Detroit’s re-signed unrestricted FA’s: Lucky seven?

By Os Davis  |   Tuesday, July 04, 2006  |  Comments( 0 )

Detroit Lions
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The dust has temporarily settled on the NFL acquisitions market, giving Detroit Lions backers a chance to look at the seven silver-and-blue formerly unrestricted free agents now solidly placed on the roster. The list includes:

RB Shawn Bryson - Buffalo Bills' castoff Bryson joined the Lions three games into the season in 2003 and led Detroit that year in rushing yardage (606 yards) and receptions (54). Despite experiencing a trio of sub .400 seasons, Bryson re-upped with the Lions this year after racking up 590 yards of total offense in 2006. With his John Hancock, the No. 2 tailback and third-down specialist of seasons 2004 and 2005 was reportedly promised "a key role" in Coach Rod "Almighty" Marinelli's offense.

DE Jared DeVries - The eight-year man turned in another solid performance in the Motor City last year, totaling 22 tackles and adding three sacks to match his career high. A member of the Detroit Lions since being drafted in 1999, this re-signing was exactly what DeVries wanted, and he should be shoring up the Detroit line for a few more years.

WR Eddie Drummond - Lions PR remains high on Drummond, a guy who has tallied a grand total of two receptions and minus-three yards in four years. Offensive coordinator Mike Martz has been quoted on Drummond a few times in the offseason, recently comparing him to Az Hakim and stating that he "should be a good backup."

DE Kalimba Edwards - Chased by the Atlanta Falcons, Oakland Raiders, and by some accounts, all but signed by the Cleveland Browns, Marinelli personally appealed to the team's 2005 sack leader to stick around. The result? A fat five-year, $20 million payout and a pigeonholing of Edwards into the Tampa 2.

DB Vernon Fox - Fox was a key player on Detroit special teams in 2005 and a crucial resigning. He served as the Lions' special teams captain and racked up twenty tackles last year, also doing double duty as backup safety.

C Brock Gutierrez - Gutierrez was the last of unrestricted free agents to resign with the silver-and-blue. Going into his tenth season as a pro and second as a Lion, Gutierrez played in all sixteen games last year, primarily on special teams.

LB LeVar Woods - Woods played in just four games in his first season as a Lion in 2005 after battling recurring injuries for the majority of the year. In the season's last three matches, however, the veteran came back with a vengeance, grabbing eight, seven and eleven tackles. Detroit brass hopes to get a bit more out of the former Arizona Cardinal this season.

In Detroit, everything is up in the air right now. As new leader Marinelli is shaking it down from game plans to quarterback to practice squads, the Lions are certain to sport a new look in 2006 ("thank god," you can hear the faithful mutter). Meanwhile, a needed smidgen of stability is provided by these seven; if they aren't the Magnificent Seven, well, they ain't the Seven Dwarves, either. All Marinelli's hoping is that they're a lucky seven.

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About Os Davis

Os Davis has taken a twisted route to get to RealFootball365.com in his nearly 17 years in professional writing, working in any number of capacities in the sportswriting, news reporting and film criticism worlds. In print media, Os has served as editor at a few publications, including Albuquerque's ...
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