It all worked out for Devon Kennard.
Released on Tuesday by the Lions
in a surprising move, the veteran linebacker inked a three-year, $20 million deal with his hometown Cardinals on Wednesday, according to Mike Garafolo. That means a raise for Kennard in 2020.
#AZCardinals are giving LB Devon Kennard a three-year, $20 million deal that includes $12.25 million guaranteed, source says. The Phoenix native heads home and gets more than he was slated to earn from the #Lions.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo)
March 18, 2020 Kennard's deal with Detroit, which was set to expire in 2021, was worth $5.75 million per year. He'll make about $6.7 million per year in Arizona. He'll also get to play for team that looks to be on the rise, with first overall pick Kyler Murray at quarterback and wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins coming over from Houston.
The Lions cut Kennard, who had 14.0 sacks over the last two seasons, to save about $5.7 million against the cap in 2020. He was a co-captain and one of the most popular players in the locker room, but Detroit's moving in a different direction on defense.
“From the day he joined our organization in 2018, Devon exhibited an outstanding level of professionalism on and off the field," Matt Patricia and Bob Quinn said in a statement. "We would like to thank Devon for his contributions over the last two years and wish him and his family the very best in the future.”
