With the Super Bowl and NFL season now over, the next big phase for the Lions is free agency. The legal tampering period of 2025 free agency starts on March 10. (The illegal tampering period has started already.) The Lions will need to make some tough decisions with many of their free agents and their health status will be a critical component.
Here is the list of the 2024 Lions unrestricted free agents who did not finish the season due to injury:
Carlton Davis – Jaw fracture, December 15
Kevin Zeitler – Right hamstring, January 5
Marcus Davenport – Left elbow, September 22
Derrick Barnes – Right MCL/PCL with surgery, September 22
John Cominsky – MCL with surgery, July 30
Ifeatu Melifonwu – Right hamstring strain, January 18
Kyle Peko – Left pec rupture, October 13
Pat O’Connor – Calf, January 5
Khalil Dorsey – Right tib/fib fracture, December 15
Emmanuel Moseley – Illness, January
A recent article by Jeff Risdon projects many of these injured players to re-sign with the Lions.
Injuries of any kind can carry residual effects. For many injuries, there is no such thing as being “fully recovered”. Thus, the nature of the injury is a major factor in the dollars and years a team will offer or if there is an offer at all. One injury may beget other injuries which is something to consider as well.
Studying history may provide lessons that affect the team’s approach to the 2025 injured free agents. Those who deny history are doomed to repeat it, but denial is human nature.
“Denial is the most predictable of all human responses” – The Architect in The Matrix Reloaded
Entering the 2024 season, I compiled a list of 10 key Lions who were dealing with offseason medical issues. Here is the link to that article. Let’s look back and see how these players fared and if any lessons can be gleaned entering the 2025 free agency period.
(Credit pro-football-reference.com, footballguys.com, fantasypros.com for snap count data.)
James Houston
INJURY HISTORY
Houston missed almost all of 2023 with a suspected right high ankle sprain with associated fibula fracture.
CONCERN
The injury was severe and impacted the ankle joint. Would it affect the elite ability he showed during his rookie year to dip and bend the corner on his pass rush?
SEASON LOG
During training camp, had a knee bone bruise and was wearing a right knee brace.
OUTCOME
Played eight games with Lions before being waived. Picked up by the Browns and played three games there. Averaged 20% snap count per game. Finished with one sack and did not flash the potential he showed during his rookie season when he had eight sacks.
DJ Reader
INJURY HISTORY
Right quad tendon tear on December 16, 2023. Knee scope in June 2024. Left quad tendon tear 2020.
CONCERN
Looking back on previous players with quad tendon tears shows a high frequency of reliability issues in the first year back from injury.
SEASON LOG
Reader was active in game two which was nine months from his injury. Suffered a left shoulder injury in week 13 and missed one game.
OUTCOME
Played 16 games averaging 52% snap count. Had three sacks and 11 solo tackles. While maybe not as disruptive as hoped, he did display very good reliability.
Levi Onwuzurike
INJURY HISTORY
L5-S1 lumbar fusion surgery in October 2022
CONCERN
Onwuzurike may be only the second NFL player in history to return to play following this type of surgery. Entering his second season after lumbar fusion surgery, how would his back hold up?
SEASON LOG
Missed one game due to a left hamstring strain.
OUTCOME
Played 17 games averaging a 61% snap count. Finished with 1.5 sacks and 19 solo tackles. Not many splash plays but a solid season overall with excellent reliability.
Brian Branch
INJURY HISTORY
Offseason surgery around April 2024 likely on his left foot or ankle. The prior season there were no signs of injury to the left leg so the specifics of the surgery are unknown.
CONCERN
With unknown severity of injury, how would Branch look coming off surgery?
SEASON LOG
Started camp on PUP but was a full-go around the second week of camp. Missed one game due to concussion/illness. Late in the season, appeared to be playing through a right leg issue (possible calf strain) for multiple weeks.
OUTCOME
Played 17 games. Four interceptions on the year and made the Pro Bowl.
Kerby Joseph
INJURY HISTORY
During 2023 season, injured his hip and missed two games. Had offseason hip surgery in 2024.
CONCERN
Hip surgery raises concerns for a cartilage issue that could have long-term ramifications. How would he look after surgery?
SEASON LOG
Minor hamstring, hip, and back issues early in the season but missed no games.
OUTCOME
Played all 18 games and 99% of snaps. 1st-team All-Pro with nine interceptions. Finished 6th in Defensive Player of the Year voting.
Taylor Decker
INJURY HISTORY
Multiple offseason surgeries in 2024 on his ankle/foot including sesamoidectomy, bone spur removal, and deltoid ligament repair.
CONCERN
The loss of a big toe sesamoid and the bone spurs could represent a chronic issue with the foot.
SEASON LOG
Right pec strain and rotator cuff injury cost him one game. A right MCL and ankle sprain cost him two games.
OUTCOME
Played 15 games. No overt signs that he was hampered by the toe or ankle issue. Invited to the Pro Bowl when Penei Sewell declined due to injury.
Emmanuel Moseley
INJURY HISTORY
Right ACL tear October 8, 2023. Left ACL tear October 9, 2022
CONCERN
Would his body hold up after ending two straight seasons with ACL tears? After missing two years, would he be effective on the field?
SEASON LOG
Did not start camp on the PUP list which was an excellent sign for his ACL recovery. However, suffered a pec rupture two weeks into camp. Returned in week 12 but then strained his hamstring. An unspecified illness ended his season in week 18.
OUTCOME
Played 2 games. Only appeared on special teams thus no defensive snaps on the year.
Ennis Rakestraw
INJURY HISTORY
Core muscle surgery around January 2024 following his college season. ACL in 2021.
CONCERN
The Lions took some risk drafting him in the 2nd-round with no live game action since his surgery. Would he be the same player as pre-surgery?
SEASON LOG
Flashed excellent ability early in camp. Missed last two preseason games possibly due to minor ankle injury. Hamstring strain in week two cost him two games. Another hamstring prior to week 12 landed him on IR and caused him to miss the rest of the season.
OUTCOME
Played eight games primarily on special teams. Only logged 46 defensive snaps on the year with no interceptions.
Marcus Davenport
INJURY HISTORY
Only played four games in 2023 due to bilateral ankle issues including a severe left high ankle sprain that required tightrope surgery.
CONCERN
What would his availability be going forward? Would his significant ankle injuries affect his pass rush ability?
SEASON LOG
Groin injury in week one cost him one game. A left elbow (possible triceps tear) in week three ended his season.
OUTCOME
Played two games with 0.5 sacks and 1 solo tackle.
Kevin Zeitler
INJURY HISTORY
Unspecified knee/ankle issues at the end of the 2023 season and was limited in 2024 offseason.
CONCERN
At age 34, were there chronic joint issues that could become a problem?
SEASON LOG
A minor shoulder injury limited him during preseason. A groin/hip cost him one game early in the season. Right hamstring strain in week 18 ended his season.
OUTCOME
Played 16 games displaying good reliability.
FINAL VERDICTS
There were positive outcomes in Reader, Onwuzurike, Branch, Joseph, Decker, and Zeitler. It didn’t work out so well for Houston, Moseley, Rakestraw, and Davenport.
The final tally is six positives and four negatives for these players with offseason medical concerns. It’s important to note that this data is anecdotal and not scientific. While a 60% success rate doesn’t seem too good, even previously healthy players will have a high injury rate in a 17+ game NFL season.
The take-home lesson might be that health is far from guaranteed and that developing quality backups is very important. And cross your fingers and hope for good luck.