Tom Lewand: Lions Want to Re-Sign Larry Foote

A couple weeks ago Larry Foote shared his concern with the media over how the Lions were handling his contract situation and expressed his desire to become a free agent.  Since then all had been quiet on the Larry Foote front until today when Tom Lewand decided to essentially share his side of the story with the media.

"I think Larry genuinely has an interest in being here, and we genuinely have an interest in having him," Lewand said. "The question is whether we can work something out, and we’ll continue to try to do that as we go forward."

"It’s always my hope that if we want somebody to be here, and they want to be here that we can work out a deal," Lewand said. "It doesn’t always happen, but it certainly gives you a better chance when the parties genuinely have an interest in each other, rather than some other thing driving the discussions -- whether it’s other leverage, whether it’s selling to the highest bidder, whatever those things are."

This is really all going to come down to how many years the Lions offer Foote.  As has been discussed many times before, Foote wants a multi-year deal, whereas the Lions probably don't want to give him a long-term contract (i.e. something beyond a couple years at most).  Although the Lions do have a bit of leverage when you consider that DeAndre Levy is a threat to start at linebacker in the future, Foote could definitely hit the free agent market and find work somewhere else.

I personally think it would be a bad move to not bring Foote back, but I also realize that this is a business.  If Foote isn't willing to even consider a short-term deal, the Lions very well may let him become a free agent and just move on.  Personally I believe the ideal contract to satisfy both sides and to keep Foote in Detroit would be two years.  It's not another one-year deal like Foote had last season, but at the same time it isn't something that could possibly hamper the Lions in the future if Foote truly does become expendable.  Hopefully some kind of agreement can be reached before free agency begins on March 5.