Pundits are calling for the Detroit Lions to make major defensive additions this offseason. That still may happened, but on February 6, the Lions added depth along their offensive line.
The Lions announced on the team’s official X (formerly Twitter) account that they signed offensive lineman Netane Muti to a reserve/future contract.
Muti played two games for the Las Vegas Raiders in 2023. He received just 1 offensive snap — at full back — in those two contests. He also played 12 snaps on special teams.
Muti spent three seasons with the Denver Broncos from 2020-22 as well.
Before the 2020 NFL draft, NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein raved about Muti’s blocking power.
“Thick-boned guard prospect with heavy hands, booming upper body power and a limited amount of game reps due to a series of serious injuries,” wrote Zierlein. “Muti plays a heavy, static brand of football that success near his stance.”
Detroit Lions Sign Netane Muti to Reserve/Futures Contract
Muti has already spent four seasons in the NFL, but he doesn’t turn 25 until March 27.
He began his career with the Broncos as a sixth-round pick in the 2020 NFL draft. Denver grabbed him at No. 181 overall.
After spending his first preseason on the NFI list, Muti joined the Broncos active roster in September 2020. He appeared in four games that season, making one start.
In 2021, Muti started in a career-high three games for the Broncos. He appeared in 15 contests, playing 317 offensive snaps at guard and 55 snaps on special teams.
The following season, though, Muti played in just 1 game. He’s played only 41 total snaps over the past two seasons.
Muti had trouble staying healthy in college. While that hasn’t been an issue for him in the NFL, he hasn’t developed into a starter as Zierlein predicted he could if healthy.
However, given his still relatively young age, Muti is a decent offseason addition for depth.
Lions Offensive Line Depth Heading Into 2024
Detroit featured one of the best offensive lines in the NFL this past season. But adding more big bodies, especially inside, to the unit is not a bad idea.
With the addition of Muti, the Lions have eight offensive linemen under contract for the 2024 season. The big questions Detroit faces along its offensive line this offseason, though, are a guard.
Both starting guards Jonah Jackson and Graham Glasgow are set to become unrestricted free agents. Jackson is the younger of the two, but he will also be more expensive to re-sign.
Pro Football Focus projected Jackson to be worth a 3-year, $30.75 million contract on the open market this offseason. Such a deal would give Jackson an average annual salary of $10.25 million.
Glasgow made less than $1.5 million on a 1-year contract during 2024. Glasgow said he’d like to return again to Detroit. However, he told the media on January 30 that he’d like to make more money too.
“I would love to be back,” Glasgow said, via The Detroit News’ Justin Rogers. “I think I had a really good year, probably top one or two of my career.
“I would like to make more money than I did this year and I would assume the guys upstairs know and understand that. I feel like stuff like this kind of works. Hopefully, we’ll be able to work through it.”
With the Lions possessing more than $61 million in cap space, it’s unlikely the team loses both starting guards. And if they did, Muti might not be the first option to take their place.
But with Muti, the Lions have added depth to an area where they could be thin at the start of free agency.
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Lions Add Lineman With ‘Booming Upper Body Power’