A trusted veteran with special teams chops and inside-out flexibility, Pat O’Connor enters camp with a familiar coach and a real shot at sticking in Detroit.
Training camp represents something different to every type of player in the NFL. For young players, it’s a chance to establish themselves as promising contributors. For star players, it’s time to remind everyone—including those young up-and-comers—that they’re the best at what they do. And for veterans on the proverbial roster bubbles, it’s one last shot to prove they still belong.
For defensive lineman Pat O’Connor, that opportunity means showing he can still add value to a loaded Detroit Lions front. The 31-year-old journeyman has carved out a role over the years with toughness, effort, and special teams reliability—but with younger talent pushing from below, O’Connor enters camp knowing nothing is guaranteed.
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Pat O’Connor
Expectations heading into 2024
O’Connor was originally drafted by the Lions in the seventh round of the 2017 NFL Draft , but was cut at the end of training camp. He stuck around with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for seven seasons—be it on the practice squad or the active roster—before coming back to the Lions midway through training camp in 2024, signing with Detroit after John Cominsky suffered a torn MCL in practice .
With the Lions down a rotational defensive end, O’Connor could provide depth at the position should Detroit have to deal with any other injuries—they would. He also came to Detroit with a ton of experience on special teams, playing over 1,300 special teams snaps across all four phases with the Bucs.
Actual role in 2024
Note: Stats are regular season only unless otherwise stated
12 games (0 starts)
Stats: 18 tackles, 1 quarterback hit, 1.0 sack, two tackles for loss
PFF defensive grade: 43.5 (130th out of 146 qualifying DTs—minimum 193 snaps)
PFF pass rush grade: 55.3 (t-111th out of 146)
PFF run defense grade: 47.9 (t-94th out of 146)
PFF tackling grade: 28.2 (t-136th out of 146)
Although he didn’t crack the initial 53-man roster, instead ending up on Detroit’s practice squad to begin the year, it wasn’t long before O’Connor earned a call-up. Promoted from the practice squad ahead of Week 7, O’Connor went on to contribute in all 12 remaining regular season games, playing a career-high 245 defensive snaps.
Beyond the number of snaps he played, what stood out most was O’Connor’s versatility. Known mostly as a defensive end in his time with the Buccaneers, he stepped in primarily at nose tackle following Kyle Peko’s season-ending injury in Week 6 against the Dallas Cowboys —giving the Lions valuable depth across the line and a trusted veteran in the locker room.
“The guys love him. I love him,” former Lions defensive line coach Terrell Williams said about O’Connor last season. “He works his butt off. He does a good job on special teams, but more than anything, the position flexibility. Like, he can play nose tackle, end.”
Besides playing the most defensive snaps he ever had in a season, O’Connor also set season-high marks in pressures (10), tackles (18), and defensive run stops (4).
Outlook for 2025
Heading into free agency, the Lions had plenty of questions all along the defensive line. Alim McNeill’s injury would keep him sidelined well into the season, so who would play alongside DJ Reader? Was Levi Onwuzurike going to sign for a bag elsewhere after finally getting healthy and producing? What is the plan opposite of Aidan Hutchinson?
O’Connor was never expected to be the solution at the top of the depth chart, but the Lions have taken several steps this offseason to strengthen their defensive front, top to bottom. Onwuzurike re-signed with the Lions on a very team-friendly deal , and they also made a relatively sizable investment in Roy Lopez , giving Detroit another rotational run defender. Marcus Davenport is back on a one-year deal with something to prove . In the draft, Tyleik Williams is another stout interior presence with pass-rushing upside à la McNeill—the guy he’ll eventually be playing next to—and Ahmed Hassanein is project with the attitude ripe for Dan Campbell’s leadership.
So where does that leave O’Connor?
O’Connor will enter camp with a few tangible advantages that could bolster his chances of sticking on Detroit’s roster. For one, and it can’t be overstated, his versatility is something the Lions covet in their defensive linemen. Combine that with his extensive experience on special teams and that’s something Detroit will certainly take into consideration when making their back-end roster calculations. But perhaps most notably, the addition of Kacy Rodgers to Detroit’s coaching staff—O’Connor’s former position coach in Tampa Bay for five seasons—provides familiarity. Rodgers already understands O’Connor’s strengths, work habits, and role flexibility, and that could give him a clearer path to carving out a spot in an otherwise crowded defensive line room.