Detroit Lions re-sign Shane Zylstra as tight end room takes shape

The Detroit Lions re-signed tight end Shane Zylstra to a one-year contract Monday.

Zylstra, an exclusive rights free agent, missed all of last season with a knee injury he suffered in training camp. He was injured near the end of a practice when a caught a short pass in the flat and was hit in the knee by teammate Khalil Dorsey.

Lions coach Dan Campbell said at the time the hit, which was legal but the type rarely seen in training camp, "shouldn't have happened."

Zylstra caught four touchdowns in 13 games for the Lions in 2022 and appeared in four games with the team in 2021.

The Lions return top tight end Sam LaPorta and backup James Mitchell for next season, but could lose Brock Wright and Anthony Firkser to free agency. Wright will be a restricted free agent March 13. The Lions can retain keep negotiating rights with him by placing a right-of-first-refusal tender on him at the cost of $2.985 million.

Firkser will be an unrestricted free agent.

Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.