Detroit Lions Upgrade With Community-Oriented Signees

I am a long-suffering Detroit Lions fan. Any time a fan of the team mentions his or her allegiance to the Lions, it's safe to assume the term "long-suffering" or something similar will emerge during the conversation. It is our cross to bear. But, there was good news this morning, on two different fronts. Not only did the Lions pick up two solid free agents, but they also got two guys who give back to their community.

The first pickup was announced early Friday by ESPN. Nate Burleson (at right), who's been a wide receiver with the Seattle Seahawks for the last four seasons, was reported to have signed a five-year, $25 million deal, including $11 million in guaranteed money. His best season was in 2004, when he reached 1,006 yards receiving, and that season he happened to be playing for offensive coordinator Scott Linehan, who he'll rejoin this upcoming season with the Lions. The big news for Lions fans is he'll serve as someone to take pressure off of wide receiver Calvin Johnson, who's probably gotten tired of drawing constant double and triple teams.

In addition, Burleson has his own foundation, which is also known as C.A.T.C.H 81. It stands for "Caring And Teaching Children How," along with Branch's uniform number 81. According to the foundation's page notes, the mission statement is "to reach and teach children and their families by providing them with educational tools to succeed as well as enriching their lives by showing them how to care for others, themselves, and their future."

The Lions other pickup was Kyle Vanden Bosch, a three-time Pro Bowl defensive end for the Tennessee Titans. Vanden Bosch reportedly signed for four years and $26 million. According to the Detroit News, Jim Schwartz, the Lions head coach, paid a visit to Vanden Bosch at his home in Nashville shortly after 12:01 a.m. Friday morning, when the free agency period officially started. Mind you, Schwartz and Vanden Bosch have a history, since Schwartz was the defensive coordinator with the Titans and coached Vanden Bosch for four years prior to taking the Lions job.

And, like Burleson, Vanden Bosch has a foundation, called the KVB S.A.C.K. Foundation, which stands for "Support and Assist Charities for Kids." As Vanden Bosch's site reads, "With financial assistance and volunteer work, we aim to create new opportunities for children that may need a little help or encouragement."

So not only will the children of Detroit benefit from the generosity of these new Lions, but the fans of Detroit will benefit from having even the smallest glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, the team will pull out of its decades-long tailspin.

Photo by Bernzilla via Flickr.