Lions Sign Playmaker With Local Ties to Begin Offseason

The Detroit Lions have started their offseason planning after they were sent home in the Divisional Round of the playoffs by the Washington Commanders.

That was a massive disappointment, considering the Lions went 15-2 and secured the No. 1 seed in the NFC. Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned and the Lions have shifted their attention onto the offseason. Detroit already lost Ben Johnson to the Chicago Bears and is expected to lose Aaron Glenn next.

This roster and coaching staff will look different in 2025. With that in mind, the Lions signed former Michigan wide receiver Ronnie Bell to a Reserve/Future contract.

Lions News: Ronnie Bell Signs With Detroit on Tuesday

Bell is familiar with the area, as he played his college ball at the University of Michigan from 2018-2022. During his time there, he logged 145 catches for 2,269 receiving yards and nine touchdowns.

Bell came into the league as a seventh-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers. Over 26 games with the 49ers, the 24-year-old had eight catches (19 targets) for 90 yards and three touchdowns. He was waived in late November and spent the remainder of the season on the practice squad.

Once the Super Bowl is in the books, Bell will land the Lions' 90-man roster. He'll have minicamp and training camp to impress the coaching staff and stick onto the 53-man roster. Detroit has Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Kalif Raymond, Antoine Green, and Tom Kennedy in the WR room for the 2025 campaign as of right now.

He has his work cut for him, but his skill set was intriguing to the front office.

The Lions wasted no time signing Bell to this deal. There are always moves around the NFL and this is the latest example of Detroit staying proactive with its roster.

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