It appears that the opportunity to play under Dan Campbell with the Detroit Lions holds value beyond just financial gain. This sentiment seems to be true for one of their newest additions. The Lions have been relatively modest in their free agency moves, having signed only three new players this offseason. Among them is former Indianapolis Colts line backer Grant Stuard, who, according to Nolan Bianchi of The Detroit News, opted for the Lions despite having offers from other teams that came with more financial guarantees.
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After being traded from the Buccaneers to the Colts, Stuard spent the past three seasons in Indianapolis, where he emerged as a reliable special teams contributor. In his rookie year with the Colts, he notched 11 tackles exclusively on special teams. Although his numbers fell slightly during his second season, he delivered the best performance of his career in 2024. That year, he carved out a role on defense, registering 40 tackles, including two tackles for a loss. Stuard fits perfectly as a replacement for Jalen Reeves-Maybin in the line backer rotation and on special teams—a position that helped Reeves-Maybin earn Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors. If Stuard can mirror that success, he is likely to receive attractive offers after this season, proving his choice to join the Lions was worthwhile despite fewer guaranteed funds.
