Category: Detroit Lions

 

Detroit Lions vs. Green Bay Packers on Thursday Night Football

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell talks with quarterback Jared Goff with just over two minutes left on the clock in the fourth quarter on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024 at Ford Field. The Detroit Lions defeated the Green Bay Packers 34-31.(Jake May | MLive.com)

Despite coaching the Detroit Lions to heights the franchise hadn’t reached in more than 30 years — and some they had never experienced — head coach Dan Campbell once again left the NFL Honors show empty-handed.

 

Campbell, a finalist for this season’s Coach of the Year award, came up short up, losing out to Minnesota Vikings head coach, Kevin O’Connell. Campbell placed second in voting.

 

Also in the running were Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton, Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn and Kansas Chiefs head coach Andy Reid — who will be coaching in Super Bowl 59 on Sunday.

 

This year also marked the second straight year Campbell was a finalist but didn’t take home the award.

 

While all the finalists led their teams to impressive seasons — some even major turnarounds — there’s a real argument that Campbell was snubbed.

 

For starters, losing out to O’Connell, specifically can be considered a head scratcher, as two of the Vikings’ three losses this season were to the Detroit Lions, who went unblemished in the NFC North.

 

The also Lions finished the regular season with a franchise-best 15-2 record while also becoming the NFL’s fourth-highest-scoring offense of all time, setting numerous franchise and single-season marks along the way.

 

Defensively, the Lions were hit hard by injuries, with as many as 16 players landing on injured reserve.

 

Notable losses included defensive end Aidan Hutchinson; linebackers Alex Anzalone, Derrick Barnes, Malcolm Rodriguez and Jalen Reeves-Maybin; defensive lineman Alim McNeill; and cornerback Carlton Davis III.

 

Yet, despite those setbacks, the defense still managed to make key plays when it mattered — including producing the league’s interception leader in Kerby Joseph.

 

Factoring everything in, Campbell leading Detroit to the NFC’s top seed and a second straight division title makes his case for Coach of the Year as strong as anyone’s.

 

 

However, it was O’Connell, who guided the Vikings to a 14-3 record, that took home the award. He navigated Minnesota through significant early challenges, including losing rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy before the season and starting offensive lineman Christian Darrisaw to an ACL and MCL injury after just seven games.

 

O’Connell also played a key role in the resurgence of quarterback Sam Darnold, who finished fifth in both passing yards (4,319) and passing touchdowns (35).

 

While Campbell walked away victorious, his quarterback did not.

 

Jared Goff, a finalist for this season’s MVP award, came up short as the honor went to Buffalo’s Josh Allen, marking the first time the Bills quarterback has won the award. Goff placed fifth in voting.

 

Goff finished the season second in passing yards (4,629), first in completion percentage among quarterbacks who played all 17 games (72.4%), fourth in touchdowns (37), and second in passer rating among quarterbacks who played all 17 games (111.8).

 

Despite his strong resume, a Week 10 performance against the Houston Texans— a game the Lions won on a game-winning field goal as time expired — was largely held against Goff throughout the season.

 

In that game, Goff threw for 240 yards and two touchdowns but was also intercepted five times in what was arguably the worst performance of his career.

 

After that game, however, Goff rebounded, throwing 21 touchdowns to just three interceptions over the final eight outings while completing roughly 73% of his passes.

 

 

 

Lions predicted to draft 6’2, 78-TD quarterback as Jared Goff heir apparent image

 

 

Questions about the future at quarterback for the Detroit Lions arose after the team was bounced from the playoffs early at the hands of the Washington Commanders.

 

While the Lions were able to post 31 points on the Commanders, quarterback Jared Goff struggled mightily in the losing effort, throwing three picks and losing a fumble. This was just the latest example of Goff struggling in the playoffs, something that was prominent during his days with the Los Angeles Rams.

