Detroit Lions claim a seven-time Pro Bowl pass rusher

The Detroit Lions added a seven-time Pro Bowler at defensive end in order to bulk up their depleted pass rushing rotation.

Without their top pass rusher, Ziggy Ansah, in the lineup for the second week in a row, the Detroit Lions struggled to get to Chicago Bears quarterback Mitch Trubisky over the weekend. In the slim 27-24 victory, the Lions were only able to sack the rookie passer once.

With Ansah again questionable to play against the NFC North-leading Minnesota Vikings this Thursday, on Thanksgiving, Detroit has opted to bring in a heavy hitter to help bolster their pass rush.

On Wednesday, the Lions won a waiver claim for seven-time Pro Bowl defensive end Dwight Freeney. The 37-year old was surprisingly waived by the Seattle Seahawks this week. Just signed in late October, the 16-year veteran recorded an impressive 3.0 sacks in four games as a situational pass rusher for Seattle.

In coming to the Motor City, Freeney reunites with Lions’ head coach Jim Caldwell, who coached the pass rusher during their time with the Indianapolis Colts.

Adding Freeney costs Detroit next to nothing, as the aging veteran signed with the Seahawks for a modest $1 million contract earlier this season with an $8k per-game roster bonus. That according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.

It is unknown if Freeney will actually suit up on Thursday to face the Vikings, although the Lions certainly could use him. The veteran defender just played Monday night in the Seahawks loss to the Atlanta Falcons.

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The All-Pro defender has proven this season that he still can be an effective pass rusher in limited snaps, even at his age. During his four game stint in Seattle, Freeney averaged approximately 25 defensive snaps a contest, which was just over 15% of their plays. I’d expect to see a similar snap count during his time in the Motor City.