Lions place 2 players on I.R., officially add LB Joel Iyiegbuniwe

A day after the addition was known to be coming, the Detroit Lions made it official. The team signed free agent linebacker Joel Iyiegbuniwe to a one-year contract ahead of the Lions’ final preseason game.

Iyiegbuniwe has years of considerable special teams experience in the NFL, though the one-time Bears fourth-round pick has barely played on defense in his six years in the league.

He fills the roster spot of linebacker Malik Jefferson, who was one of two players the Lions placed on injured reserve. Jefferson and veteran wideout Tre’Quan Smith had their Lions seasons ended with the move to I.R.

Detroit also reached injury settlements with two undrafted rookies who were previously waived, DB Morice Norris and LB DaRon Gilbert .