The free agency craze in the NFL is behind us as the teams have largely made their moves and built their rosters for next season. Yet, there are still some capable veterans remaining on the market who will sign new contracts between now and the start of the season. These include a few former Lions who are waiting for their next opportunity.
One of the former Lions may be inching closer to landing a new deal. Ifeatu Melifonwu worked out with the Seattle Seahawks on Monday, per NFL insider Mike Garafolo. He added that a deal is not imminent, but "he could be in play in Seattle down the line."
Ifeatu Melifonwu may not be on the free agent market much longer
Melifonwu being unsigned this far into the offseason is somewhat surprising. The 27-year-old had signed with the Miami Dolphins last spring after four years in Detroit. He was healthy and productive in 16 games there, playing 54% of defensive snaps. His overall defensive grade of 62.9 and coverage grade of 63.5 on Pro Football Focus were in line with his Lions' performance.
Seattle's interest in Melifonwu is understandable. They lost starting safety Coby Bryant to Chicago in free agency and replaced him with Bud Clark in the second round of the draft. Bryant was their most productive defensive back last season and played more defensive snaps than any other defender on the team. They may be hoping to add more competent veterans to make up for Bryant's loss until Clark is ready to contribute at a high level.
Melifonwu certainly had his moments in Detroit after he was drafted in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Injuries have forced him to miss significant time in three of his four seasons as a Lion, but when he was on the court, he was impactful.
His only fully healthy season in Detroit was in 2023, and he was a revelation. He lined up both as a safety and a nickel corner, and finished the year with three sacks, three pass breakups, and two interceptions, while only allowing a 70.8 passer rating in coverage, per PFF. He received an impressive 85.6 defensive grade for the season.
He continued his impressive campaign into the postseason. In Detroit's three playoff games, he had two sacks and 16 total tackles, playing significant snaps both on defense and special teams.
After Melifonwu missed most of the following season with an ankle injury, he wasn't brought back in the 2025 offseason. Now that he has stayed fully healthy in Miami, he should be able to generate some interest, even if the Seahawks eventually decide not to sign him.
Who knows, perhaps there will be a reunion opportunity with the Lions. With injuries to Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph, the safety room in Detroit is not as rock-solid as it once was. Melifonwu, as one of the best safeties currently on the market, could emerge as an option if he doesn't end up in Seattle.
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