Lions to Sign Cornerback Dante Wesley on Monday

Cornerback Dante Wesley is going to sign a two-year deal with the Lions on Monday, both ESPN and the Detroit News are reporting.  Wesley reportedly visited the Lions last week, and now he is getting ready to join the team and start participating in the offseason workout program.

Veteran Dante Wesley is putting the finishing touches on a two-year contract according to agent Russel Hicks, and will begin participating in the Lions' offseason program Monday.

Wesley is a former Panther who is mainly a special teams player.  He played in all but one game over the last two seasons, but he never started once.  Just like Landon Johnson, who signed a couple weeks ago, his connection with new Lions and former Panthers special teams coach Danny Crossman is likely the reason Wesley is coming to Detroit.  Wesley is depth at the cornerback position, but his main role with the Lions will likely be on special teams.

As mentioned above, Wesley only missed one game during the last two seasons.  The reason he missed that game was not because of an injury, but rather because he was suspended for a vicious hit on Tampa Bay's punt returner.  The hit was well before the ball was caught by the punt returner, and Wesley left his feet and led with his forearm.  The hit got him a one-game game suspension and an ejection from the game it happened in, which probably was the right call considering how dirty it seemed.  Wesley didn't mean to do any harm, though, he just clearly mistimed the hit.  Also, he apologized for what happened both to Tampa's punt returner and the fans.