It's been just 15 months since the Lions signed WLB DeAndre Levy to an extension worth more than $33 million and $20 million guaranteed, a handsome reward for leading the league in tackles in 2014 and intercepting more passes than anyone not named Richard Sherman one season earlier.
At that same time, August 2015, Matthew Stafford was coming off his second postseason appearance. Yet, since the first, following a ridiculous 41-touchdown, 5,000-plus yard 2011 campaign, he'd failed to surpass an 86.0 passer rating in three consecutive seasons.
Fast-forward to Wednesday, when Levy participated in his first practice since suffering a quad injury in Week One, on the heels of missing all but 18 snaps the season prior due to a hip injury sustained almost immediately following his blockbuster extension.