Earning rave reviews from teammates, Lions planning to give Muti another shot to win a job in 2025

(Courtesy the Detroit Lions)

Allen Park — Can you be a forgotten man on an NFL roster if the fan base never got to know you in the first place?

Netane Muti arrived in Detroit with next to no fanfare. Signed to a futures contract in the void between the end of the Lions' 2023 season and the start of the new league year in mid-March, there weren’t many outside expectations attached to the guard entering his fifth season with just four career starts and none since 2021.

And despite a strong showing during the early stages of the team’s offseason program, he was poised to fade into obscurity after suffering a season-ending injury a week into training camp, becoming part of a vast sea of relative unknowns who spend time on the offseason roster but never make enough of an impact to be remembered.

When a player suffers a season-ending injury during the offseason while working on a one-year contract, a quiet departure is common. Most often, an injury settlement is reached. It’s a negotiated figure based on how long the injury is expected to sideline the player, and it clears valuable space in the locker room and training room.

If a settlement isn’t reached, a player is given the choice of rehabbing with the team or back home. More than four months after tearing his pec, Muti’s daily presence in Detroit’s locker room is notable.

In some ways, the decision to stick around was sanity-preserving.

“If I went home, I'd just be talking to myself,” Muti said with a laugh. “It just made sense to stay here and be around the guys. ...The team told me I could rehab here or rehab at home. I just wanted to stick with the team, show as much support as I could."

Muti has friends in Detroit, some old, some new. There are former teammates from his previous NFL home, Denver, plus a strong Polynesian presence in the building that has helped the Tongan native feel more at home.

But the other component to staying in Detroit is the Lions liked what they saw during the brief stretch they had Muti on the field and are eager to see more. They’ve informed him they plan to re-sign him this offseason — another non-guaranteed futures contract — giving him a second chance to compete for a job after he’d put himself on an early track to win one this offseason.

"I felt like I fit in right away," Muti said. "With what little time I had playing, it was good. ...I put a lot of faith in myself and did feel like I was getting better each day. I don't know where it was going to end up, but that's how I was feeling.”

Unfortunately, Muti’s potential has long been short-circuited by his durability. He moved to Hawaii when he was 13 and developed into a dominant two-way lineman at Leilehua High School. Lightly recruited, he landed at Fresno State, moving full-time to the offensive line where he earned honorable mention All-Mountain West as a redshirt freshman.

His college tape showcased his power and a mean streak, the former being driven home when he posted a jaw-dropping 44 reps on the bench press during the pre-draft process.

The problem was the lack of tape. Two Achilles injuries and a Lisfranc break in his foot limited him to 19 games across four seasons. That’s cause for a player to be removed from most draft boards, but there was enough lingering intrigue that the Broncos used a Day 3 pick on the lineman.

It didn’t take long for Muti to make a strong impression. Lions guard Graham Glasgow, who signed with the Broncos as a free agent a month before the franchise drafted Muti in 2020 shared his initial impressions.

“I didn't know how well he'd be able to pick up things considering it's a big jump from college to the NFL, especially with the terminology,” Glasgow said. “There's just a lot more stuff to know. He picked things up really quickly and that impressed me.”

Muti didn’t see the field much as a rookie but earned snaps in 15 games his second season, including six where he saw extended playing time on offense.

He went into his third year in the mix for a starting job.

“If they were asking him to go base block somebody, it felt like he would drive the guy off the ball 2 yards every time,” Glasgow said. “That's impressive. He plays with tight hands and a good base.”

But the injury bug bit again, this time a knee issue, costing him the chance to compete. He ended up being cut after camp that year and spent most of the season on the team’s practice squad, before a permanent parting in December. That led him to the Raiders, where he spent much of another season on a practice squad.

That's not exactly a glowing resume, but the intriguing potential has remained, leading the Lions to take a no-risk shot in February. With the opportunity, the 6-foot-3, 325-pounder had a strong showing during the early stages of the offseason program, and by the time training camp rolled around, he was seeing most of his work with the second-team offense, putting him in a position to earn a backup job.

The momentum came to a screeching halt a week into camp, during the team’s second padded practice, when Muti suffered a season-ending pectoral tear.

“I just overextended my arm while I was blocking and the pec just popped,” he said.

Since the injury, Muti has remained in the meetings, and as of last month, he’s back to lifting weights. He’s well on his way toward being prepared for next year’s offseason program. Barring a setback, he should be at full strength by February.

Detroit’s plans at guard beyond 2024 remain murky. Starter Kevin Zeitler is only signed through this season and will turn 35 in March. He’s unquestionably been outstanding this year, and he's expressed interest in re-signing with the Lions, but cap considerations will be at play.

It could also hinge on how the team feels about Christian Mahogany, a sixth-round draft pick who recently ascended to the top backup spot after missing training camp with mono.

And, of course, the team could always add to the room in free agency or the draft, using resources to maintain the roster’s strength.

But Muti’s chances shouldn’t be dismissed, whether that’s as a backup, or even competing for a starting job pending what happens with Zeitler.

“He fits perfectly with what we do and I think there's a reason Hank and the coaches want him (sticking) around,” right tackle Penei Sewell said. “He was doing a good job in camp and I hope he stays here for a while. He's a guy that fits our room and fits the style we play.”

Glasgow shared Sewell's sentiments.

"Muti is one of the best teammates I've ever had, genuinely," Glasgow said. "He's really fun to be around, he's a good guy, and not only that, I think he's a really good player.

"I love Muti," Glasgow said. "I'm excited to see what he can do for us next season."