Lions claim linebacker despite not having a GM or head coach
The Detroit Lions claimed a linebacker despite not having hired a GM or head coach yet
The Detroit Lions are currently in the middle of a regime change. The Pride are interviewing candidates for both their vacant general manager and head coaching roles. That after the team fired both general manager Bob Quinn and head coach Matt Patricia in late November.
But just because the Lions are still trying to fill those critical positions it doesn’t mean the team can’t take advantage of possibly finding a hidden gem or two on the waiver wire. And on Tuesday, that’s exactly what they did by claiming former Alabama linebacker Shaun Dion Hamilton off waivers from the Washington Football Team.
Originally a sixth-round selection by Washington in 2018, the 25-year old Hamilton has started seven games over his three-year NFL career. That includes starting in three contests just this past season. Hamilton recorded 21 total tackles, two tackles for loss, and a QB hit in 14 games.
While Hamilton played just 10% of the defensive snaps in Washington in 2020, he played a whopping 309 special teams snaps (71%). So the Lions presumably added the third-year linebacker to bolster their special team unit as well.
Detroit figures to make some major changes to their linebacker corps this offseason. That’s after they hired a new head coach, of course. Linebackers Jarrad Davis, Reggie Ragland, and Jalen Reeves-Maybin are all scheduled to become unrestricted free agents in March.
The Lions’ other linebackers on the roster include Jamie Collins Sr., Christian Jones, and Jahlani Tavai. And all three were brought to Detroit to fit into Patricia’s defensive scheme. With the former New England Patriots’ defensive coordinator now out in the Motor City, it’s anyone’s guess what the future might hold for this positional group.
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Despite the lack of a general manager and head coach being in the building, that hasn’t stopped the Detroit Lions’ organization from making moves like claiming Shaun Dion Hamilton off waivers. And it might not be the last move we see before those hirings.