Lions linked to surprise reunion with former fan favorite

The Detroit Lions are making moves amid the NFL offseason, and Dan Campbell is working to get back to his glory days, when the team was No. 1 in the NFC North and Super Bowl contenders. While the Lions have made a crop of offseason moves, it's possible they aren't finished yet.

In a feature about the best remaining free agents under the age of 30 in Bleacher Report, Kristopher Knox names the Lions as a possible landing spot for a former player who was originally drafted to the team in 2021. Since then, he's been with Miami Dolphins, but now, he's a free agent.

That player is safety Ifeatu Melifonwu. The Lions drafted him in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft, and he played in 37 games for the team in four seasons before going to the Dolphins last season. Now, he's a free agent, and Knox thinks he could be back with the team.

Former Lions player could make sense for Detroit in 2026

"While the Syracuse product hasn't developed into a dependable starter, he's a versatile defensive back with a high athletic ceiling who can play in the box, man the slot, and even rotate to a deep-safety position," Knox states. "He'd make a ton of sense for a team that uses multiple looks in the secondary."

Knox also points out that Melifonwu could be of use to Detroit with both Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph coming back from injuries. Now would make for a good time for the Lions to bring Melifonwu, and considering that he's so readily available, don't be surprised if you see this deal happen.