The Detroit Lions have thought outside of the box the last few years while building their roster, and continue to prove there is more than one way to build a championship level team.
Depth at every level is vital as the franchise learned during an injury-riddled 2024, and having too many productive players is rarely a problem for a team. Thus, the Lions need to keep exploring unique additions for 2025.
Last year, the Lions found unexpected gold in free agency when they signed kicker Jake Bates. After a fantastic UFL season with the Michigan Panthers, Bates went 26-29 on kicks and was a clutch force for a Detroit special teams room that badly needed stability.
A year later, there's another intriguing prospect that could provide the Detroit defense the same impact. Tavante Beckett just finished up a solid season with the San Antonio Brahmas where he led the league in tackles. That has landed him on Brent Sobleski's list of UFL studs that could deserve another chance in the NFL.
"His natural instincts, ability to seamlessly sift through trash and produce high tackle numbers are what it takes to play the position. A linebacker doesn't need 4.5-speed if he's breaking on the play as it develops. In Beckett's case, his natural feel for the position allowed him to lead the UFL last season with 89 total tackles. Beckett is a natural chase linebacker, who can immediately help on special teams as well."
Ironically, Beckett was part of Detroit's training camp in 2021 out of Marshall, giving him the distinction as one of Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes' first rookies. He spent that season on the practice squad, seeing time in one game before being waived early in the 2022 offseason.
Since, he's been a two-time All-UFL player in 2024 and 2025, proving he still has the goods to play high-level football. His most comfortable fit could be with the Lions given their current needs.
Tavante Beckett could represent Lions' next successful UFL splash
The Lions succeeded after signing Bates in 2024, as he quickly won the kicking job, solidifying his status as one of the smartest offseason additions that Holmes was able to make in order to help his franchise repeat as NFC North champions.
Beckett could prove to be a similarly brilliant addition for 2025, especially given uncertainty at linebacker. Alex Anzalone didn't show up for OTA's as he fights for a new contract. Whether that will be solved before the season is unknown. Depth could be at a premium with an elongated Anzalone absence, something the Lions have already hinted with their moves.
Even if the Lions have Anzalone, Beckett would be an ideal addition to chip in on special teams given his tackling. The Lions are replacing Jalen Reeves-Maybin, who was a special teams star. Linebacker Grant Stuard figures to play a role in that, but Beckett could be an ideal running mate.
There's no question Beckett already fits Detroit given he was one of the first invitees of the new regime four years ago. The franchise should give him a call after a fantastic two seasons in the UFL and see if he can earn another NFL role. They may quickly appreciate the decision.
