Dave Birkett

Detroit Free Press

The Detroit Lions hadn’t renovated their weight room since moving into their Allen Park practice facility in 2002, so when new strength coach Harold Nash Jr. suggested a complete makeover earlier this winter, team president Rod Wood was quick to oblige.

The result is a gleaming new weight room that was outfitted with almost entirely new machines last month and will be ready for the start of off-season workouts April 18.

“We just thought it was definitely time,” Nash said. “Typically, in any weight room, wherever you are, after about 15 or so years, it’s sort of time to just change some things around according to whether it’s your philosophy or whatnot. But it was a great weight room before and hopefully it helps us win games.”

The Lions contracted fitness equipment maker Sorinex to redo their weight room – the same company redid the New England Patriots’ weight room a few years ago – and on Thursday they held a ceremony to unveil the more than 300 pieces of used equipment they donated to the Detroit Police Athletic League.

Tim Richey, CEO of PAL, said the equipment, including free weights and machines, is valued at more than $300,000 and will be housed at the Boysville gym on the city’s west side.

“We never even contemplated selling it,” Wood said. “The only thing I thought of was donating it, and the only one I really thought of was PAL. I’m glad it worked it out.”

While most Lions players have not seen the new weight room yet — Sorinex took down pictures it posted online last week — wide receiver Corey Fuller said he’s excited to return to work later this month and see the changes firsthand.

Along with a new weight room, the Lions have done their hydro room and added Nash and assistant strength coach Josh Schuler to the staff.

“I don’t think anybody had any complaints about (the old weight room),” Fuller said. “I thought it was a very new weight room. I guess it’s one of them things where it’s just bigger and better.”

Nash, who was fired in January after the 11 seasons with the Patriots, declined Thursday to talk about his philosophy and how the Lions’ workout program will change under his command.

Fuller said Nash seems “intelligent” and “very fiery” in the brief conversations they’ve had, and several former Patriots spoke highly of Nash motivational ability in interviews earlier this year.

“I’ve got to know him pretty well,” Wood said. “You can see he’s a pretty fiery guy and he’s been with the Patriots for a long time and played football so he understands what it’s like to be a player and what they need to be successful, and I think he’ll get the guys fired up. And they’re going to be excited. The few that have been in and seen the new equipment are really excited, and those that haven’t been in, I think when they come in they’re going to be really excited. I think they’re going to be excited to meet Harold, too.”

Draft dodger: Wood said he’s “very comfortable” with the changes the Lions have made so far this off-season and excited to see what other moves are ahead.

“I think what Bob’s done and what his team’s done is what he said from the very beginning is to add depth to the roster,” Wood said. “A lot of the guys we’ve brought in are going to be great players for the Lions and add depth to the roster so that when inevitably you have injuries you’re going to have someone to step in.”

Wood declined to say what the Lions will be looking for in this month’s draft. They pick 16th in the first round and have needs on both lines and at the safety position.

“I’m not going to get into that,” Wood said. “His comments from last week, we’re going to look for ways to upgrade the roster. And there’s still some time between now and the draft and who knows what may happen between now and then. But I’m confident we have the right group of people working on it.”

Money talks: New Lions running back Stevan Ridley’s one-year deal is worth a total of $840,000. Ridley will make a base salary of $760,000 this fall, of which $200,000 is fully guaranteed. He also received a $50,000 signing bonus and is due a $30,000 workout bonus.

As a minimum salary benefit signing, Ridley will count just $680,000 against the Lions’ salary cap this fall.

He’s expected to compete with Zach Zenner for the No. 3 running back job behind Ameer Abdullah and Theo Riddick.

Contact Dave Birkett: dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett. Download our Lions Xtra app for free on Apple and Android!