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DB Christian Izien still embraces underdog role with Detroit Lions
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- DB Christian Izien still embraces underdog role with Detroit Lions
Christian Izien lost a training camp battle for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers ' slot cornerback job last year, but that hasn't changed Izien's view of himself as a player.
"I do see myself as a starter in this league," Izien said Friday, March 13, in his introductory news conference with the Detroit Lions . "I said that last year and I'll say it again."
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The Lions officially signed Izien to a one-year deal Friday to play a to-be-determined role in their secondary.
S Christian Izien: Signed by Detroit Lions (previous team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Izien said he expects to have "the ability to come out here and compete" for a starting job, though he said no one with the Lions has spelled out an exact vision for how they plan to use him this fall.
In Tampa , Izien saw time at slot cornerback and safety, starting 15 games and intercepting three passes in three seasons with the team. The Bucs did not tender him a contract as a restricted free agent this week.
The Lions return four starters in their secondary in cornerbacks D.J. Reed and Terrion Arnold and safeties Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph , but Arnold, Branch and Joseph are coming off season-ending injuries and Arnold is the subject of a police investigation in Florida that could impact his availability.
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Cornerbacks Rock Ya-Sin , Ennis Rakestraw and Khalil Dorsey and safety Thomas Harper also return for the Lions, though Amik Robertson , their starting slot corner most of the past two seasons, left for the Washington Commanders in free agency.
"Speaking with the majority of the teams that I spoke with [in free agency], basically all of them, versatility was always brought up," Izien said. "I know how much that's valued in this league. Only [so many] guys can dress so having the ability to play multiple positions out there is always an addition to a team and is always going to be something teams are looking for."
Izien played primarily slot cornerback as an undrafted rookie with the Bucs in 2023 and saw more time at safety in 2024, when he intercepted a Jared Goff pass in a win over the Lions while starting in place of an injured Antoine Winfield.
Jun 11, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Christian Izien (29) work out at One Buc Place. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
Last year, Izien made just one start and played more snaps on special teams (179) than he did on defense (166).
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He said his reduced role last season is "fuel for motivation for this year coming up," and he still hasn't lost sight of his underdog status for most of his life.
"Coming from high school, I was a December offer to Rutgers," Izien said. "I was probably one of the last people to get offered to Rutgers. I remember the day I got it and probably two games left in the season.
"So since I've been there and going from high school to getting the last commit in college, and then going from competing with a fifth-year senior in college and going through all of that and become a four-year starter, have the career I did at Rutgers, and then going from undrafted player, no combine invite, I've been through just about everything that a player can be told that he couldn't do. So, just being here today, I'm a product of that."
That's why Izien said he gave his agent a few criteria in free agency, all of which the Lions met.
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"I was looking for one, a home, somewhere I felt comfortable coming in every day, playing football," he said. "A coaching staff that believed in me. That was important, just having transparency with the coaching staff and every game days and the in and out things of what goes on to a game plan, things like that. A city that loves football. And I believe I found all of that in Detroit."
Izien said he also wanted to play for a winner after making the playoffs in two of his three seasons in Tampa, and though the Lions missed the postseason last year, after facing them four times in his three years with the Bucs – including once in the postseason – Izien said he's confident that's another box the Lions checked.
"I want to win," he said. "That's something that I pride myself on. We don't do all this hard work to go places not to win."
Dave Birkett covers the Lions for the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at dbirkett@freepress.com . Follow him on Bluesky , X and Instagram at @davebirkett.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Lions DB Christian Izien: 'I do see myself as a starter'
