A significant number of players with roots tied to the Detroit Lions organization will suit up in the United Football League, which kicks off Friday.
The Lions have been known to pluck players from the UFL, as they’ve signed multiple players from spring leagues including kicker Jake Bates. As result, strong performances could send some of the former Lions back into the NFL.
Here’s a breakdown of the 29 former Lions who will suit up this season in the UFL.
Arlington Renegades
DE Will Clarke
Time with Lions: 2020
Clarke was a member of the Lions’ training camp roster after a successful tryout on August 19, 2020. He was released on cut day and did not return on the practice squad. Clarke has also been a member of the Bengals, Buccaneers and Saints organization since entering the league in 2014.
CB Jamar Summers
Time with Lions: 2019
Summers signed with the Lions for training camp in 2019. He did not make the final roster, and has played for eight teams across the AAF, NFL and now UFL since entering the professional ranks in 2018.
OT Matt Farniok
Time with Lions: 2023-24
Farniok got his start with the Dallas Cowboys, appearing in 19 games over his first two seasons. After being released by Dallas, he did a short stint with the Bears before landing in Detroit late in the 2023 campaign. He spent the remainder of 2023 on Detroit’s practice squad and returned on a reserve/futures contract, but was waived prior to training camp in 2024.
QB Luis Perez
Time with Lions: 2019
The journeyman quarterback spent just four days on the Lions’ practice squad in 2019. He has also spent time with the Eagles and Rams, and has carved out success in spring leagues throughout his career. He won the XFL championship in 2023, earning MVP honors for his performance.
S Brady Breeze
Time with Lions: 2021-22
Breeze appeared in six games over two years with the Lions, notching six tackles in the process. He was waived in August of 2023, and has spent time with the Houston Texans and Cleveland Browns since then.
Birmingham Stallions
CB Steven Gilmore
Time with Lions: 2023-24
Gilmore had an excellent training camp after signing with the Lions as an undrafted rookie in 2023 and made the team. After remaining with the team for the entire 2023 season, expectations were relatively high heading into 2024. However, he struggled in camp and was subsequently waived at the conclusion of training camp.
CB Rachad Wildgoose
Time with Lions: 2024
With injuries at the cornerback position, Wildgoose signed with the Lions during training camp. He would spend less than a week with the team before being waived. Wildgoose has played 20 NFL games with three starts.
DL Demetrius Taylor
Time with Lions: 2022
Taylor is another undrafted free agent who made the Lions’ final roster out of training camp, but he only appeared in one game. He was set to return on a futures deal before he was suspended for the 2023 season for violating the NFL’s gambling rules. Detroit released him as a result.
OL Jarron Jones
Time with Lions: 2018
Jones was a member of the Lions’ practice squad late in the 2018 season and signed a futures deal to return, but the Lions cut him prior to the start of the 2019 training camp.
TE Jordon Thomas
Time with Lions: 2022
Thomas signed a futures deal with the Lions in January of 2022, but was waived in March. He has been a member of seven different organizations since entering the league in 2018.
S JuJu Hughes
Time with Lions: 2022
Hughes played seven games with the Lions in 2022, notching 18 combined tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack. He was waived by the team in November of that year and landed in Arizona, where he spend the remainder of 2022 and training camp of 2023 before being released.
DC Defenders
K Matt McCrane
Time with Lions: 2024
After the Lions lost Greg Joseph, who was claimed off their practice squad, they signed McCrane to the practice squad. His stint was short-lived, as he was released less than a month later.
OT Jarrid Williams
Time with Lions: 2022
Williams signed with the Lions’ practice squad on Dec. 29, 2022 and finished the season with the team. However, he was not retained and signed a futures deal with the Eagles. He has yet to appear in an NFL regular season game.
QB Jordan Ta’amu
Time with Lions: 2020, 21
Ta’amu has been with the Lions in two different stints. First, he was a member of the practice squad in 2020. Then, he returned for a short training camp stint in 2021 before being waived. Ta’amu has had a nice career, earning XFL Offensive Player of the Year honors in 2023.
Houston Roughnecks
CB Colby Richardson
Time with Lions: 2023
Richardson signed with the Lions during training camp of 2023, but was waived during final roster cuts.
CB Corn Elder
Time with Lions: 2021
Elder signed with the Lions in April of 2021 and was with the team through training camp, but was waived as part of final roster cuts.
DT Olive Sagapolu
Time with Lions: 2019-20
Sagapolu came to Detroit as a member of the practice squad late in the 2019 season, and remained with the team on a futures contract for the 2020 offseason. However, the team released him prior to the start of the 2020 regular season.
Michigan Panthers
OL Jake Burton
Time with Lions: 2024
Burton was signed last offseason but was cut in August. He’s back in Michigan after a strong 2024 campaign with the Panthers in the spring.
Memphs Showboats
CB Mark Gilbert
Time with Lions: 2021
The Lions signed Gilbert off the Pittsburgh Steelers’ practice squad, and he wound up playing eight games for the organization. He notched three tackles and a forced fumble and was re-signed for 2022, but was waived in August during training camp.
DT John Atkins
Time with Lions: 2018-20
Atkins bounced between the Lions’ active rostar and practice squad for a spell before becoming a consistent contributor. He played in 14 games with six starts between 2018-19, notching 22 combined tackles and a tackle for loss. He opted out of the 2020 campaign and was waived in training camp of 2021.
LB Steele Chambers
Time with Lions: 2024
Chambers signed with the Lions as an undrafted free agent after the draft but was waived in June. He spent some time with the New England Patriots in training camp, but was waived in late-August.
WR Jonathan Adams
Time with Lions: 2021
Adams inked a UDFA deal with the Lions following the 2021 draft, but was released after training camp.
San Antonio Brahmas
CB Darius Phillips
Time with Lions: 2023
Phillips was with the Lions for just under a month as a member of the practice squad. He enjoyed a solid start to his career with five total interceptions over his first three seasons, but has struggled to stick with a team since.
LB Tavante Beckett
Time with Lions: 2021-22
Beckett played in four games with the Lions in 2021, remaining with the team for the duration of the campaign. He was waived in May of 2022.
LB Rashod Berry
Time with Lions: 2021
Berry spent five games as a member of the Lions in 2021, beginning as a member of the practice squad before being signed to the active roster. He would remain with the team for the start of the offseason but was waived in May.
TE Alize Mack
Time with Lions: 2021
Mack was an offseason member of the Lions’ roster after signing a contract with the team in February. He was waived on Sept. 1 of that year.
S Jalen Elliott
Time with Lions: 2021
Elliott played in eight games for the Lions in 2021. He would bounce around multiple different organizations before returning to action for the Pittsburgh Steelers for two games in 2024.
St. Louis Battlehawks
CB Chris Payton-Jones
Time with Lions: 2018, 2020
Payton-Jones did two separate stints with the Lions’ organization, first signing with the organization as an undrafted free agent in 2018. He was cut at the end of training camp and landed with the Arizona Cardinals. The defender returned to Detroit in 2020 after being signed off the Cardinals’ practice squad but was waived in October.
WR Denzel Mims
Time with Lions: 2023
Mims was acquired in a trade by the Lions prior to the start of training camp in 2023, and expectations were that he could help the receiver room. However, he suffered an injury in camp and was waived midway through August.
