Should the Detroit Lions bring back a familiar face on defense?

On the eve of training camp, reports arose that the Detroit Lions hosted Ricky Jean-Francois on a workout. Should they bring him back for a second season?

Assuming that all of their main contributors are healthy and available, the Detroit Lions figure to boast one of the most formidable defensive fronts in the NFC, and perhaps in the entire NFL in 2019. That didn’t preclude them however, from hosting a former Lion – one who appeared in all 16 games for them last season – on a visit this week.

On Tuesday, reports surfaced that defensive tackle Ricky Jean-François visited the Lions, though no signing appears imminent. This is a very similar situation to a year ago, when he signed a one -year deal with the Lions on July 25th, on the cusp of that last season’s training camp.

Bringing Jean-François into the fold at that time made sense on many levels. He played for Lions head coach Matt Patricia in 2017 when Patricia was the defensive coordinator for the New England Patriots. He could act as a bridge in the locker room as the Lions’ shifted their culture towards the type that Patricia coveted.

The Lions’ defensive line at the time was rife with question marks. Though Jean-François had never been a Pro Bowl-level player, he provided them with some depth, stability and experience at one of their then shakiest position groups.

As a respected, high-character veteran, he offered an important professional presence and mentorship for the Lions’ younger defensive linemen, including A’Shawn Robinson and Da’Shawn Hand. Robinson went from being inactive in Week One to turning in a career-best season. Hand evolved from an unheralded fourth round draft selection into one of the best defensive rookies in the NFL last year. Credit Jean-François’ guidance with their development.

Fast-forward one year, and does it make sense for Detroit to bring Jean-François back into the fold? On one hand, with the presence of nose tackle Damon “Snacks” Harrison and prized free agent addition edge Trey Flowers, along with the progress of Robinson and Hand, would there be enough snaps to go around? Would he siphon playing time away from younger, more impactful players?

On the other, at the very least, his comfort with the system, and the Lions’ familiarity with him could be beneficial throughout training camp. Injuries are also inevitable; he could serve as a seamless stand-in should someone get hurt and be forced to miss time.

Though no deal had been agreed upon at press time, and it’s possible both parties decide to move on, it’s a development worth tracking as training camp gets underway. And hey, who wouldn’t want more donuts around the facility anyway?

Should the Detroit Lions bring back Ricky Jean-François for a second season? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.