C.J. Mosley is expected to become a member of the Detroit Lions according to a report. Mandatory Credit: Rob Foldy-USA TODAY Sports

The Detroit Lions lost Sammie Hill to free agency and Corey Williams to an expiring contract leaving them thin at defensive tackle behind Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley.

While bringing back Williams was an option, and perhaps remains an option, the Lions have added to their defensive tackle depth with C.J. Mosley, formerly of the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Former Jaguars DT C.J. Mosley is expected to sign with the Lions, per source.

— Adam Caplan (@caplannfl) April 3, 2013

Lions have been looking for a while for depth at DT. Mosley will give them that.

— Adam Caplan (@caplannfl) April 3, 2013

Based on the advanced stats from Pro Football Focus for the 2012 season, Mosley is actually an upgrade over Hill and Williams. Mosley finished with an overall rating of +9.2, the 15th highest rating of all defensive tackles and nose tackles. He rated out as slightly negative (-1.3) rushing the passer last year but was a +7.1 against the run.

Mosley figures to be the first man off the bench in the Lions’ defensive tackle rotation. They could look to add another rotational player in free agency or take more of a developmental player in the draft.

December 30, 2012; San Diego, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey (85) celebrates after a touchdown reception during the second quarter against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reported today that Heyward-Bey will be in town for a visit with the Lions on Wednesday.

He’s a bigger name than his production warrants because of his status as a former top-ten pick but that doesn’t mean he isn’t a good fit for the Lions. If the money is right, he’s a near perfect fit.

The Lions don’t need Heyward-Bey to come in and be the primary receiving weapon the Raiders expected when they took him with the seventh overall pick in 2009. Calvin Johnson has that role locked down in Detroit. DHB’s job would be to compliment Megatron as the team’s second deep threat on the outside. Titus Young was supposed to be that guy but his epic flameout leaves the Lions with another need at wide receiver.

One fan sure to be excited by this report is SideLion Report’s Braden Shackelford who took a look at Heyward-Bey last week before any official links between the sides were reported. You can read Braden’s take here.

Sep 25, 2011; Oakland, CA, USA; New York Jets guard Brandon Moore (65) reacts after being called for a false start against the Oakland Raiders during the first quarter at O.co Coliseum. Oakland defeated New York 34-24. Mandatory Credit: Jason O. Watson-USA TODAY Sports

One such option is guard Brandon Moore, formerly of the New York Jets. He will reportedly take a free agent visit to the Lions’ facilities after a visit with the Dolphins did not produce a deal. Moore rated as the fourth-best guard during the 2012 season by Pro Football Focus with an overall rating of +21.3. He rated positively as a pass blocker with a +5.6 but he is an even better run blocker as shown in his stellar +12.8 rating in that area.

Moore will be 33 when the 2013 season starts but he has proven to be a durable player throughout his career and has an active consecutive games started streak of 137.

For all the good things Moore has done as a member of the Jets, he is probably best known as the “butt” portion of Mark Sanchez‘s infamous “butt fumble” (or as I like to call it, the bumble) during a 2012 game against the New England Patriots. Here is the play again, because it is just that funny:

Signing Moore would take Rodney Austin and Bill Nagy out of the running for a starting spot. Both could still be valuable as backups as the guard and center position. It would also mean that Jason Fox and Riley Reiff would be battling solely for a tackle spot with Corey Hilliard. Both Reiff and Fox have been speculated as possible guard candiates as well as at tackle.