 

Despite that, the Lions aren’t going to be moving off Goff anytime soon, as he’s still under contract through 2028. However, they can start planning for the future, which AtoZ Sports’ Mike Payton has them doing in the 2025 NFL Draft.

 

In his latest mock draft, he has the Lions taking a Day 2 swing on Alabama signal-caller Jalen Milroe.

 

“Milroe did not have a good week and he’s fallen out of the first round,” Payton wrote. “That is going to help the Lions because this draft is not going to be about starters so much as it’s all about the future now. That’s what happens when you’re a really good team. You need to have sustained success and that means planning for the future.”

 

“Milroe would be the future and he would give the Lions a significant amount of time to develop him into a starting-caliber quarterback,” he added. “The potential and athleticism is there. It just needs to be guided.”

 

Once projected to be one of the top quarterbacks in this year’s class, Milroe’s stock has taken a hit after a lackluster 2024 campaign and recent struggles at the Senior Bowl.

 

The Alabama product completed 64.3% of his passes for 2,844 yards while rushing for 726 yards and scoring 36 total touchdowns and throwing 11 picks. For Milroe’s college career, he threw for 6,016 yards, rushed for 1,577 yards, and found pay dirt 78 times.

 

“Overall, Milroe possesses all of the physical tools to play QB in the modern NFL. With the right development, he can become an impact quarterback in the NFL,” The Draft Network’s Keith Sanchez said in his scouting report.

 

The Lions already have a young quarterback on the roster in Hendon Hooker, but the fact that Detroit added Teddy Bridgewater and had him serve as the backup in the playoff loss to Washington isn’t a great sign for his development or the Lions’ faith in him.

 

Detroit would be a good landing spot for a developmental quarterback like Milroe, as he’d have multiple years to hone his craft behind Goff. However, we just don’t see the Lions spending this high of a draft pick on the position considering Goff remains locked-in for multiple more years.

 

 

The Detroit Lions are coming off their most successful season in the Super Bowl era, finishing with an impressive 15-2 record. Unfortunately, that still wasn’t enough to secure their first Super Bowl appearance, as they were eliminated in the Divisional Round of the playoffs.

Now, after losing both their offensive and defensive coordinators, the Lions will need to find a way to improve and come back even better. This will be challenging, but adding more talented players with playoff experience could be exactly what Detroit needs to take the next step.

Detroit Lions could use Jared Goff connection to land Cooper Kupp The Detroit Lions boast a talented receiving group, highlighted by two-time All-Pro Amon-Ra St. Brown and 2022 first-round pick Jameson Williams. Having a Pro Bowl tight end in Sam LaPorta is also a big asset. However, there’s still room for improvement on the roster.

One area that could be upgraded is the No. 3 receiver position, which was held by Tim Patrick last season. With Patrick set to hit free agency, the Lions will need to find a replacement at that spot.

As ESPN’s NFL insider Jeremy Fowler recently pointed out, Cooper Kupp could be a great fit in Detroit. The Los Angeles Rams are considering trading their former All-Pro receiver, and Kupp has already established a strong rapport with Jared Goff, having spent four seasons together in LA.

“Regarding teams that are considering Cooper Kupp, the Pittsburgh Steelers looked into him at the trade deadline last season. They still have a need at receiver. Washington could use a complement to Terry McLaurin. The Patriots should at least consider it given their receiving situation. And a bit of a surprise: Detroit Lions. Jared Goff and Cooper Kupp have a history together, and that chemistry is valuable. This feels like a move the Kansas City Chiefs would make too.”

Kupp signed a three-year, $80 million contract extension with the Rams in 2022, which leaves two years remaining on his deal and a $29.7 million cap hit in 2025 unless he restructures.

On paper, this move makes a lot of sense, especially if Kupp is looking to compete for another Super Bowl. However, the Lions will need to outbid a likely strong market for the former Super Bowl MVP.

 

 

Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown and new pass game coordinator David Shaw go way, way back.

