The Detroit Lions have a big need for a pass rushing defensive end, and free agent defensive end Jason Jones may be the answer, according to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports. La Canfora reports that Jones is at the top of the Lions' target list with the NFL free agency period set to begin at 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday.
Lions rumors: Detroit targeting DE Jason Jones
The Lions could improve their pass rush by adding Jason Jones, a defensive end with ties to Detroit.
Jennifer Hilderbrand-US PRESSWIRE
More: Pride of Detroit
Sean Yuille of the SB Nation blog Pride of Detroit explains why Jones would be a good fit for the Lions. Besides playing at a position of need, Jones already has a connection with head coach Jim Schwartz, who was in his final season as the Tennessee Titans' defensive coordinator when the organization drafted Jones in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft. The Lions may also be able persuade Jones with a more personal touch.
The other major reason Jones makes sense for the Lions is that he’s from Detroit. He played for Lathrup High School in Southfield, and he later played college football at Eastern Michigan in Ypsilanti. Perhaps the Lions could play up the idea of returning home in their pursuit of Jones.
Jones would add some nice depth to the line if he didn't become an outright starter. He was used mostly as a situational pass rusher last season with the Seattle Seahawks, notching 10 tackles and 3.0 sacks in 12 games (zero starts). The Lions are projected to select defensive end Ezekiel Ansah out of BYU with the No. 5 overall pick in SB Nation's latest mock draft, in which case Jones would serve as a nice stop-gap if the raw but talented rookie needs some time to get acclimated to the NFL.
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