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- Mar 18, 2019
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The Lions selected linebacker Jarrad Davis in the first round of the 2017 draft because they thought he could be a foundational piece of their defense.
After three years with the team, it doesn’t look like Davis has fulfilled that hope. The Lions opted not to pick up his option for the 2021 season this week, which sets Davis up to be a free agent after playing out the final year of his rookie deal.
The Lions didn’t draft a linebacker to push Davis aside last month, but they did draft Jahlani Tavai in the second round last year and they signed veteran Reggie Ragland as a free agent. On Tuesday, though, head coach Matt Patricia said neither the option decision nor the other players changed how the team views Davis.
“JD is a cornerstone of what we’re trying to do,” Patricia said on a conference call, via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
Davis was limited to 11 games last year and recorded 63 tackles, two sacks, three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.