The Detroit Lions have officially signed ex-Washington Commanders’ defensive lineman David Bada
On Thursday afternoon, the Detroit Lions announced the signing of defensive lineman David Bada, formerly of the Washington Commanders. The 29-year-old joins the team through the NFL’s International Pathway Program, meaning he does not count against the Lions’ 90-man roster limit.
The German-born player with Ghanaian roots has built a diverse football career, playing for the Munich Cowboys, Ingolstadt Dukes, and Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns in the German Football League before entering the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program in 2019. He was assigned to the Commanders in 2020 and spent the season on their practice squad.
![International players Efe Obada and David Bada share the field on the Commanders defensive line](https://i0.wp.com/www.americanfootballinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/david-bada-efe-obada-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C774&ssl=1)
Standing at 6-foot-4 and weighing 293 pounds, Bada was promoted to the Commanders’ active roster in December 2022. Unfortunately, his progress was halted when he suffered a triceps tear during practice in August 2023, landing him on injured reserve. Throughout his career, he has recorded two tackles in official games.
The Detroit Lions aim to strengthen their defensive line depth as players like DJ Reader recover from injuries and both Brodric Martin and Levi Onwuzurike compete for more playing time in camp.