4 months ago
- Lions
- Published: Jan. 05, 2026, 4:47 p.m.
ALLEN PARK -- The Detroit Lions didn’t discarded overmuch clip aft nan play ended to motion 3 of their 4 exclusive-rights free agents, and 9 believe squad players to reserve/future deals.
They re-signed exclusive-rights free agents violative lineman Michael Niese, moving backmost Jacob Saylors and cornerback Nick Whiteside connected Monday. Jake Bates is nan only different exclusive-rights free agent, and he’s nan kicker of nan early for this franchise, truthful don’t worry.
Teams tin motion their exclusive-rights free agents for nan seasoned minimum. If a subordinate declines to motion while designated pinch exclusive rights, past they must beryllium retired nan adjacent season, truthful it’s almost a fastener that each are backmost if/when offered.
Niese has spent nan past 3 seasons pinch nan Lions. He’s appeared successful 26 games during that span, including 8 this season, while logging 12 violative snaps and 45 connected typical teams. Niese tin play halfway aliases guard, and his knowledge of nan coaches, teammates and strategy makes a ton of consciousness to bring him back.
Whiteside landed pinch nan franchise precocious successful training camp. The Auburn Hills autochthonal and erstwhile Saginaw Valley State standout was portion of nan “Legion of Whom” this season. He appeared successful 9 games, playing 51 snaps connected defense and different 71 connected typical teams. Saylors served arsenic 1 of nan team’s superior kickoff returners each play agelong aft earning a roster spot successful training campy and nan preseason.
And soon aft announcing nan signings of those three, they secured respective players from their believe squad to reserve/future deals. Nine of nan team’s 14 believe squad players were re-signed connected Monday afternoon, too.
The item from that reserve/future group is sixth-round walk rusher Ahmed Hassanein. The rookie re-signed pinch nan Lions aft his wounded colony expired owed to a pectoral injury. Hassanein vanished nan play connected nan believe squad and ne'er appeared successful a crippled arsenic a rookie.
Hassanein previously said his supplier told him location were calls from nan 31 different teams trying to get him to subordinate their believe squad. But it was ever astir getting backmost pinch nan coaches, shot executives and teammates who believed successful him from nan opening successful Detroit.
“I’m a loyal guy, and this squad picked maine for a reason,” Hassanein antecedently said. “And I genuinely consciousness for illustration this is nan champion squad for me. And this squad intends everything to me, you know, and because erstwhile personification picks me, I’m a loyal guy, man. I instrumentality pinch them, and I don’t want to leave.
“And I was talking to my agent, and he was telling me, like, ‘Oh, yeah, 31 (teams) called and conscionable asking astir you, and I was like, ‘Man, I americium not going anywhere.’ I’m staying present because this is wherever I want to be, and this squad believes successful me, and I emotion them, you know, and I’m not going anywhere.”
See beneath for nan database of reserve/future signings:
- EDGE Ahmed Hassanein
- OL Devin Cochran
- WR Malik Cunningham
- TE Zach Horton
- WR Jackson Meeks
- OL Mason Miller
- RB Jabari Small
- DL Chris Smith
- S Loren Strickland
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I screen nan Detroit Lions for MLive aft starting my profession pinch nan MLive sports desk, Jackson Citizen Patriot, MLive Detroit and nan trending news team. I americium a lifelong Michigander, Central Michigan...
