With the Detroit Lions on break this week, we felt it was as good a time as any to check in on some former Lions who are playing elsewhere. The purpose of this is to check in on some players we were fans of last year, and also to determine if Detroit made the right move to part ways.
Let’s jump right in by starting with some of the more difficult financial decisions the Lions had to make in the offseason.
CB Carlton Davis — Signed three-year, $54 million deal with Patriots
Davis was the Lions’ biggest loss this free agency, although Detroit compensated by signing D.J. Reed to a three-year, $48 million deal—saving some dough in the process.
Davis, now with the 5-2 Patriots, has had a bit of a quiet start to the 2025 season. After finishing last year with 11 pass breakups in 13 games for Detroit, he only has two in seven games with New England. For what it’s worth, his PFF grade has also taken a significant hit, going from 74.5 with Detroit to just 51.8 with the Patriots—ranking 74th out of 88 cornerbacks with at least 200 defensive snaps. Reed currently has a 71.8 PFF grade, good for 13th.
G Kevin Zeitler — Signed one-year, $9 million deal with Titans
Zeitler, too, has seen his production dip since leaving Detroit. In Tennessee, he’s still sporting a respectable 69.0 PFF grade, but that’s down significantly from his excellent 86.5 grade in 2024 with Detroit. Of course, he went from playing between two All Pros in Detroit (Frank Ragnow, Penei Sewell) to playing between Lloyd Cushenberry and second-year tackle JC Latham.
S Ifeatu Melifonwu — Signed one-year, $3 million deal with Dolphins
Melifonwu has played in six of seven games for Miami—missing one with injury—but has only started two games for the Dolphins. He’s behind the two starters on the depth chart, but he has been getting subpackage work in most games.
On a total of 154 defensive snaps, Melifonwu has 17 tackles, two pressures, and a 52.2 overall PFF grade.
TE James Mitchell — Signed one-year, $1 million deal with Panthers
The Lions’ former fifth-round pick now resides with Carolina, where he’s made three game appearances for the Panthers—averaging a tad over a dozen offensive snaps per game. He’s caught three passes for 28 yards. Mitchell is considered the fourth tight end on the Panthers’ roster, but as a team that utilizes three tight end sets more than the average team, it’s afforded him some opportunities to get on the field.
CB Kindle Vildor — Signed one-year, $1.3 million deal with Buccaneers
Vildor was inactive for last week’s game against the Lions, but the veteran cornerback had previously made three game appearances for Tampa, and even scored his first interception since 2022.
In total, Vildor has played 72 defensive snaps for the Bucs, earning eight tackles, two pass defensed, and a 65.5 PFF grade.
WR Tim Patrick — Traded to Jaguars
After struggling in Detroit training camp, Patrick was traded to Jacksonville for a 2026 sixth-round pick. With the Jaguars, Patrick has played in all seven games so far this season, but his role has been very limited. He’s only played in 95 offensive snaps—an average of 13.6 snaps per game—so it’s no surprise his production is relatively low: four catches, 63 yards, and this touchdown:
DT Brodric Martin — Signed to Chiefs practice squad
The Lions’ 2023 third-round pick was finally cut loose this offseason after failing to develop as the Lions had hoped. He was quickly scooped up by the Chiefs and placed on their practice squad.
Martin was actually elevated from the practice squad for the Chiefs’ game against the Ravens, but ended up being inactive, oddly. Martin may have a chance to play soon, though, as Chiefs defensive tackle—and second-round rookie—Omarr Norman-Lott suffered a torn ACL last week.
QB Hendon Hooker — Signed to Panthers practice squad
After failing to win the backup job in Detroit, Hendon Hooker joined the Panthers’ practice squad, where he currently sits behind Bryce Young and Andy Dalton.
With Young currently battling through injury, it’s possible Hooker gets an elevation this week as the backup to Andy Dalton, but Carolina did add Mike White to their practice squad this week—and it appears he’s their preferred option over the inexperienced Hooker. One interesting part of Hooker’s Panthers career is that he’s been traveling with the team on game days despite being on the practice squad, and that’s been an opportunity for him to pick Dalton’s brain as the game has progressed.
“We’re on the sideline during the games, I’m asking him questions of what he sees, what he thought of the play, you know what would he have done if he was in, sometimes,” Hooker told reporters this week. “It’s cool just to have a vet in there that has experienced every part of this game.”
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