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Injury-Prone Lion Attempting to Stay in Detroit With New Comments

Veteran defensive back Ifeatu Melifonwu wants to stay with the Lions for the 2025 season.

By Jovan Alford

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell looks on at a timeout against Chicago Bears during the second half at Ford Field in Detroit on Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024.
Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell looks on at a timeout against Chicago Bears during the second half at Ford Field in Detroit on Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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The Detroit Lions have a pivotal offseason ahead of them after falling short of their ultimate goal which was to get to and win the Super Bowl. The Lions have already seen Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn depart the organization for head coaching opportunities, but Detroit did not waste time finding their replacements.

With the coordinator hires completed, Detroit can now turn its attention to its roster. The Lions have an insane amount of free agents (31) this offseason. Among the 31 free agents, Detroit has 22 unrestricted guys, who could return to Detroit next season or decide to play elsewhere.

Ifeatu Melifonwu Hoping to Re-Sign With Lions

One of those players who could be on the roster bubble is safety Ifeatu Melifonwu. The 25-year-old defensive back only appeared in three games this season, as he was hampered by ankle and finger injuries. 

Melifonwu made his 2024 debut in Week 16 against the Chicago Bears, where he started and played 51 defensive snaps. When healthy, the versatile defensive back is a playmaker in Detroit’s secondary as we saw in 2023.

In the 2023 season, Melifonwu had 33 combined tackles, eight pass deflections, five quarterback hits, four tackles for loss, three sacks, and two interceptions.

After the Lions’ shocking divisional round loss to the Washington Commanders, Melifonwu told reporters he wants to return to the Motor City.

"I would like to be back," Melifonwu said last week during locker room clean out (h/t Tim Twentyman of Lions.com). "Obviously, I got drafted here and I was the first class drafted here. I've seen what we've built and how we've grown so I would love to be back here."

Melifonwu was a part of GM Brad Holmes’ first draft class as he was selected in the third round of the 2021 NFL draft. This draft class helped Detroit get back on track and become an instant Super Bowl contender over the last two seasons.

Lions fans would love for Melifonwu to return if he can stay healthy, which has been an issue throughout his career. That said, with Khalil Dorsey, Carlton Davis III, Kindle Vildor, and Emmanuel Moseley all unrestricted free agents, there’s a path for Melifonwu to return to Detroit.

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