This felt like you could go back and forth on all offseason. On one hand Ifeatu Melifonwu had such and amazing end to the 2023 season for the Detroit Lions. His interception to seal the Lions first NFC North title will forever be remembered. On the other hand, he has struggled with injuries and was not able to replicated that stretch in 2023.
Now he'll be moving on to the Miami Dolphins and Brad Holmes loses one of his highly drafted players for the first time.
That's really the biggest thing to note about this situation. This is a sign of the future for the Detroit Lions and one of the results of being so good at drafting. You just can't keep everyone. It's impossible.
The Lions have made so many good picks under Brad Holmes, and they've been able to make sure that most of their 2021 class has been retained already with big extensions for Penei Sewell, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Derrick Barnes and Alim McNeil. The Lions are now moving on to make sure the guys in the 2022 class are going to get retained.
Because of that, the Lions may lose other highly drafted players. We don't know what the future looks like for Levi Onwuzurike yet. He has yet to sign anywhere. Josh Pashcal is a free agent next offseason and then when you get really into the weeds with the extensions, it's going to be hard to keep the big four of Sam LaPorta, Jahmyr Gibbs, Brian Branch and Jack Campbell. The Lions are going to try, and there's no reason to believe they won't succeed, but someone is going to be the odd man or odd men out after that.
So take this as something of a primer, Lions fans. Some of these guys that you like may have to be sacrificed to keep some of the guys that you love.
Dolphins Signing CB Ifeatu Melifonwu To One-Year, $4M Contract
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports the Dolphins are signing former Lions CB Ifeatu Melifonwu to a one-year, $4 million contract.
Melifonwu, 25, is the brother of veteran S Obi Melifonwu and was a two-year starter for Syracuse. He was also named third-team All-ACC in 2020. The Lions drafted Melifonwu with pick No. 101 in the third round in 2021.
Melifonwu signed a four-year rookie deal worth $4,785,850 million with an $840,618 million signing bonus. He made a base salary of $1.192 million last year.
In 2024, Melifonwu appeared in all three games for the Lions and recorded 10 tackles and one sack.
