The Detroit Lions signed first-round pick Eric Ebron on Friday.
The contract is a four-year deal with a fifth-year team option.
The No. 10 overall pick in May's draft, Ebron joins a stacked Lions offense that includes Calvin Johnson, Golden Tate, Reggie Bush, Joique Bell, Matthew Stafford and a solid offensive line.
The 6-foot-4 tight end is incredibly athletic and has the ability to stretch a defense up the seam. He is a good route runner that can create matchups against linebackers and defensive backs.
First-round draft pick signing tracker
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Ebron's explosiveness pairs well with Megatron and Tate on the outside.
The 21-year-old will battle with re-signed tight end Brandon Pettigrew for playing time in new coordinator Joe Lombardi's offense.
The biggest drawback to Ebron's game at this point is his blocking technique, which will need to be improved as he gets bigger.
The expectation is for Ebron to play a move tight end role in Lombardi's offense, similar to Jimmy Graham's function in the New Orleans Saints' offense.
With Ebron's pass-catching ability the Lions should employ a lot of two-tight end sets with the rookie and Pettigrew on the field together, especially on early running downs.
The Lions reportedly had less than $1 million in cap space remaining, so a corresponding move had to be made to get Ebron under the cap. The team has yet to announce either a player contract restructure, extension or a cut.
In the latest edition of the "Around The League Podcast," the heroes debate the Super Bowl windows of Brady and Manning.
