Detroit Lions film review: Returning Ifeatu Melifonwu offers immediate reminder of potent versatility
Detroit Lions defensive back Ifeatu Melifonwu hasn't had much luck since joining the team as a third-round draft pick in 2021.
As a rookie, he suffered a quad injury in his first start, which landed him on the shelf for 10 of the next 11 games. The following season, it was hamstring and ankle issues that sidelined him for seven games. And last year, just as he was slated to enter the starting lineup, he broke his hand in practice, keeping him in a reserve role for a few extra weeks.
When he finally got his shot in 2023, he proved to be an electric playmaker, a true difference-maker down the stretch, even earning the NFC's Player of the Week honors after recording 2.0 sacks and the game-sealing interception in the team’s division-clinching win over Minnesota.
Despite finishing on a heater, Melifonwu’s role was unclear entering this season. The team was committed to moving Brian Branch from nickel to safety, ensuring the dynamic second-year man had an every-down role. Plus, the early slot work went to Emmanuel Mosely, Amik Robertson and rookie Ennis Rakestraw.
The practice reps pointed to Melifonwu reprising a reserve role heading into the 2024 season, at least until another in a long line of injuries took him out of commission. An ankle issue, reportedly tied to agitation with his Achilles, knocked him out the first half of the year. And when he was on the cusp of returning, he suffered a finger injury in practice, reminiscent of last year’s broken hand. That required a second stint on injured reserve, adding a month to his aggravating wait.
In total, Melifonwu missed the first 14 games. If you were starting to wonder if he’d suit up for the Lions this season, or ever again given he’s in the final year of his rookie contract, you weren’t out of bounds.
But there he was Sunday against the Chicago Bears, on the field for the game’s opening snap, despite banking just three practices before the contest. He’d end up playing more than 50 reps in his return to action, necessitated by the loss of cornerback Carlton Davis III to a long-term jaw injury a week earlier.
“We need him,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said about Melifonwu. “We have to have him. There is no other choice, there is no other option, you have to be able to go, so he did. I thought for not having played since training camp, it was solid. It really was. Now, it was rusty, he’s got improvement to make, he knows that, and he will improve.”
After taking a closer look at rookie offensive lineman Christian Mahogany’s first start in our earlier film study, we’ll put a bow on the Bears game by evaluating how defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn chose to deploy Melifonwu on Sunday.