 

As we all prepare to learn about how the Detroit Lions offense will change under several new coaches, which includes new offensive coordinator John Morton, Lions receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown revealed on his podcast this week that he has a long, shared history with another new coach. Former Stanford head coach—and now Lions pass game coordinator—David Shaw goes way back with St. Brown.

 

That’s because St. Brown’s brother, Osiris, went to Stanford while Shaw was the head coach there. Amon-Ra, still in high school at the time, went to a few camps out there during his recruitment and got to know Shaw.

 

“When I saw [the news], I was like, ‘No way! Coach Shaw with the Lions? That’s a crazy full-circle moment,’” St. Brown said.

 

As for how much he knows about Shaw and his offenses, St. Brown said he got to know him more on a personal level rather than talk about football.

 

“It was more like just talking to him about life, what I want in a college, what I like and things like that, but I never got into super depth details about football,” St. Brown said. “But I’m sure he’s awesome. He was with Johnny Mo(rton) in Denver, and Johnny Mo was doing a lot of good stuff when he was here in Detroit.”

 

A few days after Shaw got the job, he made sure to reach out to Amon-Ra.

 

“He texted me and said he can’t wait to see me out in Allen Park,” St. Brown said. “So I’m excited to see him. it’s going to be fun. New coaches, fresh faces, time to get back to work.”

 

St. Brown also gave some insight into what Osiris thought about him during their shared time at Stanford.

 

“He said he’s a good dude, good coach,” St. Brown said. “I didn’t ask him too much about it. I don’t think Osiris knows much about how much (Shaw) knows about pass game because he was the head coach with Stanford, so I think it’s a little different.”

 

When goaded by his brother Equanimeous about the offense potentially taking a step back, Amon-Ra made it clear he wasn’t worried.

 

 

One NFL insider believes the Detroit Lions could get involved in a Cooper Kupp trade.

 

“I was informed that the team will be seeking a trade immediately and will be working with me and my family to find the right place to continue competing for championships,” Kupp tweeted on Monday. “I don’t agree with the decision and always believed it was going to begin and end in LA. Still, if there’s one thing that I have learned over the years: there are so many things that are out of your control, but it is how you respond to these things that you will look back on and remember.”

 

The Lions don’t have a huge, pressing need at wide receiver, although their third starter—Tim Patrick—is set to become a free agent. Nevertheless, ESPN’s insider Jeremy Fowler suggested on Tuesday that the Lions could get involved in Kupp trade talks during an appearance on SportsCenter.

 

“As far as early teams that people are bantering about, Pittsburgh Steelers looked into Cooper Kupp at the trade deadline last season. They still have a need there. Washington could look for a complement to Terry McLaurin. The Patriots would be foolish not to at least check in on this given their receiver situation. And here are a few surprises for you: Detroit Lions. Jared Goff came in the league with Cooper Kupp. That’s instant chemistry. And then doesn’t this feel a Kansas City Chiefs move a little bit?”

 

Now let’s be clear: this reads as mere speculation and dot connecting from Fowler. The entire start to his “report” is “early teams that people are bantering about.” There is no clarification about who these people are and who they’re bantering with. He is not saying anything suggesting the Lions have already inquired about Kupp. And it certainly sounds like the only reason the Lions are mentioned is because of Goff’s four shared seasons with Kupp in Los Angeles. That’s far from enough evidence to suggest the Lions will get involved.

 

There’s also the matter of compensation. Right now, Kupp carries a pretty significant contract with him. He’s got a $12.5 million salary for 2025 and a $7.5 million roster bonus due on the fifth day of the new league year. That’s a $20 million cap hit for the team acquiring him, although some experts suggest the Rams may agree to eat some of that. Similarly, Kupp has a $14.85 million salary in 2026 with a $5 million roster bonus—although none of that money is guaranteed.

 

With a contract that large, the fact that Kupp will be 32 years old to start the 2025 season, and injuries plaguing his last three seasons, it’s unlikely the Rams will catch anything other than a pick on Day 3 for the veteran receiver. That may make the deal most intriguing for a team like Detroit, but that contract still seems a bit too prohibitive to me.

