Detroit Lions Sign Three Exclusive Rights Free Agents

All three of the Detroit Lions exclusive rights free agents have signed with the team

The Detroit Lions have retained all three of their exclusive rights free agents, including punter Jack Fox.

An ERFA is any player in the league with fewer than three accrued seasons and an expired contract. If the original team offers the player a one-year contract at the league minimum based on his credited seasons, the player cannot negotiate with other NFL teams.

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Fullback Jason Cabinda and offensive lineman Matt Nelson are the other two who will be playing another season in Motown. 

Cabinda completed his second season with the Lions, who signed him to the practice squad in 2019. 

Prior to joining the Lions, he played for the Raiders in 2018 after signing with the team as an undrafted free agent.

The ex-Raiders linebacker appeared in all 16 games in 2020. He secured two receptions for eight yards and seven tackles, as he saw 281 special team snaps.

Nelson, who also changed positions, as he has been converted to an offensive lineman after the team informed him they did not envision him playing along the defensive line. 

"They reached out to me in the pre-draft process and were like, 'Hey, we don't really see you as a defensive lineman. Would you mind switching over to the offensive line?'" Nelson explained following a Lions victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars last October. "Kind of went over like the bare-bones plan of, 'OK, you're going to come in, essentially redshirt you. We don't see you playing at all the first year. We're going to put some weight on you. You're going to learn how to play offensive line,' and essentially go from there."

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