D' Lions sign 2023 CFL defensive player of the year Mathieu Betts

Edge defender Mathieu Betts is joining the Detroit Lions, as announced by Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press and Farhan Lalji of TSN. UPDATE: The team has officially verified the signing.

Betts was once the guest of the Lions on their December tour, as we have already reported. He recorded 18 sacks in 18 games for the BC Lions in 2023, earning him the title of CFL’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player.

After going undrafted in the 2019 NFL Draft, Betts signed with the Chicago Bears and played for a while in the league. However, he was released at the team’s last roster cuts, and a few days later, he was selected third overall in the CFL Draft. In his 19 game appearances over his first two years in the league, he only recorded two sacks with the Edmonton Eskimos. But his career took off after he signed with the BC Lions in 2022. In the last two seasons (18 games each), he has accumulated a total of 27 sacks and four forced fumbles.

Once a Lion, always a Lion.

Wishing Mathieu Betts all the best with the @Lions

You’re getting a good one, #OnePride 👊🏾 #BCLions #CFLFA @NFL pic.twitter.com/FCoYnO9b2d

— BC LIONS (@BCLions) February 13, 2024

He’s a little undersized for a real three-down edge rusher at six feet three and 250 pounds, but he might provide the Lions with some competition at SAM linebacker against a guy like James Houston, who is expected to return despite being an exclusive rights free agency. Detroit may lose Charles Harris, Romeo Okwara, and Julian Okwara, among other depth players on the edge.

Now, in addition to Betts, the edge defenders committed for the 2024 campaign are Aidan Hutchinson, Josh Paschal, John Cominsky, and Mitchell Agude.