Detroit Lions head coach have re-sign seven players.
After tendering contracts to five of the team’s seven exclusive-rights free agents on Monday, the Detroit Lions formally give up seven player who
of those players and signed running back Craig Reynolds to a new deal.
The Lions also tendered defensive lineman Benito Jones, tight end Brock Wright, linebacker Anthony Pittman, long snapper Scott Daly, and tight end Shane Zylstra.
Any player who concludes the season on the team but has less than three seasons of service time is an exclusive-rights free agent. A tender is a one-year contract at the veteran minimum that is not guaranteed. The player is also not allowed to join with another team.
The six players played a combined total of more over 1,200 offensive and defensive snaps for the Lions in the previous year, in addition to 937 special teams plays. In 2023, each player will have a good chance of keeping their position on the roster.
Wright, Detroit’s top tight end from the previous season, is back. He was a 2021 Notre Dame undrafted pick who caught 18 receptions for 216 yards and four touchdowns in the previous year. Zylstra caught 11 passes for 11 touchdowns, including four from T.J. Hockenson, throughout the season. He also experienced an increase in playing time following the move.
In his second season with the Lions, Reynolds saw action in nine games and finished as the team’s third back with 219 yards from scrimmage. The next season, he may be considered to return kicks for Detroit, a position he had during the preseason and in college.
Prior to the season, Jones was a waiver claim, and as a backup defensive lineman, he had 16 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and two batted passes.
Ultimately, Daly completed his second season in Detroit after his 2021 replacement of veteran snapper Don Muhlback.
Offensive lineman Tommy Kraemer is the lone exclusive-rights free agent that the Lions aren’t bringing back right away. He made three starts in nine games as an undrafted rookie in 2021, however he missed the whole previous year due to a back ailment sustained during training camp.