 

Detroit would likely be able to re-sign Tim Patrick for far less and continue to have the explosive offense they had in 2024. That money would be better spent on the other side of the ball, where the Lions have some tough decisions, like what to do with pending free agents Carlton Davis, Levi Onwuzurike, and Derrick Barnes.

 

Once widely seen as a bridge quarterback for a building Detroit Lions franchise, Jared Goff has rebuilt his career and been a Pro Bowl signal-caller in two of the past three years.

 

Goff’s resurgence in Detroit has come with Ben Johnson as his offensive coordinator for the last three seasons.

 

Now, Johnson has departed to be the Chicago Bears head coach, leaving Goff to face him twice a season going forward.

 

“He’s a hell of a coach,” Goff told SiriusXM NFL Radio this past weekend at the Pro Bowl Games. “He’s a guy that’s made a ton of difference in my career. I’m obviously a big fan of his. I was joking with him — I wish he didn’t have to be in our division, so I didn’t have to try to beat him twice a year.”

 

Goff and the Lions won five of six against the Bears with Johnson at OC. The QB is obviously hoping that won’t change.

 

“He’s going to do a great job,” Goff said. “Hopefully not too good, though, with us being in the division together still. I’ll always be a fan of his and we’ll always have a good relationship.”

 

Over the last three seasons working with Johnson, Goff has completed 68.1% of his passes for 13,642 yards, 96 touchdowns to 31 interceptions and gone to two of his four career Pro Bowls.

 

After throwing for a career-high 37 touchdowns and completing a career-best 72.4% of his passes in 2024, Goff will now look to carry on his run of success under new OC John Morton.

 

Goff has some familiarity with Morton and is optimistic about the partnership ahead.

 

“We were together in 2022,” Goff said. “He was an assistant on our staff. Has done it before, has been a coordinator before, has a lot of experience in our league. He’s been around a lot of great coaches. I’m excited to work with him and see where we can go.”

 

Goff and the Lions came up well short of their Super Bowl aspirations in the 2024 season.

 

Now, Detroit will regroup and give it another go sans Johnson.

 

Just how well Goff maintains his recent level of Pro Bowl play under Morton will be a prevailing storyline for the 2025 Lions.

As a former No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 draft out of Texas A&M, Garrett, 29, had 14 sacks last season for the second consecutive season and is still one of the NFL’s most feared linemen

. He would look fantastic in Honolulu Blue and silver lining up opposite Aidan Hutchinson on the Lions’ defensive line this fall.

He has two years left on his five-year, $125-million extension.

But the Browns would reportedly take on over $36 million in dead money if they dealt him owing to the many contract restructures they have done with him over the years.

And Cleveland has been adamant they aren’t dealing him — creating an unpleasant scenario with their superstar.

Browns general manager Andrew Berry just last week as asked: “If someone sees you at dinner and says, ‘We’ll give you two ones for Myles, do you say I’m not interested?’” “Correct. You can put that on the record,” Berry said. So, we’re asking Lions fans: What would you give up to get Garrett in Detroit? For context, Khalil Mack was 27 years old in 2018 when the Oakland Raiders traded him to the Chicago Bears for two first-round picks, a third and a sixth.

The Bears also got back a second-round pick and a seventh.

The best player Oakland ended up with in the deal was running back Josh Jacobs, the 24th overall pick in 2019. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press:

 

The 2025 draft doesn’t have to be very complicated for the Detroit Lions, and in this post-Senior Bowl three-round mock it wasn’t.

 

 

The first tentpoles of the 2025 pre-draft process are over, with the East-West Shrine Bowl and more prominently the Senior Bowl now in the books.

