Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell had some positive things to say about recently acquired Canadian defensive end Mathieu Betts when he spoke to the media on Monday on how he is progressing. Betts was signed by the Lions this past offseason after he set a CFL record for most sacks by a Canadian in a CFL season with the BC Lions in 2023.

“He really took a big step from where he was when he walked in the building and he’s a pretty good athlete. We threw everything at him. Cause we were, ‘Hey I think this guy can do more’. We had him working with SAM linebackers, still working some D-end.” Campbell said when asked how Betts was progressing. “And so now we’re just kind of pulling back on him a little bit. We feel like he’s thinking a lot because we’ve thrown so much at him. He’s a crafty rusher, he’s good with his hands. Listen it’s early, he’s improved, he’s made a ton of improvement. So we’ll see where it goes.”

Betts was the CFL’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2023 as he accumulated 18 sacks over 18 games and also had 44 tackles, 4 forced fumbles, and a pass defended. According to Pro Football Focus, he had 95 total pressures over the season which was 23 more than 2nd place.

Currently, Betts is listed as a 4th string defensive end on the Lions’ unofficial depth chart. He will make his debut as a Detroit Lion in Thursday’s preseason game on the road against the New York Giants.

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