When it comes to the future of this Detroit Lions team, Dan Campbell is ALL IN.
Mathieu Betts, Canadian Football League’s defensive player of the year, has signed with the Detroit Lions under a free agent contract. This strategy move to strengthen the Lions’ defense does not appear to be high risk, as this defensive lineman absolutely dominated every one of the 18 regular games he started in this past season for the BC Lions.
You might say Betts hasn’t had the best luck throughout his short career. His university statistics landed him a spot in the 2019 East-West Shrine Bowl and shortly thereafter, he was drafted third overall (CFL) by the Edmonton Elks. He then signed with the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent but was released and therefore returned to Edmonton to play his first season in 2019. In 2022, he signed with the BC Lions, where he made unbelievable progress in just two years.
At six-foot-three and 250 pounds, Betts had 44 defensive tackles, two special teams tackles, three forced fumbles, one blocked kick, and 18 sacks in the 2023 season alone. In the last game of the regular season, Betts broke the record for the most single sacks by a national player.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell (aka Gamble) signing this beast to the D-line certainly raises the stakes. Especially considering we’ve got rising superstar Aidan Hutchinson at six-foot-seven and nearly 270 pounds with 36 defensive tackles and 12 sacks during regular season. Two of a kind, you might say… working on a full house alongside defensive players John Cominsky, Josh Paschal, and James Houston.
Betts has improved year over year and it’s safe to say the majority of his successes are ahead of him. Was this the right time for Detroit to scoop him up? I think so, and here’s why. Detroit proved to struggle a bit when the pressure was on to intimidate and execute on opposing quarterbacks. Our beloved second-year defensive end Aidan Hutchinson was the only defensive lineman to end the season with double-digit sacks. Our defensive end room will benefit from guys like Betts, who have the hustle, the heart, the talent, and the grit.
Detroit’s 2024 season schedule will bring on challenges, just as the 2023 season did. That being said, our defense plays an integral role in pushing back opposing offenses and “taking out kneecaps,” as Campbell jokes. Quarterback sacks account for more than just lost yards. The right defense can shake opposing players’ confidence and even result in a pick six.
Here in Detroit, we take Betts seriously, and feel confident that his addition to our already winning hand can just increase our odds of going to the big game.
