Dicaprio Bootle may not be winning any NFL MVP awards anytime soon. Still, the former Nebraska football star has another chance to extend his pro career.
The former Husker has been a bit of a journeyman in the National Football League since finishing his time in Lincoln during the COVID season. He kicked things off as an UDFA with the Kansas City Chiefs, where he played in seven games over two seasons. He then spent one year with the Carolina Panthers before joining the Los Angeles Chargers last season.
Dicaprio Bootle signs with the Detroit Lions in bid to extend his NFL career
Just as NFL fall camps are set to open, the ex-Nebraska football defensive back has found his new team, hopefully for the entirety of the 2025 season. Bootle will try to make the Detroit Lions, once again, one of the favorites to make the Super Bowl out of the NFC.
Bootle's signing was announced amid a spate of free agent deals the Lions struck earlier this week. The team signed their second-round pick, Tate Ratledge, as well as Bootle, defensive back Tyson Russell, and running back Jabari Small.
While not all of the players mentioned are guaranteed a spot on the roster once the season starts, the former Husker certainly seems to have a good shot, considering his repeated playing time for some of the better teams in the league, including the Super Bowl champion Chiefs.
Bootle played for the Nebraska football program from 2016 to 2020, serving as a team captain in his final year. Throughout his Huskers career, he was named All-Big Ten Third Team in 2018, and Honorable-Mention All-Big Ten in both 2019 and 2020.