 

That also means mock draft season is set to really ramp up, ahead of the NFL Combine and Pro Day season taking place. As of right now the Detroit Lions have seven picks in the 2025 draft, with two of those spots (first and second round) locked in where they’ll be (pick No. 28 and pick No. 60).

 

Using Pro Football Network’s mock draft simulator, here’s how our post-Senior Bowl three-round mock draft turned out.

 

Detroit Lions post-Senior Bowl 3-round mock draft

First Round, pick No.28: Mike Green, EDGE, Marshall

Green was regarded as a potential first-round pick before the Senior Bowl, and the event was going to be a test of what he could do against tougher competition than he faced at Marshall the last two seasons. He looked great in one-on-one pass rush reps, including the viral moment where he put Oregon offensive tackle Josh Conerly (a potential first-round pick) on his back, and he carried that into team drills.

 

Green also set aside concerns about his weight when he came in at 251 pounds at Senior Bowl weigh-ins. He is a prolific pass rusher (an FBS-high 17 sacks last season), but he is a well-rounded edge defender (84 total tackles and 23 tackles for loss last season) who would fit the Lions perfectly.

 

It has become a strong possibility Green is gone long before the Lions go on the clock at No. 28. But he was there here, so I happily took him.

 

Second Round, pick No. 60: Jayden Higgins, WR, Iowa State

The Lions waited too long to secure a viable replacement for Josh Reynolds last offseason, and they won’t make that mistake again. Tim Patrick is a free agent who could find a solid market for his services elsewhere after finally having a healthy season, and the Lions could go down the free agency path to replace him. But a dip into the draft to add a WR3 option is hardly out of the question.

 

Enter Higgins. He has prototypical “X” receiver size (6-foot-4, 210 pounds), with the pre-requisite contested catch ability along with quickness and route-running ability that defy his size. Over his two years at Iowa State, after transferring from Eastern Kentucky, he had 62 receptions of 15-plus yards (third-most in FBS over the span, according to Pro Football Focus). PFF also noted his improvement in gaining separation with his routes between Tuesday and Wednesday practices during Senior Bowl week.

 

The way the board fell here, Higgins stood out as the ideal pick for the Lions.

 

Third Round, pick No. 101: Miles Frazier, OG, LSU

Note: This is the pick the Lions are slated to get for losing defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn to the New York Jets’ head coaching job, and it will fall somewhere around pick No. 100 when the full draft order is finalized.

 

Frazier settled in at right guard for most of his last two seasons at LSU (though he did start the final game of his career at right tackle), allowing just 19 quarterback pressures over more than 1,000 total pass blocking snaps in that span. However, he played every position except center over the course of his five seasons and that is the kind of versatility the Lions should be seeking in offensive line depth. By all accounts he had a strong week down in Mobile.

 

The Lions’ guard situation is in a state of flux right now, with Kevin Zeitler a free agent and Graham Glasgow coming off a down season. Frazier wouldn’t necessarily be anointed an immediate starter, but as options for overall depth and potential competition at guard go he looks pretty good.

 

It can be challenging to follow the Detroit Lions’ roster movement during the offseason. So, to make things easier on Lions fans, we’re tracking every signing, re-signing, tagging, and roster loss in one convenient place.

 

For this continuously updating piece, we will focus on the Lions’ 2025 roster heading toward free agency and the NFL Draft. This article is organized by position group and will provide fans with an overview of the players on the roster, injured reserve, or practice squad at the end of the season.

 

Within each section, we will provide readers with an end-of-season depth chart at the position, identify the roles players held, the 2025 contract details of the players currently signed by the Lions, as well as several key terms to better clarify each player’s situation. There will also be links to other articles for those fans looking for even more depth of coverage.

 

So, bookmark this page and revisit it as roster updates are made.

 

 

UFA: Unrestricted Free Agents can sign with any team during the free agency period beginning on March 12 (tampering negotiations begin on the 10th). Lions can re-sign these players at any time.

RFA: Restricted Free Agents rights are held by the Lions. If an RFA receives a contract from another team, the Lions can match the offer or potentially receive draft compensation for allowing the player to leave.

