Lions Lose 16-Game Starter in Major Blow to Offense

OL Kevin Zeitler is a free agent.
The Detroit Lions had one of the NFL’s top offenses in 2024, rolling out a well-rounded rushing and passing attack anchored by a strong offensive line.

The team now has a big hole to fill in that unit, losing a big piece of the offensive line in free agency. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that guard Kevin Zeitler left after one season in Detroit, signing a one-year, $9 million deal with the Tennessee Titans.

The loss leaves the Lions without a clear path at the position, with a sixth-round pick seen as a potential successor to Zeitler’s starting spot.

Lions Have Confidence in Young Guard
Zeitler came to the Lions on a one-year contract last offseason, starting 16 games before suffering a hamstring injury that kept him out of the team’s divisional-round loss to the Washington Commanders. The Lions called on Christian Mahogany, a sixth-round pick, to start in Zeitler’s place in the playoff game.

Mahogany also started in the team’s Week 16 win over the Chicago Bears, filling in for the injured Graham Glasgow. Lions head coach Dan Campbell shared praise for Mahogany, saying he earned his way into the starting lineup for the playoffs — though adding the team had a Plan B in place if Mahogany were to struggle.

“Yeah, we thought that was a good showing by (Mahogany) and it’s worthy of – if it goes there – to give him a shot,” Campbell said, via USA Today’s Lions Wire. “But then there again, we have (Kayode Awosika) Yode as well. He’s played snaps, played playoff snaps for us and we trust him as well. So, we feel like we’re in good hands.”

Mahogany had a slow start to his rookie season, missing all of training camp with mononucleosis being added to the nonfootball illness list to start the season. He was added to the 53-man roster in October and appeared in seven games with one start.

Lions Could Find More Help in NFL Draft
While Mahogany may be the frontrunner to win the starting job, the Lions are expected to add a new contingency plan for the 2025 season. NFL.com writer Daniel Jeremiah predicted in February that the Lions would target the interior offensive line in the NFL draft, finding a potential replacement for Zeitler with their first-round pick.

Jeremiah predicted the Lions would take Ohio State guard Donovan Jackson, noting he could win the starting job.

“Jackson would be a perfect replacement for Kevin Zeitler if the veteran departs in free agency,” Jeremiah wrote.

Fellow NFL.com analyst Bucky Brooks also predicted the Lions would take Jackson, suggesting the former Buckeyes star would fit the rugged attitude the Lions have established within their offensive line.

“General manager Brad Holmes’ master plan involves collecting bullies on the offensive line,” Brooks wrote. “Jackson is a Day 1 starter with the nasty attitude and physical game to fit right in with the Lions’ dominant front.”

The Lions are looking to keep continuity in their offense, which was the highest-scoring unit in the NFL in 2024. The team built a strong rushing attack around Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery while quarterback Jared Goff helmed a high-scoring passing offense.

Lions HC Dan Campbell Loses Another Key Player

The Detroit Lions and head coach Dan Campbell are losing another player ahead of the 2025 season, as free agency heats up.
The Detroit Lions and head coach Dan Campbell are making moves on free agency week, and they’re bringing on some important players, but they’re also losing some key players. While it’s always a nervous thing to lose players who have been with the team and are part of the team’s chemistry, it happens every offseason, and it’s just part of the game.

Now, the Lions have lost another key player ahead of the new season.

Detroit Lions Lose Safety to Miami
Earlier in the week, news broke that the Detroit Lions were losing star defender Carlton Davis to the New England Patriots, which was no big surprise. Davis was due for a very large payday and expected to be one of the hottest free agent defenders on the market.

Now, the Lions are losing safety Ifeatu Melifonwu to the Miami Dolphins, who has agreed to a one-year contract in Miami, according to NFL insider and expert Adam Schefter of ESPN.

Melifonwu, 25, was on the injured reserve list for much of last season following an ankle injury that he got during training camp. He only appeared in three games, so this loss isn’t as big as losing Davis. However, in those games, Melifonwu conducted 10 tackles and a sack, so he showed his worth.

Due to injuries, Melifonwu appeared in 17 total games with the Detroit Lions in his first two seasons with the them. He was a third-round pick in the 2021 NFL draft.

