After losing Chris Board on Friday, the Detroit Lions were sure to secure the services of core special teamer C.J. Moore on Saturday.
Special teams is an overlooked aspect of the game, but the Detroit Lions will surely feel the loss of linebacker Chris Board to the New England Patriots. Safety and fellow core special teamer C.J. Moore reportedly had a visit with the Patriots himself on Friday, but on Saturday the Lions and he agreed to a deal to keep him in the fold.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, it’s a two-year, $4.5 million deal for Moore with $3 million fully guaranteed and another $1.25 million available in potential incentives.
Moore has been a core special teamer for the Lions since arriving in 2019, playing more than 200 snaps on those units in each season. He was let go by the Lions at cutdowns last summer with an injury settlement, landing with the Houston Texans on their practice squad when that settlement expired.
In time, Moore told his agent he wanted to be back with the Lions (hat-tip to 97.1 The Ticket).
I was literally telling my agent, ‘I want to come back to Detroit,’ because I know the type of confidence we have in this locker room
Lions show how much they value C.J. Moore with nice two-year deal
As the personal protector on the Lions’ punt team, Moore has become a bit of a force on fake punts the last two seasons with 83 rushing yards on three carries.
Moore started the 2021 season finale at safety, and made an interception against the Green Bay Packers. He has played 264 defensive snaps over the last two seasons for the Lions.
Here’s a look at Moore’s fake punt prowess.
A multi-year deal with a big chunk of it guaranteed is a very nice deal for Moore, a former undrafted free agent. And as much as he likes playing in Detroit, that kind of a deal is a clear indication of how much the Lions value him and wanted to make sure they brought him back. Another team being interested to the point of having him in for a visit surely helped get it done.