A day after the Detroit Lions traded Golden Tate to the Philadelphia Eagles for a third-round draft pick, they were busy finding a replacement for Tate on the 53-man roster.
According to the Lions, they have signed free agent linebacker Kelvin Sheppard to the active roster along with defensive end Alex Barrett to the practice squad. Terms of the contracts were not disclosed.
#Lions sign free agent LB Kelvin Sheppard: https://t.co/78OEGODuXQ pic.twitter.com/lbVgHtOV5c
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) October 31, 2018
From Detroit Lions:
Sheppard joins the Lions after most recently playing with the New York Giants from 2016-17, where he appeared in 23 games (17 starts) and totaled 96 tackles (59 solo) and two interceptions. A third-round draft selection (68th overall) by the Buffalo Bills in the 2011 NFL Draft out of LSU, Sheppard played two seasons (2011-12) with the Bills prior to stints with the Indianapolis Colts (2013) and Miami Dolphins (2014-15). His career totals include 100 games played (62 starts), 399 tackles (258 solo), 3.0 sacks, 25 tackles for loss and two interceptions.
In addition to signing Sheppard and Barrett, the Lions also announced they have released tight end Jerome Cunningham from the practice squad.
BONUS CONTENT
Detroit Lions’ GM Bob Quinn proves he’s focused on WINNING a Super Bowl
When the 2017 NFL season was finally in the books and the offseason was upon us, one of the biggest questions was whether or not the Detroit Lions and Golden Tate would come to an agreement on a contract extension.
Well, that time passed without the two sides reaching an agreement and the 2018 season began. Then As the Oct. 30 NFL trade deadline approached, the Tate trade rumors started to swirl around and I started getting nervous.
Avoid the big mistake
You see, extending (or re-signing) Tate is a move I have been firmly against from Day 1. So, when rumors started flying that Tate could end up being traded, I got a bit excited. Even if we were only able to get back a fourth-round pick, I would have been excited, mostly because it meant Lions GM Bob Quinn was not willing to waste a ton of cash on a receiver who will be 31 for the 2019 season. After all, extending an “older” receiver who is likely going to demand a 3-4 year deal worth $12 million + per season would have been a big mistake that could end up crippling the Lions down the road.
To read the rest of the article, please click on the link below.
https://detroitsportsnation.com/detroit-lions-news/ddrysdale/detroit-lions-gm-bob-quinn-proves-hes-focused-on-winning-a-super-bowl/10-2018/198012/
