The Detroit Lions had one of the best defenses that the NFL had to offer in 2024 before getting slammed with injuries, but they look to be just as dangerous of a unit entering the 2025 season.
With players like Aiden Hutchinson, Brian Branch, and Jack Campbell among the key pieces returning to the defense, Dan Campbell and company should be just as tough to score on as they were this past season, when they boasted the seventh-fewest points allowed in the entire league.
To be great, you must identify talent in areas that other teams may overlook. That is what Brad Holmes and Campbell hope they found in former Michigan State Spartans defensive lineman Raequan Williams, as the team agreed to terms with the free agent on Monday, per Nolan Bianchi of The Detroit News.
Former Michigan State DL Raequan Williams is signing with the #Lions.
— Nolan Bianchi (@nolanbianchi) May 12, 2025
Williams was on a tryout at rookie minicamp this past weekend. https://t.co/tX43BfsE9l
Lions Signed DL Raequan Williams
The former Spartans standout was a second-team All-Big Ten selection in 2019 before going undrafted in 2020. Since leaving East Lansing, Williams has had stops with the Philadelphia Eagles, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Carolina Panthers. In seven appearances with the Eagles, Williams recorded seven total tackles, one quarterback sack, one tackle for loss, and one quarterback hit.
On paper, those numbers will blow no one away. What Williams was able to accomplish in the Big Ten, however, explains why the Lions were interested in bringing him in for a tryout at the team's rookie minicamp this past weekend. In 58 appearances for Michigan State, Williams recorded 160 total tackles, 30 tackles for a loss, and 11.5 sacks.
Should Williams find a way to be a contributor for Detroit once OTAs begin before training camp opens later this summer, he stands a great chance of becoming a fan favorite. One thing is for certain, Spartans fans in Michigan and throughout the country will be pulling for one of their own to stick with the Lions as the team embarks on what they hope will be a special season in Detroit.