It appears that the newest members of the Detroit Lions have received their jersey numbers. The rookie class got their numbers, and now the veteran free agents signed this offseason have their new jerseys as well.
Wide receiver DJ Chark will wear the number 4 for Detroit after wearing 17 the past few seasons in Jacksonville.
Safety DeShon Elliott initially wanted the number 7, which is retired by the Lions. He opted to stick to the single-digits and will wear number 5.
Cornerback Mike Hughes will wear number 23, which was previously held by Jeff Okudah.
Safety JuJu Hughes, who wore 46 and 23 for the Rams, will now wear 33 in Detroit.
Linebacker Jarrad Davis was able to receive the number 40, which he wore during his first stint in Detroit as well as throughout his collegiate career.
Linebacker Chris Board will don the number 49, which he held during his time with the Baltimore Ravens.
After wearing 46 – a much less-popular number for tight ends – while in New Orleans, Garrett Griffin will wear 86 with the Lions.
Several returning members of the Lions have changed their jersey numbers as well.
Former first-round pick Jeff Okudah will have his third jersey number in as many years as he swaps out his 23 for number 1, which he wore at Ohio State.
With Elliott taking 5, kicker Aldrick Rosas will now don number 13. Fellow kicker Austin Seibert gave up number 4 and will now sport 19. Mark Gilbert gave up his number 40 to Davis and will now wear 29.
On the defensive line, Michael Brockers switched to number 90, which he wore during his time with the Rams. Second-year player Levi Onwuzurike will change from 75 to 91, a much more apt number for a starting defensive tackle. Bruce Hector also changed out of his number in the 70’s and will now wear 92.
The full list of new numbers and changes are as followed:
Jeff Okudah – 1 (previously 23)
DJ Chark – 4
DeShon Elliott – 5
Aldrick Rosas – 13 (previously 5)
Austin Seibert – 19 (previously 4)
Mike Hughes – 23
Mark Gilbert – 29 (previously 40)
JuJu Hughes – 33
Jarrad Davis – 40
Chris Board – 49
Garrett Griffin – 86
Michael Brockers – 90 (previously 91)
Levi Onwuzurike – 91 (previously 75)
Bruce Hector – 92 (previously 76)