Lions sign CFL Most Outstanding Defensive Player Mathieu Betts

Mathieu Betts, a defensive lineman, was signed by the Detroit Lions on Tuesday to a reserve/futures contract.

After hauling up a league-high 18 sacks in just 18 games with the B.C. Lions the previous season, Betts, 28, was voted the CFL’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player.

It was the highest sack total in league history for a player who was born in Canada. Betts’ birthplace is Montreal.

Betts signed as an undrafted free agent with the Chicago Bears after Edmonton originally selected him third overall in the 2019 CFL draft. Later that summer, the Bears cut him, and he went back to play with Edmonton (2019, 2021) and B.C. (2022–23) in Canada.

2024 NFL free agency: Five targets to sign, potential deals

In the upcoming days, team executives throughout the league will have alternatives as they rush to strengthen their personnel and fill roster gaps—the 2024 NFL free agent class appears to be strong. There will be a lot of money flying around.

I always had a few players in mind that I had to sign while I was an NFL executive with the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets. This was particularly valid when I believed a free agent would surpass the terms of his contract. It’s crucial to combine bold strategies with astute value offers.

I’m wearing my general manager hat for the third year in a row and analyzing five free agents that I would be looking to sign this coming week if I were in charge of a group. Although every club has different needs, these are players that I think may improve any roster. Here are five names I would target, along with the transactions I would propose and the reasons I believe each would be profitable.

I would propose a three-year, $120 million agreement with a guaranteed $80 million.

Yes, he is recovering from a right Achilles tendon tear, and he will turn 36 in August. Those are the obvious contributing elements. Not to be overlooked, though, is Cousins’ extraordinary output. Cousins completed eight games with Minnesota last season, but he still managed to throw eight touchdown passes. At 63.2, he came in seventh place in Total QBR. In each of his last three complete seasons, he has accumulated over 4,200 passing yards, and since 2020, his touchdown-to-interception ratio of 44 to 15 is fifth in the NFL.

In a nutshell, Cousins outperforms every other quarterback available in free agency, and when healthy—he recently shared a video of himself throwing—he is among the best the league’s top 12 passers. A quarterback is the best choice, but not every team needs one. In order to take into consideration his age and previous injury history, I would try to sign him on a three-year contract with guarantees akin to those Daniel Jones received in New York last March, albeit with a lower overall per-year average.