DEAL DONE: A former Tennessee linebacker has joined the Detroit Lions with $7.5 million…

The Detroit Lions headed into the offseason determined to sign several of their key players to long-term contracts. On Monday, they took care of one of their finest.

Jalen Reeves-Maybin, the Lions’ special teams ace, signed a two-year contract extension Monday. According to NFL Network, Reeves-Maybin will receive a $2.5 million signing bonus and a maximum value of $8 million, making him the highest-paid core special teams player in NFL history.

Reeves-Maybin, a fourth-round choice in 2017, earned second-team All-Pro accolades last season after tying for the NFL lead with 14 special teams tackles.

He also converted two fake punts, one for a 31-yard pass to Khalil Dorsey and one for a 3-yard run, and rotated at linebacker in apparent passing situations. Last season, Reeves-Maybin recorded 20 defensive tackles and one sack and was named to his first Pro Bowl.

Despite having plenty of salary cap space this spring, Lions general manager Brad Holmes stated Monday in an interview with WXYT-FM 97.1 that the team will stick to its goal of drafting, developing, and re-signing its own players.

We’ve been pretty strategic and judicious with the resources we’ve received,” Holmes explained. “But it is extremely subjective what you consider a bigger fish (to pursue in free agency). I suppose I have an idea because of the name, but it will be the same strategy that we’ve always taken.”

The Lions previously re-signed kicker Michael Badgley to a one-year contract – Badgley and Reeves-Maybin are represented by the same agent, Brian McLaughlin – but there are still 18 players set to become unrestricted free agents when the 2024 league year begins March 13.

This summer, the team is also likely to try to negotiate long-term agreements for quarterback Jared Goff and receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown.

Reeves-Maybin has played six of his seven NFL seasons in Detroit. He departed the team in 2022 to sign as a free agency with the Houston Texans before returning last spring on a one-year contract.