Michigan State Football: Detroit Lions sign former Spartan Keshawn Martin

Former Michigan State football star Keshawn Martin is headed home after signing with the Detroit Lions Saturday.

After stints with the New England Patriots and Houston Texans, former Michigan State football receiver Keshawn Martin is headed back home as the Detroit Lions signed the Inkster-native on Saturday afternoon.

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Martin was released by New England in 2015 and didn’t find a spot on a 53-man roster during the 2016 season. He was surprisingly effective for the Patriots in just nine games in 2015, catching 24 passes for 269 yards and two touchdowns. He also had 349 total punt/kick return yards.

According to the Lions press release, the terms of the contract were not disclosed. He will provide some speed and special teams strength for the Lions, something they desperately need.

At Michigan State, he was known for being one of the best returners in the Big Ten and had his share of return touchdowns via both the punt and kickoff. He could be a valuable asset for a young Lions team that seems to be rebuilding from the top to bottom and special teams can spark a team.

It’s always good to see a young kid come back home to play for the Lions. Will he be an instant impact contributor in 2017?

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It’ll be interesting to see how the Lions use the speedy wide receiver and return specialist in 2017 or if they will keep him on the 53-man roster.