ERFA: Exclusive Rights Free Agents are only allowed to negotiate contracts with the Lions unless Detroit chooses to let them explore free agency.

SFA: Street Free Agents are players who were under contract with an NFL team in 2024, but not on an active roster at the season’s end. They are free to sign with any team immediately. The most common SFAs are players who were on NFL practice squads.

Futures contracts are deals given to street free agents before the start of free agency. They’re called “futures” deals because while currently signed, these contracts don’t count against the cap until a “future” date—which is the start of free agency.

(Note: the Lions have already begun signing players to futures contracts)

 

2025 Cap Hit: How much a player counts against the team’s 2025 salary cap.

Guarantees remaining: this is the remaining guaranteed money owed to the player over the remainder of his contract, not just 2025. If the Lions move on from a player with guaranteed money, that amount will count against the Lions’ cap, even though the player is no longer on the roster (“dead cap”). Expiring contracts that had VOIDED years also fall into this category.

Quarterback

 

With Goff, Hooker, and Fromm under contract, the Lions won’t be pressed to make any hasty decisions, and instead, can add another camp arm as they see fit. Bridgewater appears to be headed back to coaching high school football, then could consider another return after his next high school championship. If he ever wants a coaching job in the NFL, he’s surely have a job waiting for him in Detroit, but he’s made clear that’s not what he wants at the moment.

 

 

 

Gibbs and Montgomery are locked in to return as arguably the best running back tandem in football, Vaki gives them upside insurance at the position, while Reynolds and Jefferson are pending free agents. It’d be surprising to see Reynolds get an RFA tag—considering the minimum tender is $3.2 million for one season—but he could get a new contract, as the Lions love him in their RB3 role. The fact that Jefferson did not sign a futures deal in Detroit indicates either he or the team elected to explore other options.

 

 

 

Returning St. Brown, Williams, and Raymond should give the comfort at the position, but they’ll enter this offseason looking for a WR-X. Patrick was ideal in the role last season and should be one of the Lions’ top priorities in free agency, while Robinson was valued for his leadership but could be near the end of his career. Can Antoine Green take the next step and throw his hat into the WR-X mix? Former Michigan Wolverine Ronnie Bell is an ideal system fit and could carve out a role, while fellow Wolverine Peoples-Jones could be looking for another opportunity after not signing a futures contract.

 

 

 

Like at the Lions’ other offensive skill positions, their tight end group also returns their top two options, with the third being a player they’d surely like to bring back in 2025. Zylstra elevated his game this past year and was rewarded for it, and like Reynolds, he seems unlikely to get an RFA tag but should be in line for a new contract. The Lions will need to replenish the competition for depth in 2026 but shouldn’t feel pressed to add a player early in free agency or the draft.

 

 

 

Like most ERFAs, Galvin will most likely be extended a league minimum offer, and because he can’t negotiate with another NFL team, he’ll probably return in 2025. That would leave Skipper as the only 2024 offensive tackle not under contract for next season. While Skipper has certainly carved himself out a role as the team’s sixth offensive lineman, there’s room for the team to consider making an upgrade at OT3. Is Manu ready? Could Sorsdal take the year three leap and step into the role? Or will the Lions pursue an outside option?

 

 

 

Solidifying their offensive line should be a top priority for the Lions every offseason and re-signing Zeitler could do that for 2025. However, both Zeitler and Glasgow are old enough that Detroit needs to begin planning for a future without them, and while Mahogany should fill one of those roles, adding another guard in the offseason could be important. Niese should return on an ERFA deal, while Awosika—like most RFAs—would need a new contract.

 

 

 

With McNeill coming off injury, Reader being in a contract year, and Onwuzurike and O’Connor pending free agents, the Lions have a lot of work to do on the interior defensive line. What happens with Onwuzurike figures to be one of the more interesting decisions the Lions make this offseason. Will his injury history impact his free agency, or will Detroit get a deal done with him ahead of time? O’Connor and Peko could be easy re-signs to help give the Lions insurance while they wait on Martin’s development.

