It was the expected move, all things considered, but the Detroit Lions have indeed circled back to re-sign backup offensive tackle Matt Nelson.
Among the restricted free agents the Detroit Lions tendered, offensive tackle Matt Nelson was a somewhat notable absence. It was easy to expect he would simply be re-signed at a number below the RFA tender amount, and on Tuesday morning the Lions announced Nelson has been re-signed.
Nelson originally joined the Lions as an undrafted free agent out of Iowa in 2019. He spent his rookie season on the practice squad, as he made the transition from defensive line to offensive line.
He played 241 offensive snaps in 2020, making one start, and he played just 70 offensive snaps last season as he was limited a bit by injuries.
Nelson has been the Lions’ extra offensive lineman mostly, serving as an extra tackle when they gt to big sets. But in 2021 he started 11 games, including nine at right tackle when Penei Sewell moved to the left side to fill-in for an injured Taylor Decker. He has appeared in 40 games, with those 12 starts.
Detroit Lions continue keeping offensive line depth intact with Matt Nelson re-signing
Before free agency started, the Lions re-signed backup interior offensive lineman Ross Pierschbacher. Nelson is now one of four pure offensive tackles among the 11 offensive lineman currently on the roster, with Obinna Eze joining Decker and Sewell and guard/tackle Darrin Paulo in the mix to compete with Nelson and Eze for the swing tackle spot when OTAs start. Dan Skipper was a depth piece last season, but he’s not been re-signed yet.
Nelson is a known entity to the Lions, which is clearly something they value along with rewarding hard work. More broadly, he’s a pretty nice success story after entering the league as an undrafted defensive lineman.