T.J. Lang signs with Lions over Packers, Seahawks
Guard T.J. Lang has picked the Detroit Lions over the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Lang agreed to a three-year deal with the Lions on Sunday:
Lang's agent, Mike McCartney, confirmed the deal:
Lang, 29, made 94 starts and played in 119 games for the Packers, who picked him in the fourth round of the 2009 NFL draft. Lang became a full-time starter for the Packers in 2011, and he went on to start all but five games for Green Bay over the next six seasons.
In 2016, Lang made his first Pro Bowl.
Lang also played in 16 postseason games for the Packers.
The Detroit native will now head home to play for the Lions, who are filling their need at guard with one of the best in the game. Tough as nails and one of the best pass-blocking guards in the NFL, Lang should be a big upgrade for the right side of the Lions offensive line.
The Packers have now lost a second Pro Bowl guard in just eight months. General manager Ted Thompson released Josh Sitton before the start of last season, and now Lang has signed with a division rival. While Lane Taylor held up fine in place of Sitton last year, the Packers don't have a perfect replacement for him on the roster.
It's possible Jason Spriggs, who the Packers traded up for in the draft last year, could start at right guard in 2017. Don Barclay was re-signed, but him starting at any position would be a worst case scenario.
Other options include Lucas Patrick, who spent last season on the practice squad, and Kyle Murphy, a seventh-round pick in 2016 who is probably best suited for tackle.
Also, don't underestimate Thompson's ability to find a starting-quality lineman in the middle rounds of the draft.
Almost every year, Thompson uses a pick or two on the offensive line, and he's hit big on mid-round picks such as Sitton, Lang, David Bakhtiari and Corey Linsley. Expect him to bring in more reinforcements next month.
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