 

 

 

*indicates a fifth-year option

 

Hutchinson is on track to return in full for next season but who starts opposite him is an unknown. Paschal and Smith finished the season as starters but the Lions will likely want more pass rushing options. Plus, there’s no guarantee Smith will return with his contract, as he has a significant amount of guaranteed money that will come due if the Lions elect to keep him on the roster in 2025.

 

Here’s the CliffsNotes version of Smith’s contract: While Smith’s current cap hit is only $5.7 million in 2025, the escalators that will come due over the next six months could end up costing the Lions another $5.25 million in 2026 (when he’s not on the roster), with $9.5 of the total being guaranteed. However, if they elect to release him before March 15, they can do so with no cap penalties and no future cap costs.

 

Expect the Lions to add/return at least one high-upside edge rusher this offseason and it wouldn’t be surprising if they added multiple pass rushers.

 

 

 

*indicates a fifth-year option

 

Last season, then-defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn introduced an expanded role for the SAM linebacker, which featured Derrick Barnes. Now, with Glenn in New York and Barnes a free agent, it’s fair to wonder how much of his scheme will remain under new defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard. With Sheppard’s background being at linebacker, it’s logical to think the Lions could keep the SAM role in place—but Shep may also look to put his own twist on things.

 

Sheppard’s philosophy with the SAM will directly impact how much the Lions value retaining Barnes, or acquiring another player with his skill set. Nowaske fits the bill and should be an easy retain with an ERFA tag, but he’s still growing into the position.

 

Pittman, Niemann, and Turner are all primarily special teamers and any or all of them could be retained for competition.

 

 

 

The Lions only have half their cornerbacks from 2024 under contract in 2025, and while they could probably work with Arnold, Robertson, and Rakestraw as starters, this room needs a lot of depth and probably at least one other player who could challenge for a starting role.

 

Davis is exactly what the Lions want in a starting corner and they’ll surely explore if they can afford to retain him in 2025. Vildor is solid depth and worth retaining, while Dorsey is arguably the team’s best non-kicking special teamer. Bringing Moseley back could be a hard sell.

 

 

 

The Lions have arguably the best safety tandem in the NFL and adding Melifonwu to the mix gives them a ton of range. However, Melifonwu has a long injury history that has kept him off the field which makes his next contract an interesting debate. Can they trust him to stay healthy and at what cost will his retention demand?

 

 

Lions quarterback Jared Goff, who threw three touchdowns, was named the Pro Bowl Games Offensive MVP while leading the NFC to a 76-63 victory in the flag football game that capped off the weekend.

At the same time, Vikings cornerback Byron Murphy earned the Pro Bowl Games Defensive MVP award.

Goff had an almost flawless performance in “passing the test,” helping the NFC take a 14-7 lead over the AFC on the Pro Bowl Games’ opening night Thursday.

With some assistance from Green Bay running back Josh Jacobs in an NFL trivia contest, Goff demonstrated his passing skills by hitting every target and more in just 90 seconds. He scored 44 points for the NFC, five more than his teammate Sam Darnold of Minnesota.

Goff, Darnold, and Tampa Bay’s Baker Mayfield easily outperformed the AFC team of quarterbacks, which included Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow, New England’s Drake Maye, and Pittsburgh’s Russell Wilson.

The passing contest was the main attraction of the six events on opening night. The NFC also won two of three relay races, a skills challenge called “satisfying catches,” and a game show for NFL teammates called “helmet harmony,” which resembled “The Newlywed Game.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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ORLANDO, FLORIDA – JANUARY 26: Jared Goff #16 of the Detroit Lions and NFC throws a pass during practice before the Pro Bowl Games at Camping World Stadium on February 1, 2025, in Orlando, Florida.