The first United Football League season is about to come to a close and the Detroit Lions should have their eye on some of the league’s top performers to bolster their own roster ahead of the 2024 NFL season.
One half of the UFL title game is set, with the Birmingham Stallions topping the Michigan Panthers on Saturday, 31-18. The other half will be decided on Sunday, as the St. Louis Battlehawks will take on the San Antonio Brahmas.
Once the championship game is concluded, UFL players can begin talking to NFL teams to see if they can get a shot in the league. Here’s a look at three players who should be on the Lions’ radar.
UFL players Lions should sign
K Jake Bates
The Lions have a kicker competition between veteran Michael Badgley and UDFA James Turner, so it certainly wouldn’t hurt to add to that.
Jake Bates, who did his best work at Ford Field, has shown he has the kind of big leg the Lions are looking for, with the kicker making seven field goals of 50 plus during the season (including playoffs), and three of those came from 60 plus.
Bates didn’t have a great ending to the season, though, missing 3-of-5 field goals over the final three weeks of the regular season, and 2-of-6 field goals in the playoffs. However, his impressive leg strength is enough in and of itself to garner a look from the Lions in their kicker competition.
DE Breeland Speaks
You can never have enough EDGE help in a passing league, and the Lions still have some question marks at the position opposite Aidan Hutchinson, who figures to be flanked by Marcus Davenport, a player with an injury history.
Breeland Speaks was the sacks leader in the UFL this season, tallying 9.5 over 10 games. Speaks played in 16 games for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2018, so he already has NFL experience.
He would compete for a roster spot and depth role in Detroit, and hopefully his stellar UFL season would translate to more NFL success this time around.
S Kai Nacua
Detroit could use more depth options at safety in training camp, so why not add one of the UFL’s interceptions and passes defensed leaders?
Nacua, who played in 25 games (three starts) over three seasons in the NFL, was tied for the UFL lead in interceptions (three) and passes defensed (eight) while also finishing with one sack and in the top 10 in tackles among defensive backs, earning his way on to the All-UFL team.
And, yes, Nacua is the brother of outstanding Los Angeles Rams receiver Puka Nacua, so the pedigree is there for a player who did a little bit of everything with the Panthers.