Lions General Manager Martin Mayhew told reporters today the team was picking up the fifth-year option on former first-round tackle Riley Reiff.
And they have some options on what to do with him as well.
“I think Riley Reiff’s a heck of a left tackle,” Mayhew said, via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “I feel very comfortable with him at left tackle or right tackle.”
If he’s their long-term left tackle, having him under contract for 2016 at $8.07 million is a reasonable rate.
But there has been some question as to whether he’s locked in on the left, as coach Jim Caldwell suggested this offseason that shifting him back to right tackle is a possibility as well.
If they can find an upgrade to replace him on the left side, that would be a good sign for Matthew Stafford. Because Reiff has been at least solid over there the last two years, starting 32 games at a pretty acceptable level.