Detroit Lions tender contracts to 13 exclusive rights free agents

The Detroit Lions got some more pre-free agency business done on Wednesday, tendering contracts to 13 exclusive rights free agents.

A day after re-signing wide receiver Josh Reynolds, the Detroit Lions did some more business before the start of free agency next week. According to the team’s release, the Lions have tendered contracts to 13 exclusive rights free agents.

The list is as follows:

LS Scott Daly
P Jack Fox
CB Mark Gilbert
S JuJu Hughes
RB Godwin Igwebuike
WR Tom Kennedy
OG Tommy Kraemer
OLB Jessie Lemonier
OT Matt Nelson
K Riley Patterson
LB Anthony Pittman
CB Bobby Price
TE Brock Wright

Justin Rogers of The Detroit News offered a nice explainer of who qualifies as an exclusive rights free agent, and what the financial terms of the tenders are.

"An exclusive-rights free agent is a player who has two or fewer accrued seasons and has an expiring contract. A player gains an accrued season by being on the active roster or a team’s injured reserve for six or more regular season games during a season.After receiving a tender, an exclusive-rights free agent is prohibited from negotiating with another team. The tender is a one-year, non-guaranteed contract with a league- minimum salary ($705,000-$895,000)."

Detroit Lions keep some depth around into new league year

The biggest name on the list is punter Jack Fox, who has posted the two best season punting averages in Lions history the last two seasons (49.1 yards per in 2020, 49.2 yards per in 2021). Last season, that 49.2 mark was second-best in the league.

After Fox, in no particular order, Nelson, Patterson, Igwebuike and Wright were notable contributors in 2021 among the exclusive rights free agents who were tendered. The contracts aren’t guaranteed, so the 13 who were tendered are simply lined up to be on the offseason 90-man roster with a shot to stick around as the roster is trimmed closer to the season. Some will obviously have better odds to stick around and make the team than others, as outside additions are made in free agency and the draft.

As Chris Burke of The Athletic reported, the Lions did not tender three ERFAs: safety Jalen Elliott, offensive lineman Ryan McCollum and linebacker Rashod Berry.