As we get set for preseason football, we’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Detroit Lions
New England Patriots
Oakland Raiders
Today’s minor moves:
Cincinnati Bengals
Dallas Cowboys
Detroit Lions
Green Bay Packers
Los Angeles Rams
Seattle Seahawks
Tennessee Titans
Today’s minor moves:
Denver Broncos
Detroit Lions
New York Giants
Seattle Seahawks
Tennessee Titans
Today’s minor moves:
Carolina Panthers
Detroit Lions
Jacksonville Jaguars
Kansas City Chiefs
New Orleans Saints
New York Giants
Tennessee Titans
Today’s minor moves:
Detroit Lions
Kansas City Chiefs
Los Angeles Rams
New England Patriots
San Francisco 49ers
Former Bills, Dolphins, and Giants linebacker Kelvin Sheppard is working out for the Lions today, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN (Twitter link).
Sheppard, 30, has made quite a few stops in his NFL career. Originially drafted in the third round by the Bills back in 2011. After a couple years there he was traded to the Colts, but released after just a season. He then signed in Miami for the next two years, and started 13 games for the Dolphins in 2015. He was a starter in 2016 with the Giants, then signed with the Bears the following offseason. He was cut before the regular season started and ended up re-signing with the Giants mid-season. A true journeyman, Sheppard will be looking to latch on with his sixth team in just eight seasons.
It’s been a quiet market so far for Sheppard, who’s drawn little known interest. Lions coach Matt Patricia should have some familiarity with Sheppard, having coached in the same division as him during his time with the Patriots while Sheppard was playing for the Bills and Dolphins. Sheppard received poor marks from Pro Football Focus in 2017, earning a low 46.5 grade, 59th among linebackers.
The Lions made a series of moves today, according to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (via Twitter). Besides making their signing of Ricky Jean-Francois official, the Lions also signed linebacker Darnell Sankey. To make room on the roster, the team has waived linebacker Al-Rasheed Benton and offensive lineman Beau Nunn.
Sankey, a 2016 undrafted free agent out of Sacramento State, has bounced around the league over the past two years. The six-foot-two, 250-pound linebacker has had stints with the Broncos, Raiders, Chiefs, Vikings, Colts, and Ravens. He ended up appearing in six games for Indy last season without compiling a tackle. He’ll joined a crowded Lions depth chart that already has Christian Jones, Jonathan Freeny, Cam Johnson, Trevor Bates, and Steve Longa competing for backup reps.
Benton, a former standout at West Virginia, signed with the Lions as an undrafted free agent back in May. Nunn, an Appalachian State product, also signed with Detroit as an undrafted free agent. With the offensive tackle off the roster, one of Corey Robinson, Brian Mihalik, Adam Bisnowaty, and Dan Skipper will presumably have a better shot of making the roster.
After meeting with the Lions yesterday, Jean-Francois inked a one-year deal with Detroit. The 31-year-old split last season between the Patriots and Packers, compiling seven total tackles.
Veteran defensive lineman Ricky Jean-Francois has signed a one-year deal with the Lions, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). RJ-F met with Detroit on Wednesday morning and it did not take long for a deal to come together. 
The Lions have been in search of defensive line depth throughout the offseason and Jean-Francois, they hope, will help to sure up their group on the interior. The Lions will start A’Shawn Robinson and Sylvester Williams in the middle, but Jean-Francois will battle for a spot alongside last year’s sixth-round pick Jeremiah Ledbetter and Toby Johnson. The 31-year-old (32 in November) offers nine years of NFL experience while Ledbetter and Johnson have appeared in just 18 games combined.
This week, the Lions also met veteran Sealver Siliga. It’s not immediately clear how the addition of Jean-Francois will affect Siliga’s chances of signing with the Lions.
Veteran defensive tackle Ricky Jean-Francois will visit with the Lions on Wednesday, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Jean-Francois spent last year with the Patriots, so new Lions head coach Matt Patricia is familiar with what he can provide. 
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RJF spent last season with the Packers and Patriots. The 2009 seventh-round pick was cut twice by Green Bay and even dropped from the roster once by the Pats, but he was re-signed by New England and stayed with the team through their trip to the Super Bowl. All in all, he had 12 tackles in 12 games between the two clubs.
In March, the defensive tackle discussed a deal with the Lions, but he ultimately left Detroit without a contract. It appears that the Lions have renewed interest as they continue to search for interior defensive line depth. This week, the Lions also met with Sealver Siliga.