The Detroit Lions turned to a familiar face on Monday, adding safety Jalen Mills to the practice squad after opening up a spot by promoting Levi Onwuzurike to the 53-man roster over the weekend.
The move comes on the heels of a major setback in the secondary: starting safety Avonte Maddox is out for the entire season with a foot injury that will require surgery. Lions coach Dan Campbell said Monday afternoon the team was actively hunting for help at safety, and he hinted the search could extend beyond just one player.
“We had a workout this morning just looking for a veteran guy,” Campbell said. “And then we’re looking for some of these safeties that are on other teams right now that are promising young players that we could potentially poach and bring in and let them compete.”
No other secondary moves had been made by the time Monday’s transaction wire was released.
Mills, 32, is set to begin his 11th NFL season. The former seventh-round pick of the Philadelphia Eagles in 2016 has appeared in 122 games and made 92 starts across five teams.
One of those stops was Detroit, where he landed last year after the Lions claimed him on waivers following Brian Branch’s injury. Mills played three games for the Lions late in the season.
Although he came into the league as a cornerback, Mills has worked mostly at nickel or safety since 2023. He brings a reputation as a willing run defender and a player who carries himself with some swagger.
For now, Mills will have to earn his way into the mix. Detroit appears poised to move ahead with Chuck Clark, Thomas Harper, and Christian Izien as its three safety options on the 53-man roster.
In Other News...
Lions Secondary Issues Are Forcing Detroit To Act Fast
The Lions are trying to stabilize a secondary that has been hit hard early, and that urgency showed up this week at the Allen Park Performance Center. Detroit has allowed 71 points through the first two games, a rough start that has put even more pressure on a defensive back group already dealing with injuries, including safety Avonte Maddox.
Among the players getting workouts are veterans Jordan Fuller and Jalen Mills, both of whom bring NFL experience and familiarity with the league grind. Mills also has a prior connection to Detroit after being claimed off waivers by the Lions in 2025, and the teams decision to bring in that kind of depth suggests it is moving quickly to find answers before the schedule creates even more problems. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Suddenly Have A Secondary Issue They May Need To Solve Fast
When the Lions get back from their break, the defensive backfield will be worth watching closely. Detroit plans to work out a group of defensive backs, including Jordan Fuller and Jalen Mills, as it continues to sort through both health questions and performance concerns in the secondary. Avonte Maddoxs foot injury is part of the picture, and the team has already been forced to keep an eye on a unit that has needed help at times.
There is at least a path toward relief if the timing breaks right. Safeties Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph remain on the Physically Unable to Perform list, but both may be nearing a return to practice, which could help stabilize a group that has been thinned out. Until then, the Lions may need these workouts to do more than just add bodies, because the back end of the defense has become a spot they may have to solve quickly. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Badly Need Cade Mays Back For This Brutal Stretch
Jared Goff has already spent too much of the early season dealing with heat in the pocket, and it has put a spotlight on a Detroit offensive line that has not looked nearly as steady as the Lions need it to be. The issue becomes even bigger with the schedule turning toward a pair of division tests against the Packers and Vikings, both of whom can make life miserable for a quarterback when they get to the front of the pocket.
Cade Mays absence has been part of that problem, with the starting center still working back from a wrist injury that has kept him sidelined. The bye week offers the Lions a natural reset, and there is at least a chance he could be back by mid-October, which would give Detroit a much-needed reinforcement right when the trenches figures to matter most. [Read more 🡒]