Lions Sign Kyle Vanden Bosch -- Fri Mar 5 3:20 pm --
DL Signs Four-Year Deal | Coach Jim Schwartz got his man today when the Detroit Lions agreed to a four-year deal with defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch. He did it with an aggressive personal touch, expressing confidence in Vanden Bosch and assuring him that the Lions have a larger rebuilding plan. Schwartz showed up at Vanden Bosch’s house in Nashville, Tenn., as the free-agent market opened at midnight. Schwartz was Vanden Bosch’s defensive coordinator for four years with the Titans. “Kyle was our No. 1 priority in free agency,” Schwartz told si.com. “I sat in his driveway and waited until midnight ET to send him a text and tell him I was there. I think he is going to be a perfect fit for our defense, not only as a player but as a leader for our young players.”
Vanden Bosch got the message. “He said, ‘I could be anywhere in the country right now, but I am here because you’re the guy I want,’ ” Vanden Bosch told the Tennessean. “Talking with him about the direction they are going, I am excited about it. I am excited about getting to a new team and with a new city. It will be a new challenge for me.” Vanden Bosch, 31, went to three Pro Bowls the past five years with the Titans, after beginning his career with the Cardinals. His production has slipped the past two seasons -- from 12 sacks in 2007 to 4 1/2 in ’08 to three in ’09. But Vanden Bosch went from 12 1/2 sacks in 2005 to 6 1/2 in ’06, then back up to 12 in ’07. Schwartz told Vanden Bosch he sees him as more than a mentor who can establish his system in Detroit. (Detroit Free Press)
FF Today's Take: With Burleson and now Vanden Bosch, the Lions have been among the most active buyers on the opening day of NFL free agency. Vanden Bosch joins an inexperienced Lions' pass rush that ranked 29th in the NFL last season with just 26 sacks. The veteran should help increase pressure on opposing quarterbacks.
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