ALLEN PARK — The defensive player who was named the CFL’s most outstanding player has signed with the Detroit Lions.
Since Mathieu Betts is a free agent and the deal is after the Super Bowl, it is not a futures contract. The Lions welcomed Betts for a free-agent tryout back in December.
Betts played as a star with the BC Lions for the previous two seasons. In 18 games for the Lions of Canada, he recorded 18 sacks and 4 forced fumbles. And compared to his seven-sack performance with them in 2022, that was a significant improvement.
During the 2018 preseason, the pass rusher had a cup of coffee with the Chicago Bears. Before flying up north to play in Edmonton, Betts made it through the final round of cuts. After excelling at Laval University, the product of Montreal, Quebec, was also highlighted at the 2019 East-West Shrine college football showcase.
Prior to free agency and the draft, the team should prioritize adding pass rushers. It will be fascinating to see whether Betts can create some commotion in that room when training camp and the summer program begin.
This season, the Lions presented a one-man show about rushing the passer.
There were 78 more pressures on Aidan Hutchinson than on any other teammate. Alex Anzalone, an off-ball linebacker who missed a game, finished fourth in pressures, followed by interior defender Alim McNeill, who missed four games.
From the first play of the NFC title game in Kansas City to the very last play in San Francisco, Hutchinson carried that squad on his back. With 121 pressures, the second-year pro was second only to Nick Bosa among all defenders.
Josh Paschal appeared to be bringing more at times. However, the former second-round pick appears most appropriate in a diverse inside-outside role. Paschal also fits the mold with John Cominsky. James Houston returned to the field for the San Francisco finale. It is difficult to forget his amazing rookie year. When the Lions return to action, he will be a player to keep an eye on because he too had trouble making an impact as the team adjusted his role in camp.
However, after taking a pay cut to run it back at this time last year, veterans Charles Harris and Romeo Okwara are facing uncertain futures. Harris spent a considerable amount of the season as a healthy scratch. His future is not promising with those stacked inactives, and he is a pending free agent. Furthermore, in 19 games, Okwara—another prospective free agent—only had 17 pressures.
In an offseason where they should be searching for another pressure producer for this defense, Betts is an intriguing acquisition. Hutchinson is starting to establish himself as a top defensive player, therefore it would be prudent for this squad to recruit another player to reduce the amount of double teams and extra care.
