Before free agency began, the Detroit Lions signed Canadian Football League edge rusher Mathieu Betts. Given that Betts was voted the CFL’s “Most Outstanding Defensive Player” in 2023, the deal piqued the eye of Lions supporters, particularly those who believed Detroit needed more energy in their pass rush.
Betts completed 2023 with 18 sacks and four forced fumbles in 18 games with the BC Lions. Following the season, he had a private workout with the Lions in December, but tight CFL rules prevented them from signing him until later. When that window eventually opened up, Betts chose to sign with the Lions over other options—despite the fact that they offered no guaranteed money—because he liked the fit in Detroit and viewed
“That’s the roster we were the most confident that I could that crack,” Betts said in a videoconference in February. “It was the first workout that I had this offseason and the chemistry, the energy, the discussions I’ve had with the staff there just felt right.”
The Lions obviously liked what they saw, too. Beyond the stellar production, Betts’ relentless playing style fill fit right into Detroit’s culture.
“Man, that guy plays hard,” general manager Brad Holmes said this week at the owners meetings. “He plays like how we want to play, and obviously with all that production let’s go just take a shot and see where it goes.”
But Holmes preached a lot of caution with Betts, too. Good offensive line depth is hard to find in the NFL, so imagine the kind of players Betts was rushing against at the CFL level. Holmes knows you can’t put too much stock into CFL production.
“Obviously had a lot of production and but you look at the competition and it’s not the same as what he’s going to be facing at this level,” Holmes said. “So you got to keep that in mind as well, with all the production he has.”
The Lions, like any other NFL team, are used to scouting athletes who have played against lower-level opposition. That is precisely the issue in college scouting. Holmes compared the approach to assessing a small-school prospect. However, the added problem with a CFL player—especially if they’re no longer draft eligible—is that they’re unlikely to play in All-Star games like the Senior Bowl or the East-West Shrine game, which would expose them to superior competition before making an investment in them.
