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Linebacker Ashlee Palmer is coming back to the Detroit Lions after all. According to Dave Birkett, the Lions have agreed to terms on a new deal with Palmer.
The Lions have agreed to terms on a 1-year deal with LB Ashlee Palmer, per a league source.
— Dave Birkett (@davebirkett) March 20, 2012
Palmer was technically a restricted free agent, but the Lions declined to tender him an offer. They didn't want to pay him the salary associated with one of the RFA tenders, so they essentially let him become an unrestricted free agent. He didn't sign elsewhere, so the Lions were able to bring him back.
Palmer is a solid contributor on special teams and is a good depth linebacker to have. He appeared in all of the Lions' games in 2010 and 2011, and he figures to be on the 53-man roster again this year.
It's not clear if the move to re-sign Palmer will have any effect on the Lions' interest in linebacker Tim Shaw, who is a similar player in terms of being solid depth at linebacker and a contributor on special teams. Shaw visited the Lions on Monday, and although it reportedly went well, not too much has come out so far about if the two sides are talking about making a deal happen.
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