Former Ravens Safety DeShon Elliott Signs with Lions

OWINGS MILLS, Md. – Another former Ravens player has found a new home.

Safety DeShon Elliott signed a one-year deal with the Detroit Lions.

Elliott became expendable in Baltimore when the Ravens signed Marcus Williams as a free agent earlier this offseason.

Elliott took over the starting job at safety when Earl Thomas, seven-time Pro Bowler, was released after throwing a punch at Chuck Clark during training camp in 2020.

Elliott responded with a career-high 80 tackles, 2.5 sacks, three tackles for a loss, five quarterback hits, two forced fumbles and four passes defended for the NFL’s No. 2 scoring defense.

However, Elliott has landed on injured reserve in three of his four seasons in Baltimore.

This past year, Elliott, a sixth-round (190th overall) pick in the 2018 draft from Texas, had 23 tackles, a sack, an interception and two passes over six games before being placed on IR with a biceps and pectoral injury,

“It is very tough to lose anybody," Clark said at the time. "But a guy like him, the energy that he brings to us as a team, our defense, the defensive backs, it’s very tough to lose a guy like that, and you hate to see it, honestly.”

Because of his injury history, Elliott was only able to land a one-year deal.

But Elliott has an upside when he's healthy.

“He really understands the defense. He understands how we organize the coverages. He understands what responsibilities he has, or what opportunities he has, to make certain calls and put us in the best situation," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said last year. "He’s doing a great job of that. He was good last year, and he got better as the year went on. But, this year, he’s taken it to another level that way.”