The Detroit Lions were able to solidify their secondary even more by re-signing a productive safety from the 2025 roster.<\/p>\n
According to the team, veteran Avonte Maddox is returning for the 2026 NFL season.<\/p>\n
After starting his career with the Philadelphia Eagles (2018-2024), Maddox inked a one-year free agent contract last offseason.<\/p>\n
He filled in admirably last year, and was a player many felt earned an opportunity to return for another season.<\/p>\n
With question marks in the secondary, the team has added depth and has players still on the roster who are expected to develop throughout the 2026 season.<\/p>\n
Detroit signed Christian Izien and Chuck Clark in free agency, and also still has Thomas Harper and Loren Strickland in the room as well.<\/p>\n
Both starting safeties, Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch, are rehabbing this offseason from injuries suffered last season.<\/p>\n
Maintaining the roster<\/p>\n
Speaking with Fox 2 Detroit at the owners meetings, head coach Dan Campbell was asked about the challenges of maintaining the roster, while at the same time adding the right pieces to the core group.<\/p>\n
Last season, Detroit took a step back, finishing with a 9-8 record.<\/p>\n
This offseason, the team has invested in multiple free agents who have signed short-term contracts.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s hard when you feel like you\u2019ve kind of had a handle on it and you took a step back. When you say 9-8 is not a good season, that puts everything in perspective a little bit,\u201d said Campbell. \u201cIt\u2019s not good enough, but yet it\u2019s not the end of the world. We\u2019re so close, we really are. But alright, to get over the hump, to make that next step, to get those extra wins this year and do it with some guys and build to where we can try to keep this intact for a little bit here, it is exciting.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is fun, that\u2019s what Brad and I, we love this. It\u2019s hard, but it\u2019s the fun hard. Not everybody can do it, not everybody wants to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n