The Detroit Lions were hoping to be a part of Super Bowl LX when the 2025 season began, but they’ll be watching several of their former players play in the game from the comfort of their own couch. One of the players on that list is safety Quandre Diggs, who was traded from Detroit following the 2018 season and split his time between the Tennessee Titans and Seattle Seahawks last fall.
On the verge of competing for his first ring, Diggs is relishing the opportunity. But it didn’t stop him from revealing he almost rejoined the Lions after he requested his release from Tennessee last November.
“I had a chance this year,” Diggs told Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “It just didn’t work out that way.”
Diggs added that he returned to Seattle, where he played 5.5 seasons after being traded in 2018, because the Seahawks had “an opportunity I couldn’t pass up.” But before fans claim that Diggs turned down Detroit in favor of a situation where he played just one game, the door may be open for one last stop in the Motor City, which could take its wheels after Sunday’s game.
Quandre Diggs Reunion with Lions Could Be on the Table This Offseason
The Lions pursued Diggs as depth at safety after Kerby Joseph battled a knee injury that kept him out for the final 11 games of the regular season. While Diggs’s time in Detroit didn’t overlap with the current regime, he would have been a veteran presence to offset those injuries. Ultimately, he chose Seattle, likely in part because of his longer tenure with the Seahawks and the chance to win a Super Bowl.
The Lions opted to sign Jammie Robinson after Diggs declined, and things got worse when Brian Branch tore his Achilles in a Week 14 win against the Dallas Cowboys. Detroit went on to miss the playoffs in part due to those injuries, but general manager Brad Holmes told Birkett last month that he wasn’t sure how big a need safety would be this offseason “until they have a better read on the health of Joseph and Branch.”
The early returns shouldn’t have Lions fans holding their breath. Branch is likely to miss the first portion of the 2026 campaign due to his torn Achilles, as more often than not, the injury saps athletes of their speed upon their return. Joseph is also dealing with a degenerative knee issue that, while not career-threatening, may never fully heal. With Daniel Thomas, Avonte Maddox, and Jalen Mills as free agents, the Lions will need help at some point this offseason, and Diggs could be a top target.
At 33 years old, Diggs isn't the player he once was, logging 72 total tackles, no tackles for loss, and just one pass defense in 17 games with the team over his two seasons with the Titans. But he could be part of the puzzle if he finds a flash of his previous form as a three-time Pro Bowler from 2020 to 2022.
Of course, the Lions wouldn’t be expecting that this time around. If Diggs can be serviceable in a backup role, it would provide insurance if Branch and Joseph need additional time to complete their rehab. Even if it’s just bringing Diggs in for training camp and realizing it’s not going to work, pursuing a reunion could be a good idea for a team positioned to rebound in 2026 and help the Lions in their never-ending quest to find more depth.