As free agency continues for the NFL, several players, including a few from the University of Alabama, are signing contracts with new teams as the offseason leading up to the 2020 season rolls on.
Inside linebacker Reggie Ragland is the latest former Crimson Tide standout to sign a free agency contract, as Jeremy Fowler with ESPN pointed out on Friday morning that Ragland would sign with the Detroit Lions.
ILB Reggie Ragland has agreed to terms with the Detroit Lions, per source. Former first-round pick won Super Bowl with the Chiefs.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) March 27, 2020
After being drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft, Ragland spent only one season, a season in which he torn his ACL and missed his rookie year, with the team before being traded to the Chiefs in August of 2018.
Kansas City sent Buffalo a fourth-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft in exchange for the Madison (Ala.) native.
Since then, the 6-foot-2, 252-pound linebacker has accumulated 160 tackles, 2.5 sacks and one interception while starting 32 of a possible 48 games for the reigning Super Bowl champions.
Now, Ragland will be making the move to Detroit to reunite with former Alabama teammate Bo Scarbrough. But unfortunately, another one of Ragland’s teammates, A’Shawn Robinson, left the Lions to sign with the Los Angeles Chargers.
But with Ragland now with Lions head coach Matt Patricia, who has familiarity with another former Alabama linebacker in Dont’a Hightower during his time with the New England Patriots, the hope is that he can continue to develop.
Ragland will still only be 27 years old in late September, which means he can still work his way into being a quality starter.
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