The Lions have signed free agent linebacker Jonathan Freeny, the club announced today.
Freeny, 28, should offer immediate scheme familiarity for the Lions, as he worked under new Detroit head coach Matt Patricia when both were employed by the Patriots from 2015-16. The Lions have already added several free agent linebackers this offseason, as signees Devon Kennard and Christian Jones will join a depth chart that also includes 2017 first-rounder Jarrad Davis, Jalen Reeves-Maybin, Nick Bellore, and others.
Freeny saw action for the Patriots, Saints, and Ravens last season, and also enjoyed a brief non-playing stint on the Jaguars’ roster. While he’s become primarily a special-teamer, Freeny started seven games for New England as recently as 2015, so while he’ll likely begin his Lions tenure as a reserve, he has the upside to become a full-time fixture on the Detroit defense.
Before inking a deal with the Lions, Freeny also drew interest from New Orleans, which was open to re-signing the former undrafted free agent.
Lions are going to have a deep LB core this season. Which is great for Patricia’s system