- Matt Prater has been the Lions’ most valuable free agent signing in the last five seasons, writes ESPN’s Michael Rothstein. Though he has stiff competition from Golden Tate and Glover Quin, the veteran kicker is without a doubt in the mix for the honor.
Here are today’s minor moves:
Detroit Lions
- Waived: WR Jace Billingsley
- Promoted to active roster: DT Christian Ringo
Miami Dolphins
- Promoted to active roster: LB Neville Hewitt
New York Giants
- Waived from injured reserve: WR Kevin Norwood
Seattle Seahawks
- Promoted to active roster: WR David Moore
Here are today’s practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: WR Alonzo Russell
Chicago Bears
- Signed: WR Demarcus Ayers
Denver Broncos
- Signed: OLB Stansly Maponga
Detroit Lions
- Signed: CB Adairius Barnes
New England Patriots
- Signed: WR Bernard Reedy
The Lions have claimed Dwight Freeney off waivers, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Freeney was released by the Seahawks on Tuesday. 
Once among the league’s most dominant edge rushers, the 37-year-old isn’t quite the world-beater that he used to be. Still, Freeney could be a useful situational player, as evidenced by the three sacks he compiled in four games with Seattle. He was also effective in small doses for the Falcons in 2016. Freeney scored three sacks and 26.5 pressures for the Falcons last year while playing roughly a third of Atlanta’s defensive snaps.
In Detroit, Freeney will help to serve as depth behind starters Anthony Zettel and Ezekiel Ansah. If Ansah’s knee keeps him from the field on Thanksgiving, Cornelius Washington will draw the start at right defensive end, potentially putting Freeney in line for significant playing time. Jeremiah Valoaga and the newly-promoted Christian Ringo will also be in the same boat.
Freeney has a chance to reach the postseason with the Lions, who are 6-4. He also has a chance to move up the all-time sack chart. Currently, he sits 17th with 125.5 career sacks, putting him within range of Derrick Thomas (126.5) and Rickey Jackson (128). If he plays in 2018, he might have a chance at leapfrogging Lawrence Taylor and Leslie O’Neal (132.5).
The Lions announced that they have waived defensive tackle Khyri Thornton. Thornton was activated from suspension just under a month ago, but he has not been effective since returning to action. 
The bad news may have put a damper on Thornton’s 28th birthday. The former third-round pick will be subject to the waiver wire, but he can sign with any team of his choosing if he is not claimed on Wednesday afternoon.
It’s somewhat unlikely that he is claimed since he has not looked all that great in his four games this year. Then again, teams may be more inclined to roll the dice on him since his remaining guarantees were voided by the PED ban. He’s currently in the midst of a two-year, $3.3MM deal, but he can be released without any real financial penalty after the season.
Last year, Thornton made 13 appearances for Detroit, including six starts. He registered his first career sack and racked up 19 tackles, leading the Lions to give him a new deal.
On Monday, the 49ers used their high waiver priority to snag defensive tackle Sheldon Day. They weren’t the only team with interest in him, however. The Texans, Lions, and Cardinals also tried to claim him, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). 
It seems that several teams in the league have been keeping an eye on the former fourth-round pick out of Notre Dame. Day hasn’t done a whole lot in his one-and-a-half NFL seasons, notching just eleven tackles and two sacks. However, he led the Fighting Irish in quarterback pressures (13), tackles for a loss (15.5), and touchdown-saving tackles (9) in his final year on campus.
The Texans would have loved to get a good look at Day, particularly after losing defensive lineman J.J. Watt and backup Christian Covington for the season. Ditto for the Lions who are without defensive tackles Haloti Ngata and Jordan Hill plus defensive end Kerry Hyder. However, the 1-9 49ers beat them all to the punch in order to reunite Day with defensive coordinator Robert Saleh.
By assuming his rookie contract, the 49ers have gained contractual control of Day through the 2019 season. However, if he gets cut at some point between now and then, the Texans, Lions, and Cardinals will be among the teams to keep an eye on.
- Like Bulaga, defensive end Ezekiel Ansah has dealt with injury issues this season, and there’s no guarantee he’ll be a member of the Lions in 2018, per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Ansah, 28, is absent for the second straight game today as he deals with a back injury, and his decreased production will likely lead to a depressed market when he hits the free market next spring. Though an extension seemed like a formality earlier this year, a long-term deal for Ansah now seems out of the question, while the franchise tag — at a cost north of $18MM — isn’t an option, either. A one-year pillow contract in the range of $10MM could make sense for both Ansah and the Lions, as Birkett notes.
- Kyle Meinke of MLive.com says he would not be surprised if the Lions simply cut Eric Ebron this offseason. While Ebron is due an $8MM salary under the fifth-year option of his rookie contract, that salary is guaranteed for injury only, so Detroit could move on from him with no penalty (assuming, of course, he does not get hurt in the meantime). Theoretically, the two sides could attempt to work out some alternate arrangement — after all, Ebron would not get close to $8MM on the open market — but given that Ebron seemed anxious for a fresh start when his name was bandied about at the trade deadline, it sounds as if Ebron may be playing his last games as Lion.
- In the same piece, Meinke says it is hard to imagine Lions head coach Jim Caldwell getting the axe after the season, even if the team fails to qualify for the playoffs. However, Meinke predicts that Detroit will let impending free agent center Travis Swanson, who has performed poorly this season, hit the open market while sliding Graham Glasgow from guard to center.
- On the subject of less-than-ideal contract years, Ziggy Ansah will miss a second straight game with a back injury, Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com reports. Injuries have limited the Lions defensive end for the past two seasons and figure to be a key part of the discussion once his contract expires after 2017. He has four sacks — all coming in two games — this season.
- Lions offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter declined to comment on his interest in the University of Tennessee’s vacant head coaching position, as Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press writes. Cooter played and coached for the Volunteers before heading to the NFL. Under Cooter’s leadership, Detroit finished 15th in offensive DVOA in 2016, but has slipped to 21st this season. Tennessee has already expressed interest in another ex-Vol, Jets defensive coordinator Kacy Rodgers.