It’s already been a busy day for news regarding the Detroit Lions, but the news keeps on coming in.
The team has agreed to sign outside linebacker Devon Kennard to a three-year deal.
LB Devon Kennard signing with Lions. Versatile OLB is the right fit in Matt Patricia's defense.@gmfb @nflnetwork @NFL
— Peter Schrager (@PSchrags) March 13, 2018
Kennard, a fifth-round pick of the New York Giants in the 2014 NFL Draft, spent the first four years of his professional career with the Giants. Over that time, he amassed 134 tackles, 9.5 sacks, and one interception. He has started in 35 games, while appearing in a total of 52. Last season alone, he racked up 41 tackles, four sacks, and two pass deflections.
With Paul Worrilow, Tahir Whitehead, and Nick Bellore all hitting the free agent market, it’s likely that the team is far from done addressing the linebacker position.
BONUS CONTENT
Matt Patricia has earned respect from former AFC opponents
There’s a new aura of anticipation in the Motor City with former New England Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia as the new head coach of the Detroit Lions. Already well known throughout the NFL, he joins forces with another former Patriots employee – Bob Quinn – to hopefully bring an end to the long suffering of Lions fans.
Of course, his many former AFC opponents are well aware of what he can bring to the Lions, and the Miami Dolphins’ Adam Gase, Buffalo Bills’ Sean McDermott and the Jacksonville Jaguars’ Doug Marrone spoke at length of how fortunate Detroit was to land the former DC.
“I’ve always had a lot of respect for Matt in the standpoint of we all go out there and say how smart he is from a background academically, where no one can say that about me,” Marrone said. “So his background academically and the engineering and things of that nature, he’s the same way as a football coach. Very, very bright. Very smart. Gets a lot out of his players.”
The Patriots and Jaguars practiced against each other in last year’s training camp, and then ironically met in the AFC championship game earlier this year. Jacksonville was held to just two field goals in the second half after leading 14-10.
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