On Wednesday, the Detroit Lions surprised quite a few people when they announced that former 1st Round pick Eric Ebron was being released. Following the move, the Lions tight end depth chart looks extremely slim with Michael Roberts, Hakeem Valles, and Brandon Barnes being the only three TEs on the roster.
So, the question is, how will general manager Bob Quinn go about adding a tight end (or two) to the roster before the 2018 season begins? Will he sign a free agent? Make a trade? Select one in the NFL Draft? Bring back a familiar face? Only time will tell but you can rest assured that he will have to make a move.
According to NFL Canada, the Lions are interested in former Seattle Seahawks tight end, Luke Willson.
.@LWillson_82 is scheduled to visit the @Lions.
Willson grew up down the road from @FordField in LaSalle, Ontario. 🇨🇦 #NFLFreeAgency pic.twitter.com/08SJYgzHWm
— NFL Canada (@NFLCanada) March 16, 2018
Willson, who is a native of Windsor, Canada, was originally drafted by the Seahawks in the 5th Round of the 2013 NFL Draft. Since then, he has played in 72 games with Seattle (37 starts), catching a total of 89 passes for 1,129 yards and 11 touchdowns. In 2017, he caught 15 passes for 153 yards and a career-high four TDs.
With Jimmy Graham, Tyler Eifert, and Austin Sefarian-Jenkins already off the market, the pickings are slim when it comes to free agent tight ends.
Possible free agent options for the Detroit Lions
As you can see from the list below, it is not likely that the Lions will find a starting tight end via free agency. Here is a sample of some of the free agent tight ends still available along with their age.
- Luke Willson (28)
- Martellus Bennett (31)
- Ben Watson (37)
- Antonio Gates (37)
- Ed Dickson (30)
- Brent Celek (33)
Is it possible that Eric Ebron returns to the Motor City?
By releasing Eric Ebron, the Detroit Lions cleared $7.7 million in cap space. The former 1st Round pick was set to make $8.25 million in 2018, a number that was obviously too steep for Bob Quinn’s stomach to handle.
But is it possible that Ebron is back in Detroit for the 2018 campaign? In my opinion, this is HIGHLY unlikely but since it has been tossed around on the internet and sports talk radio, I figured I would toss it out there.
http://gty.im/900109702
For Ebron to sign with the Lions multiple things would have to happen. First, the Lions would have to go through free agency AND the NFL Draft without finding a tight end they like. Second, Ebron would have to go through free agency without another team in the league signing him. Third, Ebron would have to want to come back to the Lions for a big pay cut.
That scenario is not likely to happen as Ebron is already reportedly scheduled to meet with multiple teams, including the New England Patriots. In my opinion, the move to release Ebron was not only to save some cash but to cut ties with a player who has worn out his welcome in Detroit.
So, Nation, how do you think the Lions should go about adding a tight end to their roster?
