Shane Zylstra, a tight end, was re-signed by the Detroit Lions, the team announced on Monday.
The contract’s terms were not immediately apparent. Zylstra rejoins the team following a knee injury he sustained during training camp that prevented him from playing the entire 2023 campaign.
The tight end will stay with Dan Campbell’s team this offseason even though he was supposed to become an exclusive rights free agency. Deals made with free agents with exclusive rights often involve a one-year commitment at the league minimum.
Zylstra did contribute to the Lions’ 2022 season. Zylstra was a member of a tandem that assisted in replacing the output that was lost when starting pitcher T.J. Hockenson was sent away at the trade deadline.
He caught 11 catches for 60 yards and four touchdowns in 13 games in 2022. In a single game—a Week 16 defeat to the Carolina Panthers—three of the scores were scored.
Over the course of two NFL seasons, Zylstra has 14 career receptions for 94 yards. He signed with the practice squad of the Vikings in 2021, which was how he got his start in the NFL. He signed a practice squad contract with the Lions after being cut during that season’s roster reductions.
At Minnesota State, where he played collegiately, the tight end broke multiple school records. During his four seasons with the Mavericks, he caught 227 passes for 4,297 receiving yards and 54 touchdown grabs.
Sam LaPorta, who broke the NFL record for the most receptions by a rookie tight end, is scheduled to start for Detroit. But with James Mitchell’s progress hampered by injuries and Brock Wright scheduled to be a restricted free agent, depth is a worry.
