The Detroit Lions have signed Daniel Thomas, a veteran safety who makes his biggest impact on special teams.
Thomas, released by the Jacksonville Jaguars on Tuesday, was a fifth-round selection in the 2020 NFL Draft. The Auburn product and Alabama native has only played 81 defensive snaps over the last three seasons, including 35 in 2024, but he received 784 reps on special teams over that same stretch.
As you’d expect with a player with that much experience on special teams, Thomas has shown capable of playing on punt and kickoff coverage, punt and kickoff return and field goal block. He has 18 career tackles on special teams.
Thomas has 71 tackles as a defender over his five seasons in the NFL. He also has two pass deflections, a fumble recovery and an interception. He posted 74 tackles apiece during his junior and senior seasons at Auburn, helping the Tigers have a defense that ranked 58th (219.5) and 47th (213.8) out of 130 teams in passing yards allowed per game in 2018 and 2019, respectively.
The Lions now have nine players in the secondary on their roster, as Thomas joins a position group that already included Brian Branch, Kerby Joseph, D.J. Reed, Terrion Arnold, Amik Robertson, Khalil Dorsey, Rock Ya-Sin and Avonte Maddox. Branch and Joseph will start at safety. Ya-Sin and Maddox, though they’ve mostly played cornerback throughout their careers, have safety versatility.
Originally Published: August 27, 2025 at 9:06 PM EDT