Lions re-sign special teams ace C.J. Moore after gambling suspension

When he was reinstated after an indefinite gambling suspension, if felt very possible and now it’s happening. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the Detroit Lions are signing safety C.J. Moore to a one-year deal.

Moore was among the Lions’ players who were suspended for violating the NFL’s gambling policy in April of 2023. He received an indefinite suspension, which indicates he was found to have bet on NFL games. He was immediately released after the suspension came down, which was roughly a month after the Lions had signed him to a two-year contract extension.

Upon becoming a free agent in 2023, Moore told his agent he wanted to be back in Detroit.

“I was literally telling my agent” Moore said. ‘I want to come back to Detroit,’ because I know the type of confidence we have in this locker room.”

Moore was among the players who were reinstated from their gambling suspensions recently, which seemed to pave a path back to the Lions for him.

Moore landed with the Lions as an undrafted rookie out of Ole Miss in 2019. He earned a roster spot, and was a core special teamer from the get-go; and across two coaching staffs. He was a legit weapon on fake punts for Lions’ special teams coordinator Dave Fipp, serving as Jack Fox’s personal protector, with three carries for 83 yards (all converting first downs) over the 2021 and 2022 seasons.

Here’s a look at Moore’s three fake punt runs.

With clear need for more depth at safety, it was easy to point to the Lions bringing Moore back when he was reinstated. The two-year extension they gave him showed how highly he was valued before the gambling suspension came. It was possibly going to wait until after the draft, and after a full look at all possible veteran options, but now it’s indeed done and it’s not a surprise Moore is back in a Lions’ uniform.