The Detroit Lions are signing edge defender Mathieu Betts, as first reported by TSN’s Farhan Lalji and later confirmed by Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. UPDATE: The signing has now been confirmed by the workforce.
We’ve written about Betts earlier than, because the Lions hosted him for a go to again in December. In 2023, he was the CFL’s Most Excellent Defensive Participant after recording 18 sacks in 18 video games for the BC Lions.
Betts truly spent a while within the NFL, signing with the Chicago Bears after going undrafted within the 2019 NFL Draft. He was waived, although, through the workforce’s remaining roster cuts and ended up being the third general choose within the subsequent CFL Draft days later. He spent his first two years within the league with the Edmonton Eskimos, logging simply two sacks in 19 recreation appearances. However after becoming a member of the BC Lions in 2022, his profession took off. He has a complete of 27 sacks and 4 compelled fumbles prior to now two seasons (18 video games every).
At 6-foot-3, 250 kilos, he’s a bit undersized for a real three-down edge defender, however he might give the Lions some competitors on the SAM linebacker place with a man like James Houston, who is ready to be an unique rights free agent however is prone to be again. Detroit might lose extra of their depth on the sting, together with Romeo Okwara, Julian Okwara, and Charles Harris.
For now, the sting defenders at present signed on for the 2024 season (along with Betts) are Aidan Hutchinson, Josh Paschal, John Cominsky, and Mitchell Agude. You may see the entire Lions’ lively contracts in our 2024 tracker.
