Jayron Kearse, the versatile special teams contributor and safety, was vocal about his desire to leave the Vikings in free agency.

The 26-year-old Kearse got his wish early Thursday morning. Now he's scheduled to face his former team twice after agreeing with the Detroit Lions on a one-year deal. It's worth up to $2.75 million, according to NFL Media.

Kearse, a 2016 seventh-round pick, developed into a core player on coverage and return phases for the Vikings. He was a special teams captain last season until his Oct. 27 DUI arrest. The Vikings defense deployed Kearse, standing 6-foot-4, in a 'big nickel' package featuring him as the fifth defensive back in the red zone or against offenses with bigger targets. That's where he got two of his career-high three NFL starts last season.

Kearse is the fourth former Vikings player to agree with another team this week, joining cornerback Trae Waynes (Bengals), nose tackle Linval Joseph (Chargers) and defensive end Stephen Weatherly (Panthers).