Detroit Lions add veteran depth at linebacker, defensive tackle
Allen Park — After the draft last weekend, Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes expressed plans to circle back on some veteran free agents. On Wednesday, the team added two, signing linebacker Joe Bachie and defensive tackle Jay Tufele.
Bachie, the former Michigan State standout, entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2020. Detroit will be his sixth team, following up stops in New Orleans, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, Indianapolis and Tennessee.
Bachie briefly overlapped with Lions coach Dan Campbell in New Orleans during the player’s rookie season, which was primarily spent on the team’s practice squad.
Bachie made his regular season debut with the Eagles the following season and has gone on to appear in 66 games, including seven starts. Five of those starts came with the Colts last season.
Most of Bachie’s pro contributions have come on special teams, where he’s logged at least 220 snaps each of the past three seasons.
As for Tufele, the 6-foot-3, 305-pounder was a fourth-round pick out of USC in 2021. He lasted just one season in Jacksonville before spending the next three years in Cincinnati as a rotational nose tackle.
Tufele joined the Jets in 2025 and saw 230 defensive snaps in 12 games.
Both Bachie and Tufele add depth to two thinner positions on the team’s 90-man offseason roster.
Camp practice squad players that provide some injury backup.
I’ll be disappointed if either makes the 53. I’m hoping the UDFA NT shows promise, at least enough for the practice squad. Maybe these guys end up on the vet squad.