Dwight Freeney Reportedly Claimed by Lions After Being Waived by Seahawks

The Detroit Lions have added to their pass rush by claiming veteran defensive end Dwight Freeney off waivers Wednesday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Freeney reacted to the news on Twitter: 

The Seattle Seahawks cut Freeney on Tuesday, per ESPN's Field Yates, after he spent just four games with the team. 

The 37-year-old had three sacks on the year before his release.

Freeney is best known for his 11 years with the Indianapolis Colts, but he has remained active over the past few years in stops with the Los Angeles Chargers, Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons and most recently the Seahawks. He has 125.5 sacks in his career, ranking second among active players behind only Julius Peppers (151).

He made his season debut in Week 8 with Seattle and tallied three sacks in his first two games. As Pro Football Focus noted, he was the team's most productive pass-rusher in his short stint with the squad:

Unfortunately, his playing time had been limited in the last few weeks, and he played only 17 of 62 possible snaps in Week 11 against the Falcons, per Pro Football Reference. This ranked fifth on the team among defensive ends, as backups Dion Jordan and Branden Jackson got more chances.

He will hope to get more opportunities with the Lions, a team that ranks 20th in the NFL in sacks. With Ezekiel Ansah dealing with a back injury, the squad could use immediate help on the defensive line, even if it comes on a part-time basis.

Freeney also played for Lions head coach Jim Caldwell from 2009 to 2011 with the Colts.