The Detroit Lions haven’t made a ton of huge splashes in free agency, but they’ve done a tremendous job solidifying their defense through re-signings and multiple depth signings. The Lions signed D.J. Reed, Roy Lopez, and Grant Stuard through the first few days of free agency.
Reed is the crown jewel among those three players as he’ll likely replace veteran cornerback Carlton Davis III, who signed a big three-year deal with the New England Patriots. However, fans should not sleep on Lopez and Stuard, who could play an integral role in Detroit’s success in 2025.
The 26-year-old Stuard is a core special teams player, who has spent the last three seasons with the Indianapolis Colts. On Thursday, Stuard met with the media and told them he turned down better opportunities to play in Detroit.
According to Nolan Bianchi of the Detroit News, the young linebacker said playing the Lions' wide receivers and offensive line was eye-opening about the culture. He added, "If there’s a whole building of people like that, I would love to be there."
New #Lions LB Grant Stuard said he chose Detroit over opportunities where he could have had more guarantees. Playing Detroit's WRs and OL last year was eye-opening about the culture.
— Nolan Bianchi (@nolanbianchi) March 13, 2025
He thought, "If there's a whole building of people like that, I would love to be there."
Stuard played against the Lions in Week 12 last season, where Detroit won 24-6. In that game, Stuard had three combined tackles. He also played 38 percent of defensive and 71 percent of special teams snaps.
If you are a Lions fan or someone in the front office, you have to be proud of the culture, which has been created under head coach Dan Campbell. For a long time, Detroit wasn’t a premier free agent destination.
However, with the way the Lions play and how Campbell handles himself and the team, other players around the league are starting to take notice.
For a player ike Stuard, who is only on a one-year deal, to come to Detroit over better options in free agency speaks to the culture. Over the last two seasons, Campbell and the Lions' front office have turned this team into a contender in the NFC.
Even though they fell short last season, the Lions still believe they can win the Super Bowl. For that to happen, they will need guys like Stuard to do their job and step up when their name is called upon.