Detroit Lions re-sign former Missouri star to two-year deal
The Detroit Lions are wrapping up their would-be-free-agent signings on Tuesday ahead of the open window this week. They made a big move to hold on to former Missouri Tigers linebacker Charles Harris for at least two more years.
Harris, a 2017 first-round draft pick for the Miami Dolphins, is reportedly inking for two years, $14 million, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
The 6-foot-3 key rotational piece for the Lions posted a career-high 7.5 sacks in 2021 – his first season with Detroit. He was on a one-year, $1.7 million deal after playing one season for the Atlanta Falcons.
Harris totaled a career-high 65 tackles (34 solo) for the 3-13 squad, earning him a big payday on Tuesday.
He went No. 22 overall to Miami after a nine-sack final season with Missouri. Harris just turned 27 years old this month.
Lions make handful of moves Monday
The Lions re-signed former Alabama linebacker Shaun Dion Hamilton on Monday, in addition to several other moves.
“#Lions have re-signed Safety C.J. Moore, LB Alex Anzalone, S Jalen Elliott, LB Shaun Dion Hamilton,” NFL reporter Dov Kleiman tweeted.
Hamilton first entered the league in 2018, when he was selected in the sixth round of the 2018 NFL Draft by Washington. In three years with Washington, he racked up 97 combined tackles, seven tackles for loss, three quarterback hits, one interception, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery across 46 games, seven of which were starts.
In 2021, Washington waived Hamilton, and the Lions claimed him. He missed this past season with an injury, but the Lions clearly wanted him to come back for another season.
Hamilton wasn’t the only former SEC linebacker that the Lions brought back. They also re-signed Alex Anzalone. Anzalone played for Florida and was a 2017 third-round pick by the New Orleans Saints. He signed with the Lions in free agency last offseason and totaled 78 tackles in his first year with Detroit as a key part of the defense.
On3’s Jonathan Wagner contributed to this report.