ALLEN PARK — Chris Board spent the first four seasons of his career with the Baltimore Ravens. Now, after a one-year stint with the Detroit Lions and New England Patriots, the linebacker and special teams ace is returning to Baltimore, per NFL Network.

Board left the Ravens after the 2021 campaign in search of more defensive work. The linebacker landed with the Lions and their land of opportunity, then fell back into his special teams role while drawing one start during his lone season in Detroit.

The 28-year-old spent last season in New England. He logged the fewest defensive snaps of his career while hitting 400-plus snaps on special teams for the first time, though.

For Board, it’s a meeting with the staff that signed him as an undrafted free agent and developed him into one of the most dependable special teamers in the game. And he could also compete for reps with Patrick Queen on the way out of Baltimore.

The Lions are loaded at linebacker and were forced to make some tough decisions this offseason regarding their special teams. Anthony Pittman was not tendered a new contract and eventually signed with the Washington Commanders. They also let Chase Lucas sign with the San Francisco 49ers.

Adding Board after losing Pittman was an intriguing thought around these parts. The Lions made Jalen Reeves-Maybin the highest-paid core special teamer in the league. They return Khalil Dorsey, as well. And they also got promising developments from linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez in the first year of his switch to a more special teams-focused role, so the Lions should feel mostly set there.

Board has played 840 defensive snaps and another 2,128 reps on special teams in his six seasons in the league. He’s also proven durable, missing only two games along the way.