“In Melifonwu, the Dolphins pick up a talented safety who will turn only 26 when he celebrates his birthday May 2 but one who’s coming off an injury-plagued season,” noted Alain Poupart of Sports Illustrated in a Wednesday, March 11, feature.

Ifeatu Melifonwu By the Numbers
While Melifonwu wasn’t on the field as much as he would have liked to be during his time in Detroit, he did make some crucial plays. He assisted Detroit in earning their first division title since 1993 with his high-profile interception against the Minnesota Vikings on December 24, 2023. Melifonwu has played his full career with the Lions, so this will be the first time he’s with another NFL team.

For the Dolphins, some believe it’s a smart pick. “The Dolphins entered the offseason expected to have to replace their two starting safeties with Jevon Holland and Jordan Poyer both headed for free agency, and Holland agreed to terms with the New York Giants on Tuesday morning,” Poupart noted.

He added, “With Holland out of their price range, the Dolphins did a nice pivot with a free agent with a high ceiling and a price tag low enough to make it worth taking the risk he’ll be able to avoid injuries.”

While Melifonwu didn’t get a ton of playing time in Detroit, with the Dolphins, he’s expected to have a starting job, if he stays healthy. Time will tell how the situation shakes out for both teams, but considering the Dolphins are an AFC team, Lions fans won’t have to worry about a confrontation anytime soon.

The new league year officially starts on Wednesday, March 12, at 4 p.m. Eastern time, and that’s when free agency officially kicks in. But, the NFL’s “legal tampering period” began on Monday, March 10, at 12 noon Eastern time and runs until Wednesday, March 12, at 12:59 p.m.

Lions Star Amon-Ra St. Brown Gets Brutally Honest on Rival’s Spending Spree

Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon predicted the Detroit Lions to target either wide receiver Amari Cooper or Tee Higgins at the NFL trade deadline to complement Amon-Ra St. Brown.
Ben Johnson is looking to engineer a rapid rebuild with the Chicago Bears, and Detroit Lions star Amon-Ra St. Brown is taking notice.

Johnson left his role as offensive coordinator of the Lions to lead the rival Bears, sparking a spending spree in free agency as the team works to fill holes across the roster. St. Brown shared a brutally honest take, sharing some praise for Johnson while wondering how the team has the money for such big moves.

Amon-Ra St. Brown Calls Out ‘Crazy’ Spending
The Bears moved quickly on the first day of the NFL’s legal tampering period on March 10, reaching terms with several key players to fill holes. They gave center Drew Dalman a three-year, $42 million deal, added a $48 million contract for defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo and a $43.5 million deal with defensive tackle Grady Jarrett.

Speaking on an episode of The St. Brown Podcast this week, the Lions wide receiver expressed his amazement at the big moves from the NFC North rival — and used some choice language to describe it.

“I feel like the Bears have unlimited [expletive] money,” Brown said. “This [expletive]’s crazy. They’re just signing new [expletive] for like $40, $50 million. … Ben [Johnson] is just making moves left and right.”

The Bears earned some big praise for their approach and the aggressiveness the team showed in plugging roster holes. Tyler Sullivan and Jordan Dajani of CBS Sports gave the Bears a grade of “A-minus” for the first day of legal tampering.

“The biggest needs for the Chicago Bears were to solidify the offensive line in front of Caleb Williams and add another pass rusher opposite Montez Sweat. Check and check!” the report noted. “Chicago was proactive before the negotiating window opened, executing trades for guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson, who should both start. Then, they added the top center on the market in Drew Dalman. That should drastically improve an offensive line that surrendered 68 sacks a year ago. Meanwhile, Odeyingbo is just 25 years old and has tallied 16 sacks over the last three seasons.”

The Bears could still have some work to catch up with the Lions, winners of the NFC North for the last two years with a 15-2 record in 2024.

Johnson told reporters ahead of the start of free agency that he wants to add “playmakers all over the roster,” focusing equally on both sides of the ball. The former Lions offensive coordinator took a page from Dan Campbell, who often stresses the importance of the offense and defense playing together.

“But at the same time, we know complementary football wins in this league,” Johnson said, via USA Today’s Bears Wire.

Lions Busy in Free Agency
The Lions have adopted a careful approach to building their roster under general manager Brad Holmes and entered the start of the free agency period with no major holes. The team still went to work adding talent, re-signing edge rusher Marcus Davenport and linebacker Derrick Barnes while signing cornerback D.J. Reed.

