From Week 14 to the playoffs of the 2023 season, Ifeatu Melifonwu was a standout player for the Detroit Lions’ defense. Over those eight games, he totaled 30 tackles, 5.5 sacks, five tackles for loss, quarterback pressures.

From Week 14 to the Divisional Round, he was ranked as the eighth-highest graded safety by PFF, and there was significant hype surrounding his breakout heading into the season.

However, that anticipated breakout did not come to fruition. A preseason ankle injury, which the Lions may have misjudged, placed Melifonwu on IR later in the season than expected. Then, just as he was nearing a return, he suffered a dislocated finger so severe that it required surgery, causing him to land back on IR.

In total, Melifonwu appeared in just four games during the 2024 season, recording six pressures and one sack as his most notable statistics.

Regrettably, injuries have defined Melifonwu’s NFL career up to this point. Even in the one season he played all 17 games, 2023, a hand injury forced him into a prolonged special teams role. Out of a possible 68 regular season games, he has played in only 37.

As a third-round pick in 2021, Melifonwu has now completed his rookie contract and is a free agent.

Melifonwu’s versatility is a valuable asset to any defense, as Lions head coach Dan Campbell reiterated when he returned to action this past season. He transitioned from being a college cornerback to an NFL safety, with linebacker-like abilities as a blitzer.

Jeremy Reisman from Pride of Detroit delved deeper into Melifonwu’s situation, suggesting that after an injury-plagued season, he could be re-signed for a relatively low cost. The following remark, while likely intended as praise, is ambiguous.

No disrespect to Harris, but calling someone “the optimal version of Will Harris” is not exactly high praise. It also suggests that the player is replaceable, as Harris became once the Lions acquired more talented safeties.

Melifonwu certainly embodied the phrase “hurt guy stay hurt” during his fourth season, which should eliminate any emotional attachment from Brad Holmes for a player from his first draft class as the Lions’ general manager.

A player with Melifonwu’s specific skills may be difficult to find, but securing a safety who can stay healthy more consistently to fill a depth role will not be.