REPORT: Detroit Lions to sign former Buccaneers defensive end

By
Don Drysdale
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In case you have not heard, following their Week 6 loss to the New Orleans Saints, the Detroit Lions look more like a MASH unit than a professional football team. In fact, on Tuesday, 12 players (10 of which are starters) were forced to miss practice. Two of those players were starting defensive ends, Ezekiel Ansah and Anthony Zettel.

The Lions certainly need some healthy bodies at this point, and according to multiple reports, they will sign former Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive end, Jacquies Smith.

On Tuesday night, Smith’s agency tweeted out congratulating him on joining the Lions.

Smith, who originally signed with the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2012, spent 2014-2017 with the Buccaneers before being released on October 5 of this season. In 2014 and 2015 combined, Smith played in 27 games (18 starts) for Tampa Bay and accumulated 13.5 sacks. He was placed on injured reserve in September of 2016 after injuring his knee in the first game of the season.

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If the Lions were forced to play this coming Sunday, they would likely have to do so without some important pieces. But luckily, they are on their bye week and will not be forced to field a healthy lineup again until October 29th when they host the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday Night Football.

After dropping back-to-back games to the Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints, the Lions now sit at 3-3, one game behind both the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings in the NFC North.

With Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers breaking his collarbone and needing surgery, many are saying there are no excuses and that the Lions should win the North. But as we know as Lions fans, winning a division is easier said than done and you can bet that both the Packers and Vikings will make things very difficult.