Lions Urged to Bring Home Recently Released $39 Million Safety 

Getty Woodward Sports media personality Eazy encouraged the Detroit Lions to pursue signing safety Quandre Diggs in NFL free agency.

Hours after the Detroit Lions re-signed free agent cornerback Emmanuel Moseley, Woodward Sports media personality Eazy called for the Lions to bring back another defensive back. One that the team departed with four and a half years ago — safety Quandre Diggs.

The 31-year-old safety is looking for a new team after NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported that the Seattle Seahawks released him on March 5.

Diggs posted “forever grateful” on X (formerly Twitter) following his release. In response, Eazy quote tweeted Diggs’ post with the simple message, “Before you ask, the answers yes.”

Diggs played four and a half seasons in Detroit from 2015-2019. The Lions traded him along with a 2021 seventh-round pick to the Seahawks for a 2020 fifth-round selection.

In March 2022, Diggs signed a 3-year, $39 million deal with the Seahawks. He was set to enter the final year of that contract prior to his release.

Seahawks Release Veteran Safety Quandre Diggs

Diggs began his career as a sixth-round pick of the Lions during the 2015 NFL draft. He made the team and even started four games as a rookie.

During his first two seasons, Diggs played a split role as a rotational safety and special teams player. In 2017, he started 11 contests, and then in 2018, he became a full-time starter.

In 65 games with the Lions, which included 40 starts, Diggs posted 215 combined tackles, including 12 tackles for loss. He also had 24 pass defenses and 6 interceptions.

The Lions traded Diggs in the middle of Matt Patricia’s second season as head coach in Detroit.

In Seattle, Diggs became an instant success. He intercepted a pass during his Seahawks debut. In his fourth game with Seattle, Diggs had 2 interceptions, 1 of which he returned for a touchdown.

Over four and a half seasons with the Seahawks, Diggs posted 324 combined tackles, including 3 tackles for loss. He also had 32 pass defenses and 18 interceptions.

Seattle released Diggs along with two other veterans, fellow safety Jamal Adams and tight end Will Dissly, as a salary dump on March 5. The Seahawks saved roughly $25.25 million in cap space by releasing all three players.

Cutting Diggs alone saved Seattle $11 million against the salary cap.

Could the Lions Bring Back Diggs?

As Diggs enters free agency, the question now is whether he and the Lions are interested in a potential reunion.

The Lions cut their own veteran safety in Tracy Walker on February 20. That move saved Detroit about $5.5 million in cap space.

Even without Walker, though, the Lions have three safeties — Kerby Joseph, Ifeatu Melifonwu and Brandon Joseph under contract for 2024. Detroit could also still bring back veteran safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson.

“That room is crowded,” Les White wrote back to Eazy on X. “Who sits?”

Eazy responded that Diggs could sit or rotate in with the younger safeties the Lions already have on the roster.

If the Lions lose Gardner-Johnson, then Diggs would be an intriguing addition from a veteran perspective. Diggs has played 137 contests in his NFL career, which would provide valuable experience to a still relatively young Lions secondary.

But the Lions likely don’t want any veteran safety they add to impede on playing time for Joseph or Melifonwu. And if Detroit prefers Gardner-Johnson, then a reunion with Diggs won’t be on the table.

But the option is available if the Lions wish to explore it.