Homecoming Opportunity: Former Spartan Joe Bachie Returns to Michigan with Lions

In 2021, Bachie signed with the Cincinnati Bengals, where he began to carve out a more consistent role. He contributed during their Super Bowl run that season, starting two games while totaling 30 tackles and adding a pass deflection. It marked the most impactful stretch of his professional career and showed flashes of the production he displayed in college.

Bachie remained with Cincinnati through the 2024 season, appearing in 47 total games. However, after that initial 30-tackle campaign, his role diminished. Across the next three seasons, he recorded just 16 additional tackles and did not start another game, primarily contributing in a rotational or special teams capacity.

Last season, he split time between the Indianapolis Colts and Tennessee Titans. With Indianapolis, he started the first five games, tallying 26 tackles and a pass deflection—arguably one of his more productive NFL stretches. However, after those five games, he was moved to Tennessee. There, he struggled to gain footing in a new system, appearing in 10 games but recording just three tackles.

Now, Bachie joins a Detroit linebacker room that is not only thin but also filled with players looking to prove themselves and secure long-term roles in the league. That includes Jack Campbell, who recently had his fifth-year option declined—not necessarily as a reflection of performance, but more so due to the high financial cost of the option. Given general manager Brad Holmes’ track record of extending players he drafts, there’s still a strong expectation that a long-term deal for Campbell will get done.

Even so, opportunity exists. With Anzalone gone and limited reinforcements added, the Lions are essentially taking a “dart throw” approach to rounding out the position group. In that context, bringing in a player like Bachie—someone familiar with the region and capable of stepping in if needed—makes sense.

At the very least, Bachie provides depth and experience. But more importantly, he brings a realistic chance to turn heads during camp and potentially earn a spot on the active roster. And if not, a place on the practice squad remains well within reach.

For Bachie, this isn’t just another stop—it’s a return home, and possibly, the start of something more.