Green Bay Packers sign defensive tackle Ricky Jean Francois
The Green Bay Packers hosted defensive tackle, Ricky Jean Francois, yesterday, just a day later they have agreed on terms. First reported by NFL Network’s Insider Ian Rapoport, the team has signed him to a one-year deal worth $3 million.
Jean Francois may not be the biggest name, however, the deal does have some upside. He played in all 16 games last season for the Washington Redskins.
Drafted out of LSU in 2009, Jean Francois has had stints in San Fransico, Indianapolis, and as mentioned Washington.
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Not a dominant player, but the 300-pound lineman has recorded 12 sacks and 153 tackles.
The team recently in free agency has lost three key defensive players: Micah Hyde, Julius Peppers, and Datone Jones.
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Heading into next year the Packers will also be without defensive lineman Letroy Guion for the first four games with his suspension. Guion will be suspended for the NFL’s policy against performance-enhancing drugs.
Any move on the defensive side of the ball will help, as that was the glaring weakness in the postseason. Although, the secondary was the biggest issue the team faced.
Jean Francois was released from the Redskins on March 15. For them, he spent time mostly as a backup. He only started in six games last year.
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The team may still need to make more moves on the defensive side unless they plan to wait until the NFL Draft. Their defense has been contaminated with a ton of injuries the past few seasons.
In a 3-4 defense like the one Dom Capers coaches, a versatile player like Jean Francois will be a natural fit.
If the team looks to add more defensive line help in the draft, this move could serve to just add some much-needed depth.
–– Bobby Burack covers the Green Bay Packers and is the Managing Editor for cover32 Packers. Connect and follow on Twitter @bburack16
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