Lions won’t extend tender offer to LB Ashlee Palmer

The Lions will not give a restricted free agent tender offer to reserve linebacker Ashlee Palmer, according to league sources.

Palmer played primarily on special teams last year and finished with eight tackles.

The move makes sense for the Lions, who will be up against the salary cap next season. They can’t afford to tender a reserve linebacker at more than $1 million.

That certainly doesn’t mean the Lions can’t come to a free agent deal with Palmer for him to remain a Lion. Palmer knows the system and was very good on special teams last season.

It’s not unlike the situation the Lions went through with running back Kevin Smith when they didn’t tender him a contract offer last offseason.

The Lions will have to decide on their other restricted free agents soon — linebacker DeAndre Levy, defensive tackle Sammie Hill and offensive tackle Corey Hilliard.

I expect the Lions to extend tender offers to all three of those players.