Detroit Lions Sign Two Veteran Defenders

The 2026 NFL Draft may be done, but the Detroit Lions are still working to fill out their roster.

On Wednesday, the team announced that they have signed defensive tackle Jay Tufele and linebacker Joe Bachie.

Tufele—6-foot-3, 305 pounds—was drafted in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft. He only spent a single year with the Jaguars, his drafted team, before playing the next three seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals. Last year, he was on Aaron Glenn’s defense for the New York Jets. In total, he’s played 46 games, started seven, and tallied 56 tackles, 0.5 sacks, and three tackles for loss.

The Lions certainly have a need at defensive tackle after losing Roy Lopez in free agency, and with DJ Reader still unsigned. While Tufele isn’t a pure nose tackle, he does bring some size and strength to the position.

As for Bachie, the former Michigan State Spartan has been in the league since 2020. He has played for the Eagles, Bengals, and split time with the Colts and Titans last year. His defensive experience is relatively limited—playing just 394 snaps over six seasons—but he has a ton of playing time on special teams. He has played at least 145 special teams snaps in each of the last five seasons for a total of 1,128 special teams snaps.

The Lions’ linebacker depth is relatively thin after losing several players this offseason. Jack Campbell, Derrick Barnes, and Malcolm Rodriguez are currently projected for starting roles. Bachie will compete with Damone Clark, Trevor Nowaske, and rookie Jimmy Rolder for a reserve role on the team.

With the addition of Tufele and Bachie, the Lions have 78 players signed to their 90-man roster. However, with nine UDFA signings awaiting team confirmation, Detroit has roughly three open roster spots remaining.