Patriots Sign Free Agent Paris Lenon to Free-Agent Deal

The New England Patriots shored up a thin middle line backing corp today by signing free-agent linebacker Paris Lenon. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

"Paris is excited to finally be a part of a winning organization and eager to contribute in whatever way Coach Belichick and his staff see fit. Now, quite simply, he's eager to go to work," agent Jon Persch said.

Lenon, who played the past three seasons with the Detroit Lions, is expected to challenge Patriot veteran Tedy Bruschi and second-year player Gary Guyton for playing time along side last year's defensive rookie of the year, Jerod Mayo.

Lenon, who was once called a "punt-team junkie" by Lions special team coordinator, Stan Kwan, is also expected to see time on the Patriots' special teams.

The Patriots find themselves especially thin at inside linebacker after losing third-round draft choice Tyrone McKenzie for the season with a torn ACL suffered in rookie mini-camp.

The Patriots traded longtime linebacker, Mike Vrabel, to the Kansas City Chiefs, along with quarterback Matt Cassel for a second-round pick prior to the 2008 draft. Though an primarily an outside linebacker, Vrabel filled in on the inside when called upon.

Lenon, 31, started all sixteen games in each of the past three seasons for the Lions, playing middle linebacker in a 4-3 set. He will be making the switch to inside linebacker for coach Bill Belichick's Patriot's squad. Unlike the Lions, the Patriots play a 3-4 defensive alignment.

The speedy linebacker, who has been referred to as a younger, quicker Zach Thomas (inside linebacker currently with the Kansas City Chiefs), played his college football for the Richmond Spiders.

The 6-foot-2 inch, 235-pound linebacker, averaged 135 tackles per season in his three years in Detroit, including a team leading 146 tackles last season (98 solo). He recorded 1.5 sacks, forced two fumbles, and recovered two fumbles.

In 2006, Lenon's first season with the Lions, he finished second on the team with 97 tackles (60 solo). He also had one interception.

In 2007, he was again second on the team in tackles (161), with two sacks, and one interception. His 161 tackles for Detroit in 2007 were the seventh-highest total in Lions team history.

He has career numbers of 523 career tackles (331 solo), 5.0 sacks, two interceptions for 61 yards, and one touchdown, as well as, four forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries, 16 passes defensed, and 58 special teams tackles.

Prior to playing for the Lions, Lenon was a member of the Green Bay Packers on two occasions (2001, 2001-05), the Seattle Seahawks (2001) and the Memphis Maniax (2001) of the XFL.

He was originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Carolina Panthers in 2000, but was released before training camp. He spent 2000 out of football before signing with Memphis.

Lenon made his NFL debut in 2002 with the Packers, where he played in all sixteen games and led the team with 22 special-teams tackles.