When the Lions started this season, it was expected that Josh Johnson would be the backup to Matthew Stafford. But Detroit went in a different direction and released Johnson to sign now-starting QB Jeff Driskel.

It seems the Lions have tried to sign Johnson once again, only to be blocked by the XFL, according to Adam Schefter.

Lions had interest in signing QB Josh Johnson but XFL blocked them, per source. — Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 25, 2019

The Lions could be without Stafford for the rest of this season as he deals with fractured bones in his back. He hasn’t played since Detroit’s Week 9 loss to the Raiders.

Prior to the supplemental draft last week, it was announced that Johnson signed with the Los Angeles Wildcats.

If you’re a fan of the AAF this could be bringing up bad memories. The Alliance was in a similar situation last year prior to their launch and Johnson was to be a member of the San Diego fleet. Then, he was signed to the Washington Redskins on a one-year contract, leaving the AAF out a quarterback. To me, this is a good thing. The XFL has solid contracts, and the league is already learning from their predecessors errors.