4 UFL players for the Detroit Lions to watch this week, Including a former Lions player you probaly don't reme
The UFL season is almost over. The Championship game is on June 16th. After that we will sadly be football free for a painful 45 days until the Bears and Texans take the field for the annual Hall of Fame game on August 1st. This weekend will mark the end of the regular season for […]
The UFL season is almost over. The Championship game is on June 16th. After that we will sadly be football free for a painful 45 days until the Bears and Texans take the field for the annual Hall of Fame game on August 1st.
This weekend will mark the end of the regular season for the four UFL teams that didn't make the playoffs. The Detroit Lions, as well as the rest of the NFL, will likely be looking to sign players out of the league as they have been doing for the past few years. He's four players to keep an eye on for the Lions.
Keep in mind that a lot of these guys will be coming into the league with opportunities to challenge for a spot at camp. These guys aren't expected to start. They're expected to be good depth or practice squad guys.
Markel Roby, Safety, Houston Roughnecks
The Lions' safety group isn't totally defined just yet. The expectation is that Brian Branch will be moving back there, but we haven't seen it yet due to Branch being out with an injury. We know that Melifonwu and Joseph aren't going anywhere and C.J. Moore is likely to grab a spot too. After that it's up in the air.
Roby has had a nice season for the Roughnecks that saw him finish the year with 48 tackles, two interceptions and a league high seven pass breakups. He would be someone that would be worth a look at camp. So far he hasn't had any NFL experience after going undrafted in 2022.
Chris Rowland, Receiver, DC Defenders
The NFL switched to a brand new kick off format this year and it's all based off the one that the UFL has been using. Rowland led the league in return yards this season with 947 yards.
It's definitely going to be worth it for teams to try to put players who have already figured out how to best play in this format in place this year. The Lions are a team that needed a kick returner long before the format changed. Rowland could be that guy.
He does have some NFL experience. He was with the Falcons and Titans in 2020 and 2021. He played two games for the Falcons in 2020 and was used as a return man in both games.
Malik Fisher, Edge, DC Defenders
It's weird that Fisher has no NFL experience. He was invited to the Saints rookie minicamp after going undrafted, but that was it for him. That's despite some scouts calling him one of the most slept on guys in the 2022 NFL Draft.
He's been with the Defenders since then and he had a big season in 2024 with six sacks. That was good enough for third in the UFL. The two guys above him will play in the playoffs.
I'm not saying that Fisher could make the team or anything, but he would be worth a look at camp and in the preseason. He has some real pass rush juice and solid strength.
Luis Perez, Quarterback, Arlington Renegades
Hear me out. Do the Lions need a quarterback? Not really, but also yes. The Lions are set with Jared Goff and they're set at backup with Hendon Hooker. But are they set at QB3? I don't think so. Perez is a very interesting option for the Lions in a player/coach type situation.
You might remember Perez if you're a Lions fan becasue he was with the Lions for four days during training camp in 2019. Since then, the former Harlon Hill award winner has been playing in the XFL and UFL. In 2023 he led the Renegades to an XFL Championship and won the game's MVP award.
In 2024 he led the UFL in passing yards by a pretty large margin. He threw for 2,093 yards. The closest guy to him threw for 1,628 yards. He also led the league in passing touchdowns with 15.
The big reason you want Perez is the same reason the Lions wanted David Blough. He has a great football mind. Outside of playing the game, Perez is also a quarterback guru. He runs his own quarterback academy where he helps quarterbacks get better. That's something that can only help with Hendon Hooker's development.
Last year Hooker said he leaned on Blough a lot early on and looked at him as a player/coach. Stuff like that has value. Just because he doesn't play, that doesn't mean he won't bring something to the team.
Perez also has some history with Lions GM Brad Holmes. It was the Rams that brought Perez in as an undrafted free agent. He spent some of his rookie year on their practice squad.
The cost to watch every Detroit Lions game vs the cost for every NFL team
This really all stems from something that has nothing to do with the Detroit Lions. The thought process really came from talking about the cost of going out to the movies in 2024. It's easily a $50 expense once tickets, popcorn and drinks are purchased. But we don't have to talk about that. What I […]
