 regular season schedule is as follows:

2011 Regular Season Schedule

You can find me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Aerys_Lions or www.twitter.com/thecornerblog and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/barrysandersmemorialblog.

Despite the loom and gloom of the never-ending lockout, the NFL recently released the preseason schedules for all NFL teams. Yay, Lions fan (I made that singular on purpose), something to get excited about that doesn’t involve Ndamukong Suh getting a pedicure.

Wait, I can’t hear you cheering. Why aren’t you cheering?! Oh, that’s right. What good is a preseason if the real thing might not happen. Well, let’s not get pessimistic just yet, OK? Great. Moving on.

The preseason schedule looks like this:

2011 Preseason Schedule

The third preseason game against the Patriots will be exciting (for me at least), as it will be nationally televised on CBS. It marks just the seventh time the Lions and Patriots have squared off in the preseason. And in rare form, the Lions lead the series 4-2.

Additionally, the 2011 regular season opponents were released. They are as follows:

2011 Home Opponents

• Chicago
• Green Bay
• Minnesota
• Atlanta
• Carolina
• Kansas City
• San Diego
• San Francisco

2011 Road Opponents

• Chicago
• Green Bay
• Minnesota
• Dallas
• Denver
• New Orleans
• Oakland
• Tampa Bay

You can find me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Aerys_Lions or www.twitter.com/thecornerblog and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/barrysandersmemorialblog.