3 former Detroit Lions we'd like to see return in 2024
There are moving parts involved in at least one case, but in a broad sense it would be nice to see these three former Detroit Lions return in 2024.
The Detroit Lions have had a quicker rebuild than anyone realistically envisioned, going from 3-13-1 in the first year of the Brad Holmes/Dan Campbell regime to the NFC Championship Game in Year 3.
It's also safe to say Detroit has become a far more player-friendly place than it used to be, and Campbell is a coach players want to play for. Having a coaching staff filled with former NFL players only helps.
For the first time in the era of unrestricted free agency, which is not an exaggeration, Detroit is easy to consider a prime destination instead of a team free agents ultimately settle for when all else has failed.
The idea of any former Lions' players coming back now that things are good might inspire some eye-rolls. And a segment of those former players might be pretty far advanced in their careers at this point, so what would be the point of bringing them back?
The Lions had two former players (Graham Glasgow and Jalen Reeves-Maybin) come back in free agency in 2023, and both arguably followed (no doubt in Reeves-Maybin's case) by having the best season of their careers.
If things go a certain direction and a fit can be had, we'd like to see these three former Lions come back in 2024.
3 former Detroit Lions we'd like to see come back in 2024
3. S Duron Harmon
Harmon had a well-traveled 2023 season, going from the Baltimore Ravens' practice squad to the Chicago Bears' active roster and finally to the Cleveland Browns to finish the season. He played in a total of seven games (291 total snaps-defense and special teams), so his career could be considered to be on a downward trend.
But in three seasons before that, with the Lions (2020), the Atlanta Falcons (2021) and Las Vegas Raiders (2022), Harmon played over 1,000 defensive snaps each season and he did not miss a game. In 2022 with Las Vegas, his Pro Football Focus coverage grade (77.6) was the 12th-best among qualified safeties.
Safety depth behind Kerby Joseph and Ifeatu Melifonwu is a concern for the Lions right now, perhaps most especially from a sheer experience perspective after the release of Tracy Walker. Harmon could fill that void, and the weirdness of his journey last season is not nearly enough to say his skills have diminished.
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