Free Agent Profiles: Get to Know Detroit’s Newest Additions
The Detroit Lions made an early splash in free agency by signing right tackle, Ricky Wagner. Since then, Detroit has followed up with some low-key moves that may or may not prove to be beneficial.
There are a handful of new faces set to join the Honolulu blue and silver, and with plenty of free agents still available, the Lions will likely see more players sign in the coming days. Consider this article as a brief guide to get to know Detroit’s 2017 free agent acquisitions and/or why the Lions may have chosen to sign these players.
These are Detroit’s 2017 signings as of press time:
Ricky Wagner, Right Tackle
Previous Team(s): Baltimore Ravens, 2013-2016
Draft: 2013: Round 5, Pick 168 out of Wisconsin
Career Stats: 62 games played, 47 games started
Detroit wasted no time addressing the offensive line in free agency, and landed one of the most coveted tackles on the market. Wagner spent his first four seasons protecting Joe Flacco in Baltimore. This is a big signing with the departure of Riley Reiff. Wagner will reportedly be making more than $9 million per year.
He was a walk-on at Wisconsin as a tight end. After switching to tackle, he helped Wisconsin win three straight Big 10 titles from 2010 to 2012. Wagner then saw 11 offensive tackles go before him in the 2013 draft. After playing mostly special teams as a rookie, Wagner earned a starting spot for Baltimore in his second season, and never really looked back since.
Pro Football Focus ranked Wagner as the 28th-best free agent available this offseason. It also ranked him as the eighth-best right tackle in the league in 2016. Wagner brings experience and grit to the Lions. Tim Twentyman, Detroit Lions senior writer, wrote a piece on Wagner’s blue-collar mentality.