HEADLINES

Jalen Reeves-Maybin

Texans To Sign Jalen Reeves-Maybin

March 17th, 2022 at 12:34pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Texans have re-signed several of their own pending free agents, but they are adding to their defense with an outside signing. According to Pro Football Network’s Aaron Wilson, the team is bringing in linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin (Twitter link). The contract is for two years and $7.5MM. 

Wilson adds that the deal includes $5MM in guaranteed money, and can reach a maximum value of $9MM. The 27-year-old had a breakout season in 2021, both in terms of playing time and production. Reeves-Maybin played 62% of the team’s defensive snaps after primarily being a special teamer up to that point.

With the increased opportunity, he started 11 of the 15 games he appeared in. The former fourth round pick totalled 82 tackles and two forced fumbles. That performance gave the Lions incentive to keep him for the future. “I know he missed a couple of games here due to injury, but when he’s been out there on defense and on special teams, he just, he makes plays”, head coach Dan Campbell said when asked about him. “He’s a football player. And that doesn’t go unnoticed.”

Instead, Reeves-Maybin will head to Houston on a deal roughly three times as lucrative as the one-year extension he signed in Detroit last year. The Lions’ LB corps now consists of Alex Anzalone, Josh Woods and Derrick Barnes at the top of the depth chart.

Lions Want To Re-Sign Jalen Reeves-Maybin

December 31st, 2021 at 6:04pm CST by Zachary Links

Lions linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin is winding down his walk year. But, if Lions head coach Dan Campbell has his druthers, he’ll be staying put in 2022. 

“There’s a number of guys, but I mean certainly one of the first ones that pops in my head is, Jalen Reeves-Maybin pops up,” Campbell said (via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press). “I know he missed a couple of games here due to injury, but when he’s been out there on defense and on special teams, he just, he makes plays. He’s a football player. And that doesn’t go unnoticed.”

Reeves-Maybin, a 2017 fourth-round pick, has spent his entire career in Detroit. Last offseason, after losing Jarrad Davis to the Jets in free agency, the Lions brought him back on a one-year, $2.38MM deal. Since then, he’s responded with a pair of forced fumbles and 57 tackles, tied for fifth on the team. Not too shabby for a player who spent much of his previous years as a special teamer.

“He will have his chance to be our starting inside linebacker,” Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn said earlier this week. “He’s had a great year. Still has a ways to go, but we’re excited about that player.”

Of course, there hasn’t been much excitement in Detroit outside of Reeves-Maybin, but the Lions will have plenty of draft ammo to work with this offseason. Now stationed at 2-12-1, they’ll wrap up the year with games against the Seahawks and Packers.

Lions Re-Sign Jalen Reeves-Maybin

March 15th, 2021 at 6:01pm CST by Zachary Links

The Lions are bringing back Jalen Reeves-Maybin (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). Once finalized, it’ll be a one-year, $2.38MM fully–guaranteed deal. Much of that deal will be off of the books, however, due to the veteran salary benefit.

Reeves-Maybin, a 2017 fourth-round pick, has spent his entire career in Detroit. Despite the change in regime, he’ll get at least another year with the Lions. He’s appeared in 55 total games for the club, including three starts (all in 2019). But, he’s mostly shined on special teams. Over the last two years, he’s seen upwards of 70% of the Lions’ ST snaps.

The Lions have more work to do at linebacker, especially after Jarrad Davis left to sign a one-year contract with the Jets. Reeves-Maybin — who saw just 38 snaps on D — could see more time as a traditional LB this year to help fill the gap