Nick Fairley to Rams: Latest Contract Details, Comments and Reaction

The St. Louis Rams have reached an agreement with free agent Nick Fairley and confirmed the news via Twitter.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported it's a one-year deal worth $5 million, but with incentives, he can make up to $7.5 million.

The signing will mark the end of the defensive tackle's four-year run with the Detroit Lions.

Fairley was an interesting case coming into the offseason. He had shown flashes of becoming an interior force during the early stages of his career, but weight concerns, injury problems and some off-field issues prevented him from making serious strides.

The Lions, who also lost fellow tackle Ndamukong Suh to the Miami Dolphins, were forced into a tough spot—especially since the Auburn product is coming off of his least productive season to date.

Fairley racked up just 14 combined tackles and one sack in eight games before his season was cut short due to a knee injury.

After the season ended, he told Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press he was focused on rehab and working with a personal chef to keep his weight in check. He also talked about wanting to stay with the Lions, if possible.

"I want it to be," Fairley said. "I love Detroit, to be honest. I feel the city, the people in it. I love the atmosphere of basically the hard work that they bring. I'm just all work and that's definitely the vibe I get from the city and I like it."

Of course, in the football business, things don't always work out as a player might hope.

For Fairley, while he enjoyed the atmosphere in Detroit, the move presents him with a clean slate—a fresh opportunity to leave some of those negative aspects of his years with the Lions in the past and attempt to capitalize on his talent.

He joins an impressive Rams D-line that includes Robert Quinn, Michael Brockers, Chris Long and Aaron Donald.

The most important factors with the Rams will be staying healthy and maintaining the right balance with his weight. He wants to keep his powerful frame intact without reaching a point where extra pounds start hurting his play.

So it's a signing that comes with risk. The upside is obvious, though. Fairley has the ability to cause plenty of disruption by wreaking havoc in the middle. He was often overshadowed by Suh in Detroit, but he'll likely take on a more prominent role in St. Louis.

Now, he'll get a chance to show why he's worth the investment.