Kyle Van Noy Expects Lions To Pursue Him In Free Agency

Kyle Van Noy
Photo credit © Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
A year ago at this time, Kyle Van Noy was having some fun at the Lions' expense. Now he's planning for a potential reunion with his former team. 
The linebacker will hit free agency next week, and he told NFL.com's Mike Garafolo that he'd be open to a return to Detroit. It would give him a second opportunity to play for Matt Patricia, who sparked Van Noy's career when he was traded from the Lions to the Patriots in 2016.

In addition to Patricia and the Lions, Van Noy said he expects to hear from Dolphins HC Brian Flores and Giants HC Joe Judge -- two more of his former coaches in New England -- in free agency. 

"I have a good relationship with every single one of those coaches. They know what I bring to the table. I believe they’ll be at the table. It’s just a matter of when it comes time to hand out money, I guess we’ll see," Van Noy told Garafolo.

Van Noy, 28, thrived in Patricia's defense from 2016-17. After he helped the Patriots win the Super Bowl in 2018, a season in which he led the team in tackles, he quipped that he "went from the toilet bowl to the Super Bowl" when he was dealt from Detroit to New England. 

Van Noy added, "When I got (to New England), it was like, they had a plan for me. Then that plan got bigger with how I played. With that being said, I didn’t know that to begin with because I’d been in Detroit, where I was kind of told, 'We don’t know where to put you.' And I’m like, 'Why did you draft me?'"

A second-round pick of Detroit in 2014, Van Noy was traded to New England in 2016 for the scant price of a sixth-round pick -- and the Lions included a seventh-rounder in the deal. Almost immediately, Patricia made Van Noy a key cog in the Patriots defense. New England won the Super Bowl a few months later. 

Van Noy's career really took off the next year, his versatility shining in Patricia's scheme. 

Asked last offseason what the Patriots saw in Van Noy at the time of the trade, Patricia said, "For myself, with Kyle, he was someone that we had scouted coming out of college and thought just some of the things I did fit him pretty well from that standpoint."

Draft Watch: Bob Quinn Enamored With Clemson LB Isaiah Simmons

Despite their heavy investment in linebackers in recent years, the Lions need help at that position. Could Van Noy be the answer? He'll be looking for a substantial raise from his $4.25 million base salary last season, likely in the neighborhood of $10 million per year. Detroit projects to have about $50 million in cap space. 

Van Noy helped anchor the best defense in the NFL in 2019, ranking fourth on the Patriots in tackles and tackles for loss, second in sacks (6.5) and first in QB hits and forced fumbles.

"I'm going to be honest, I want to be a priority for a team and I feel I have to go where someone is going to make me a priority," he said. "I'm sure New England knows that. If that opportunity comes, it comes. I'll be frank, I don't see myself waiting around."