Allen Park — The Detroit Lions formalized the retention of six of the team’s seven exclusive-rights free agents on Monday, tendering five of those players, while signing running back Craig Reynolds to a new contract.
In addition to Reynolds, the Lions tendered linebacker Anthony Pittman, long-snapper Scott Daly, defensive tackle Benito Jones and tight ends Brock Wright and Shane Zylstra.
An exclusive-rights free agent is any player who ends the year on the roster, but has fewer than three seasons of service time. A tender is a non-guaranteed, one-year contract for the veteran minimum. It also prohibits the player from signing with another franchise.
Collectively, the group of six players logged more than 1,200 offensive and defensive snaps for the Lions last season, and another 937 snaps on special teams. Each of the players will have a strong chance to maintain a roster spot in 2023.
Wright returns as Detroit’s leading tight end from a year ago. Undrafted out of Notre Dame in 2021, he caught 18 passes for 216 yards and four scores last season. Zylstra, who also saw an expanded role after the team traded T.J. Hockenson midseason, hauled in 11 balls, including four touchdowns.
Reynolds, in his second season with the Lions, appeared in nine games, tallying 219 yards from scrimmage as the third back in the team’s rotation. He could be in the mix to return kicks for Detroit next season, a role he played in college and worked during the preseason.
Jones, a waiver claim just ahead of the season, tallied 16 tackles, 1.5 sacks and two batted passes as a backup defensive tackle.
Finally, Daly wrapped his second season in Detroit after replacing the franchise’s longtime snapper Don Muhlback in 2021.
The only exclusive-rights free agent the Lions aren’t immediately bringing back is offensive lineman Tommy Kraemer. As an undrafted rookie in 2021, he appeared in nine games, making three starts, but he missed all of last season because of a back injury suffered during training camp.
jdrogers@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @Justin_Rogers