The Lions lost top cornerback Carlton Davis, who signed a new contract with the New England Patriots.

Lions Quickly Move on $48 Million Vet to Replace Star Defender

The Detroit Lions have already snagged a replacement for star defender Carlton Davis, who they’re losing to the Patriots.

The Detroit Lions and the rest of the NFL are coming up on the free agency period, which officially starts with the new league year on Wednesday, March 12, at 4 p.m. Eastern time. But, even with free agency a few days away, moves are being made now, because the NFL’s “legal tampering period” starts on Monday, March 10, at 12 noon Eastern time and runs until Wednesday, March 12, at 12:59 p.m.

It’s been a busy few hours for the Detroit Lions, who lost star defender Carlton Davis to the New England Patriots and have already signed his replacement.

Detroit Lions Welcome D.J. Reed

The Lions made a strong move on Monday by welcoming Reed into the fold. According to NFL insider and expert Jordan Schultz, Reed will sign a three-year, $48 million contract with $32 million in guaranteed money. The move is a significant one for Reed, who has mainly been the No. 2 cornerback for his career, playing with the Seattle, New York and San Francisco, and will now have a higher profile role with the Lions.

“One of the top corners on the market lands a lucrative deal in Detroit,” Schultz stated on X.

Reed has a PFF grade of at least 70.0 and has played in the NFL for six consecutive seasons.

“He and All-Pro Sauce Gardner formed one of the best cornerback tandems in the league, and he will be looking to bring that same edge over to Detroit,” notes Mike Luciano of SideLion Report in a March 10 feature.

More Moves from the Detroit Lions

The Lions have been making moves before this week, too. On Friday, March 7, they inked linebacker Derrick Barnes to an extension. His deal is a three-year, $25.5 million contract extension. Following that move, they re-signed veteran linebacker Anthony Pittman to a one-year contract, as well as linebacker Ezekiel Turner.

Turner was signed by the Lions during the 2024 season, first appearing on their practice squad. He was promoted to the active roster following a rash of Detroit Lions injuries. Before coming to the Motor City, Turner was with the Arizona Cardinals for six seasons.

Special teams coordinator Dave Fipp spoken highly or Turning, telling the Detroit Football Network last December, “When I was in Philly, and he was in Arizona, we played against each other a handful of games and I always thought he was a very good player. But even better than that for us was actually just the fit.”

Fipp added that the way he covers and “plays the game is very similar to Jalen Reeves-Maybin, so it was like just a natural slide in and fit.” With that in mind, Fipp explained that “it was an easy decision for us.”

They’ve also made some cuts. According to NFL insider Jeremy Fowler, the team is releasing veteran defensive end Za’Darius Smith, so he’ll be available to start negotiating with new teams on Monday, March 10, and will be able to sign a new contract later in the week. These are the first of what will likely be plenty of moves on the part of the Lions during this free agency period.

Terrion Arnold Welcomes Newest Lions Defensive Back With 3-Word Message

The Detroit Lions lost defensive back Carlton Davis III to the New England Patriots on Monday, a little less than four months after Davis III suffered a broken jaw against the Buffalo Bills in a 48-42 Lions loss at Ford Field.

Davis’ injury came roughly a month prior to the Lions’ loss of fellow starting cornerback Amik Robertson during a painful playoff loss to the Washington Commanders.

The free agency loss of Davis III was followed by the signing of former New York Jets cornerback DJ Reed, who will now head to the Detroit Lions in hopes of replacing the fan favorite and former Tampa Bay Buccaneers stalwart.

Following the Reed signing, Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold welcomed him with a customary Detroit greeting.

“What up Doe!!!” Arnold wrote in response to Reed’s boast of “Detroit!!”

Arnold’s excitement over the Reed signing followed his thoughts on linebacker Derrick Barnes, who the Lions decided to bring back to the Motor City just days earlier.

“Yessir!!” Arnold wrote in response to the Barnes signing.

The Lions’ recent free agent decisions haven’t all been popular with the team’s fanbase, including their recent choice to release former trade acquisition Za’Darius Smith.

The addition of Reed gives Detroit a proven veteran who will could become a force on new defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard’s unit for years to come.