It's hard to believe that March is over, but the second month of the NFL offseason is already here. It's been an up-and-down ride for the Detroit Lions, who have seen their fair share of veteran players come and go from the Motor City following January's disappointingly early playoff exit.
As for the departing names, five Lions free agents have already inked contracts with new NFL homes. While some of those players will thrive in their new environment, others will learn that a change in scenery doesn't always foster success.
With that in mind, one former Lion is likelier to fail with his new team than the others.
Former Lions DB Ifeatu Melifonwu Will Fail With Dolphins in 2025
The Lions have lost a few defensive backs in free agency, including Ifeatu Melifonwu. The former 2021 third-round pick is heading south for the upcoming campaign, signing a one-year contract worth just over $3 million with the Miami Dolphins once the market opened.
Losing Melifonwu has been a bittersweet feeling for Lions fans. On one hand, the ex-Syracuse ballhawk showed flashes of potential throughout his four-year run, having tallied 53 solo tackles, 13 broken-up passes, 4.5 sacks, two fumble recoveries, and a pair of interceptions.
On the other hand, fans are relieved that they don't have to deal with his never-ending injury situation.
The best ability is availability, and that's something Melifonwu lacked with the Lions, suiting up in only 37-of-68 (54.4%) potential appearances since the start of the 2021 campaign. That includes playing only three games in 2024 due to a combination of ankle and finger injuries. He finished the year with an uninspiring 58.4 Pro Football Focus coverage grade, as well as career-low marks for tackling (52.9), run stoppage (51.1), and overall defense (54.5).
Even though a fresh start can help, it's tough to imagine Melifonwu succeeding in Miami. After all, the Dolphins finished the 2024 season with the seventh-worst PFF coverage grade (55.6), and the situation is unlikely to improve, considering how defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver, cornerbacks coach Mathieu Araujo, and secondary coach Brian Duker are all back for another year.
At the end of the day, Melifonwu must remain healthy and productive if he wants to live up to his Dolphins contract. Unfortunately, as Lions fans know too well, recent history indicates that sort of performance is a long shot to happen.