Recently, it was announced that free agent wide receiver Kalif Raymond would be departing the Detroit Lions in order to sign with the divisional rival Chicago Bears in free agency. The news comes after what was a tough year for the Lions in 2025, which saw them miss the playoffs altogether after securing the number one seed in the NFC the prior season.
One person who had a heartfelt reaction to Raymond's departure was Lions teammate Amon-Ra St. Brown, who took to X, formerly Twitter, to quote tweet a post from Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team, who had reported the news.
“…Greatest teammate I’ve ever had. Lockermate since rookie year… love you brother,” wrote Brown, alongside a sad face emoji.
Raymond had been a member of the Lions since the 2021 season, having bounced around between several organizations prior to that point. In Detroit, he established himself as a solid complementary weapon, while St. Brown rose the ranks to eventually become the team's number one wide receiver.
Raymond was indeed known as a strong veteran presence in the Lions' locker room over the years, helping guide the team from NFL ineptitude into a legit contender in the NFC over the last few years, and he will certainly be missed in Detroit.
Now, Raymond will reunite with his former offensive coordinator in Detroit, Ben Johnson, who had a wildly successful first season with the Bears, leading them to the divisional round of the NFC playoffs, and very nearly further than that.
Meanwhile, the Lions are looking to bounce back after a down year in 2025 threatened to stall the momentum they had been building over the last several seasons, and St. Brown will be relied on more heavily than ever, especially after Raymond's departure.
All reported deals will become official when the free agency period officially opens for business later this week.
