Lions sign LB Steve Longa, DE Mitchell Loewen

ALLEN PARK, MICH. >> The Detroit Lions have signed linebacker Steve Longa and defensive end Mitchell Loewen.

Detroit made the moves Monday before coach Matt Patricia and team executives answered questions from season-ticket holders at Ford Field.

Longa had a seasonending knee injury last year during the preseason after being a key player on special teams for the Lions in 2017. Longa played in one game in Detroit in 2016 after being signed by Seattle as an undrafted free agent out of Rutgers.

The Lions claimed Loewen off waivers from New Orleans in December. The former Arkansas standout played in three games for the Saints over the 2017 and 2018 seasons.

Former NFL referee Red Cashion dead at 87

BRYAN, TEXAS >> Former NFL referee Red Cashion, known for his vociferous calls of “FIRST DOWN,” has died. He was 87.

Cashion died Sunday, according to CallowayJones Life & Legacy funeral home.

Cashion retired from the NFL in 1997 after officiating for 25 years, 21 one of them as a referee. He worked two Super Bowls.

NFL Referees Association executive director Scott Green called Cashion “the kind of man everyone wanted to emulate both on and off the field, and he gave so much of his time to all of us.”

Born Mason L. “Red” Cashion was born Nov. 10, 1931 in College Station, Texas. He ran track and played football, basketball and baseball at A&M Consolidated High School, then attended Texas A&M on a baseball scholarship, graduating in 1953. He was then commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army.

He began his officiating career while finishing his undergraduate studies at Texas A&M.

Bengals hire 3 assistant coaches, continue youth movement

CINCINNATI >> The Cincinnati Bengals hired Jemal Singleton from the Raiders on Monday to serve as their running backs coach, part of their latest moves to fill out Zac Taylor’s staff.

They also added Joey Boese as strength and conditioning coach, and hired high school coach Doug Rosfeld as director of coaching operations.

Boese and Rosfeld are in their 30s. Six of the eight members of the staff hired so far are in their 30s. The

35-year-old Taylor succeeded Marvin Lewis and is the Bengals’ youngest coach since they hired

32-year-old Dave Shula in

1992.

Singleton was the Raiders’ running backs coach last season. He also was the Colts’ running backs coach from 2016-17. Singleton is the second coach hired off the Raiders’ staff — quarterbacks coach Brian Callahan became the offensive coordinator last week.