The Lions 2023 defense took a major step forward. In 2022, the Lions' defense ranked 32nd in yards allowed but jumped to 19th in 2023, enough to allow the team’s dominant offense a platform to contend.

No current Lions defensive players make this best of the 10 best Lions defensive players of all time. Who does? Keep reading this Betway Insider ranker to find out.

As usual, all stats are courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference. and are updated through the end of the 2023 regular season.

Who are the Detroit Lions starting defensive line for the 2023 NFL season?

The 2023 Lions' starting defensive line includes DEs Josh Paschal and Aidan Hutchingson alongside DT Alim McNeill and Benito Jones.

Detroit Lions Defensive Line History

Lions’ defensive players' history starts on the defensive line: former stars like Ndamukong Suh, Roger Brown, and Alex Karras dominated interiors for years.

Famous Detroit Lions Defensive Players

Other famous defensive players for the Lions include legendary defensive backs like Dick “Night Train” Lane, Dick LeBeau, and Lem Barney.

Ranking the Top 10 Greatest Detroit Lions Defensive Players of all time

  1. Ndamukong Suh, 2010-2014

Position: Defensive Tackle

Former Lions DT Ndamukong Suh comes with his ups and downs. The ups were stupendous for the former second-overall pick in the 2010 draft during his five-year Detroit tenure: 2010 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, 3x First-team All-Pro, 4x Pro Bowler, NFL 2010s All-Decade team.

Yes, Suh was also suspended/fined for stamping on Green Bay QB Aaron Rodgers’s head and kicking Texans QB Matt Schaub. But hey, maybe that’s the price for greatness, and Suh was certainly the most talented player on the Lions' defensive roster during the QB Matthew Stafford days.

  1. Roger Brown, Defensive Tackle

Position: 1960-1966

Former Detroit defensive tackle Roger Brown was one of the best defensive linemen of the 1960s. He cracked 6x straight Pro Bowl teams from 1962-1967 (he was a Ram in 1967), earning First-team All-Pro squads twice in that span.

Even though sacks were an unofficial stat during his era, Brown did manage four 10+ sack seasons. He topped out at 14.5 in 1964, a tremendous mark for a defensive tackle. He also played a key part in the Lions rushing defense.

  1. Dick “Night Train” Lane, 1960-1965

Position: Cornerback

Pro Football Hall of Fame CB Dick “Night Train” Lane spent the last six years of his outstanding career in Detroit, only playing more than 10+ games four times. He was stupendous in that stretch, earning 2x First-team All-Pro honors and 3x Pro Bowl nods.

Lane didn’t tally as many interceptions as he did as a Los Angeles Ram earlier in his career; after all, his 14-pick 1952 is one of the most impressive defensive seasons in history.

  1. Yale Lary, 1952-1964

Position: Safety/Punter

Another past Lions star, Yale Lary, would be considered a unicorn today: a duel punter/safety. He was elite with his foot, leading the league in yards/punt on three occasions.

The Pro Football Hall of Famer was also a dynamo of a defensive back, tallying 50 interceptions throughout his Lions career, topping out with 8 in 1956. In all, he was a 9x Pro Bowler, earning nods both on defense and special teams.

  1. Chris Spielman, 1988-1995

Position: Linebacker

Former Detroit linebacker Chris Spielman officially has 1020 tackles as a Lion, the most in franchise history. How many does second place have? Just 714.

Spielman was more dependable than other-worldly during his stint in Detroit (smack dab in the middle of the Barry Sanders era). He was a tackling machine who posted 100+ each season, topping out with a league-best 195 in 1994. Spielman was a 4x Pro Bowler and 1x First-team All-Pro.

  1. Dick LeBeau, 1959-1972

Position: Cornerback

Former Lions CB Dick LeBeau might be more recognized in recent years for his role as the mastermind of the Pittsburgh Steelers defense from 2004-2014. Well, he earned those defensive chops as a standout cornerback for the Lions during the 1960s.

Who has the most interceptions in Lions franchise history? The answer is LeBeau, who tallied 62 in his 14 seasons in Detroit. The 3x Pro Bowler peaked with 7 in 1965 -- that came in a stretch where LeBeau had at least 4+ interceptions every season from 1962-1971. LeBeau was a longtime vital cog in the Lions starting defense.

  1. Alex Karras, 1958-1962, 1964-1970

Position: Defensive Tackle

Who has the most sacks in Lions franchise history? The answer is former defensive tackle Alex Karras, one of the best linemen of his era. Now Karras’s 100.0 career sacks are unofficial, but either way, he was putting up tremendous tallies for his position, including 15.0 in a First-team All-Pro 1965 campaign.

Karras was a 3x First-team All-Pro, 6x Second-team All-Pro, and 4x Pro Bowler during his time in Detroit. He was selected to the NFL 1960s All-Decade team and is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

  1. Jack Christiansen, 1951-1958

Position: Safety

Former Lions safety Jack Christiansen is one of the most underrated defensive backs in NFL history. Why? Well:

  • 3x NFL Champion
  • 6x First-team All-Pro, 5x Pro Bowls
  • 2x interceptions leader (including 12 in 1953)
  • NFL 1950s All-Decade Team
  • Pro Football Hall of Fame

Some of those accolades came for his outstanding return ability: Christiansen returned a stunning four punts for touchdowns in his rookie 1951 season.

  1. Lem Barney, 1967-1977

Position: Cornerback

Former Lions cornerback Lem Barney only played in the 1960s for a few seasons, but he did enough to crack the NFL’s 1960s All-Decade team. Winning the 1967 NFL Rookie of the Year helped, as Barney was an immediate hit and tied for the league lead with 10 interceptions.

The ball-hawking corner spent his entire 11-year career in Detroit and earned 7x Pro Bowl nods. The Pro Football Hall of Famer didn’t play during a period of tremendous success for the Lions, but he was far from to blame.

  1. Joe Schmidt, 1953-1965

Position: Linebacker

Why is former Detroit linebacker Joe Schmidt the greatest defensive player in Lions history? Here’s his Lions resume:

  • 2x NFL Champion
  • 8x First-team All-Pro, 10x All-Pro
  • NFL 1950s All-Decade team, NFL 100th Anniversary team
  • Pro Football Hall of Fame

Schmidt racked up two top-5 MVP finishes and led the NFL with an astonishing 8 fumble recoveries in 1955. Any young Lions fan who doesn’t know much about Schmidt needs to read up!

Parameters of Rankings

Rankings are made based on a combination of 1) individual accomplishments, 2) team success, 3) franchise legacy, and 4) personal accolades.

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