The Detroit Lions have long endured depth problems in their defensive backfield, but heading into 2025, the franchise was determined to make sure that wouldn't flare up again.
This offseason, the Lions signed a few key veterans to fill gaps in their backfield. Cornerback Avonte Maddox has come from the Philadelphia Eagles and impressed the staff early. Additionally. veteran Rock Ya-Sin was a signing for depth purposes with plenty of NFL experience.
In addition to Maddox, Ya-Sin has started to impress with his steady play in the backfield. Dan Campbell has been singing the praises of what Ya-Sin has been able to do thus far in camp and everything he brings to the mix.
Rock Ya-Sin's preseason performance should earn him a defensive role
"I like Rock (Ya-Sin). We all like Rock. There's his work ethic, man. He's pretty tough. He's physical. He's heady and he's versatile. There's a number of things he can do. We'd like to start working him at safety, too. The defense, the few reps he was in there, man, he showed up on the perimeter. I just like this guy. He can do a lot and he's the same guy every day and just goes to work."
While Ya-Sin has bounced around the NFL since being drafted in 2019, he has managed to put up 199 tackles, two interceptions, 31 passes defended and two forced fumbles. He's also played in 79 games with 39 starts. Those are numbers that should matter greatly to the Lions, given their need to plug in players that fit the defense.
Ya-Sin seems to have the ideal blend of toughness and experience that the Lions crave for their backfield. It's the type of quality depth piece they have lacked the last few seasons that could have mattered in holding down the fort when injury crisis struck.
Fortunately, Ya-Sin's early work on the field with the Lions has also shown he is not overwhelmed when stepping into a new situation quickly.
In terms of his intangibles, Ya-Sin brings a lot to the mix as Campbell noted. Fortunately, he packs a punch with his play, too. In Week 1 of the preseason, Ya-Sin notched two tackles against the Los Angeles Chargers, and was impressive in his work.
On one of the tackles, Ya-Sin stepped up to fill a gap in the red zone, showing excellent form as he put the running back to the ground with relative ease.
No matter what role the Lions envision for Ya-Sin, he should have a place on the roster. With injury troubles of Ennis Rakestraw Jr. flaring up again, the Lions need to keep around veterans that can fill valuable gaps for the defense. It could be the difference between winning and losing the division once again.
There's a good chance Ya-Sin will be needed at some point this year, making his early development within the defense notable. Providing he can stay healthy, he should have a good chance at landing on the roster.
