According to ESPN.com, the Detroit Loins and defensive tackle Shaun Rogers have decided to part ways before the 2008 season. The Lions have decided to either trade Rogers or release him, according to the same report. He served a four-game suspension for taking a banned substance once before, and faces an eight-game ban if he tests positive once again.

Jon Kitna doesn't anticipate being sacked from his job as the Lions' starting quarterback because of a change in offensive coordinators. The possibility of the starting job being open to competition was raised Thursday at a news conference introducing Jim Colletto as the Lions' new offensive coordinator. Colletto was promoted from offensive-line coach on Jan. 4 to replace Mike Martz, who was fired in a shakeup of the offensive staff by Coach Rod Marinelli. Kippy Brown, the wide receivers' coach under Martz the last two years, was promoted to assistant head coach and passing game coordinator. Kitna has been unchallenged as the starter for two years, but Colletto indicated there could be competition. "We're going to go into the OTA's (offseason workouts) and training camp and let it all sort itself out," Colletto said at Lions' headquarters in Allen Park.

Lions' quarterback Jon Kitna says ex-Lions' Offensive Coordinator Mike Martz will be fine in San Francisco. "Mike is going to be fine," Kitna told SI.com Tuesday night by phone. "I think the world of him, and he knows how to get the most out of his talent. People kind of knock Mike for not being balanced offensively. Well, when things get crazy in a game and you're down by 14 points, 21 points, the play-calling does get lopsided because he knows the passing game can get you back in it." "But if you look at our games the past two years, when we were in the game, not down 13 points at halftime or 21 points, we were a pretty balanced football team. In our seven wins this year, we rushed for more than 100 yards in six of them. But there were three different times this year when we gave up more than 30 points in the first half. It's kind of hard to run when that happens."

The Lions have fired Offensive Coordinator Mike Martz and promoted Offensive Line Coach Jim Colleto and Wide Receivers' Coach Kippy Brown to run the offense in his place, a source in the organization told ESPN's Chris Mortensen. Colleto will be named offensive coordinator and remain as the offensive line coach, while Brown is being promoted to assistant head coach and passing game coordinator, and will also serve as running backs' coach. Martz confirmed his firing to the Detroit Free Press.