Detroit Lions sign free agent LB Reggie Gilbert

The Detroit Lions filled one of their two roster vacancies on Monday afternoon by signing free agent outside linebacker Reggie Gilbert.

Gilbert is a five-year veteran in the NFL after going undrafted in 2016. He spent the first three years of his career with the Green Bay Packers, making 18 game appearances and totaling 29 tackles and 3.5 sacks.

In 2019, he was traded to the Titans for a seventh-round pick. In Tennessee, he played in 11 games, started five, and picked up 22 tackles and 1.0 sacks. Though he was re-signed the next year, he was waived/injured prior to the start of the regular season and spent some time on both the Cardinals and Jaguars later in the season. In Jacksonville, there was a brief overlap with defensive coordinator Todd Wash, who is now the defensive line coach for the Lions.

Gilbert is an outside linebacker who will give the Lions some depth in the pass rushing department, while also bringing some decent skills in coverage (67.6 coverage grade in 2018).

That being said, he’ll have a tough time cracking Detroit’s lineup at outside linebacker. The Lions currently have Trey Flowers, Romeo Okwara, Julian Okwara, Charles Harris, Austin Bryant, and Robert McCray all challenging for spots at that position.