Chiefs free agent CB Mike Hughes to sign with Lions

Another Kansas City Chiefs free agent is set to sign with a new team.

According to Pro Football Focus reporter Doug Kyed, the Detroit Lions are set to sign CB Mike Hughes on a one-year deal worth. The Chiefs traded a sixth-round pick to the Minnesota Vikings to acquire Hughes and a seventh-round pick back in May of 2021.

Hughes logged some meaningful snaps for Kansas City last season, including five starts during the course of the year. The former first-round draft pick was a player that the team liked when he was coming out of UCF in the 2018 NFL draft, both for his ability as a return specialist and on defense. In the end, he’ll spend just one seasons in Kansas City, recording 47 total tackles, six passes defended, one interception, four forced fumbles and one fumble recovery returned 23 yards for a touchdown. His performance against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 14 earned him AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors.

The good news here is that this contract should qualify for the compensatory pick formula for Kansas City. The bad news is that the Chiefs are down another defensive contributor in the secondary and a return specialist. That second part is notable with Byron Pringle heading to the Chicago Bears in free agency. Either Mecole Hardman is slated to take a prominent role as a punt and kick returner or the team will look to add a return specialist in the 2022 NFL draft.

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