Photo Credit: Junfu Hahn/USA Today Network.

Super Bowl 59 has concluded, and that marks the end of the NFL season. It is time to look forward to next year. We are less than a month away from Free Agency, so let’s take a look at some possible candidates for the Lions.

The Lions fell just short in the Divisional round, a bitter end to the best season in franchise history. We all know they were the most injured team in the NFL, and were without many of their stars in the playoffs, especially on defense.

Aaron Glenn and Ben Johnson are gone, and they took a lot of our staff with them. The Lions need their new coaches to step up, if they don’t want to take a step back as a team. On top of that, they really need to win the off-season, as it will be hard for them to beat Philadelphia and Baltimore with the current roster. Obviously, it’s not bad by any means, but there are a few holes that need to be filled. Free Agency was designed for teams to sign players in positions they needed, allowing them to just take the most talented player in the draft, for the most part. Without further ado, let’s get into it.

Obviously, the Lions have needs, particularly on defense. But don’t be fooled, the offense needs some help too if they want to keep up the historic run they went on last season.

In terms of needs, Defensive Line, Cornerback, Linebacker, Guard, and Receiver come to mind. There are more, but not many starting positions need to be filled, which is nice. The Lions have an estimated $59.1 million in cap space in 2025, so they have some room to work with when it comes to signing new players.

EDGE:

The biggest need for Detroit is pass rush, whether that be from the interior or the edge, but Edge is the bigger need in general. This draft class is solid, so I wouldn’t be surprised if Holmes goes Edge round 1. Regardless, they should add some help in Free Agency.

Khalil Mack: Mack is obviously old at 33, but he has been relatively productive, racking up 23.0 sacks over the past 2 seasons. He had a PFF overall grade of 90.4, run defense grade of 88.0, and a pass rush grade of 79.9 last year. The numbers are kind of surprising, as I didn’t expect him to still be as good against the run. He had a bit of a drop off after 17 sacks in 2023, with only 6 sacks in 2024. However, he was still productive on the field, leading the Chargers in pressures with 54, ranking 15th in the NFL. He also had a pressure rate of 15%, which ranked 9th among qualified Defensive Linemen, and a sack rate of 1.7%. A lot of people call him ‘washed’ but he had one of the best years of his career in 2023, with 17.0 sacks and 88 pressures, behind only his 2016 ‘DPOY’ candidacy. He was battling a groin injury all season, so that likely had some impact on his statistical output. Mack is projected to sign a 1 year, $18-$20 million dollar deal this off-season, which is pretty manageable for Detroit, but a little more expensive than I’d like. I’d offer a 1 year deal worth $19 million, having him across from Hutch would be a treat to watch, and on a 1 year deal it doesn’t impact the cap too much.

Demarcus Lawrence: Lawrence, 32, is in the same boat as Mack in terms of age, but not quite on the same level. I feel Lawrence has fallen off a bit the past few years, as he had only 16 sacks over the last 4 years. He had 3 sacks and 11 pressures last season, but he only played in 4 games. His overall PFF grade was 56.8, which isn’t great. However, he had a pressure rate of 13.4%, and a 3.7% sack rate, both were among the league best on average. If he kept it up over the season, he would’ve had a pretty productive year, but who knows if that would have happened. Lawrence is set to make about the same as Mack in terms of money, projected at 2 years $30 million, but he likely offers a little less than Mack right now. I wouldn’t mind either, but I think I’d prefer Mack at this stage of their careers, as he will want a shorter deal and I think he offers more on the pass rush side, which is what the Lions need. Lawrence does make some sense for Detroit, but he’s likely not their top target. I’d offer him a 1 year deal worth $14 million, and see what happens. There is potential he gets a better offer, but I wouldn’t lose sleep over it.

Chase Young: Young is a bit younger than the other two, at 25 years old. He was decently productive last year, with 5.5 sacks and 73 pressures, his pressures ranked 5th among qualified Defensive Linemen. He had a pressure rate of 16.2% and a sack rate of 1.2%. He had an overall PFF grade of 66.4 last year, which is about average. He only played in all 17 games, but wasn’t technically a starter in any. The big knock on Young, has always been consistency. As a prospect, he was looked at in that Myles Garrett or Aidan Hutchinson tier, which he’s shown is not the case so far in his NFL career. However, Young is projected to get a 4 year deal worth $70 million, or $17.5M per year. Which is a little expensive for the Lions, mostly due to the years. Plus, Young is not someone you can consistently count on. I also question his fit culturally, as he is not seen as a ‘hustle’ player by any means. I wouldn’t be mad if we did sign him though, as our coaching staff has been able to get the most out of players before, and Young clearly has the traits to be very good. He may not fit the culture, as his work ethic has been questioned in the past. The Lions were reportedly interested in trading for him a few years ago, but ultimately decided against it. Maybe now that he’s on the open market, there is more interest from Detroit. If he could somehow become the player we thought he’d be on draft night, he’d be more than worth that price. I would offer 2 years for $30 million total, making it $15 million per year.

Matt Judon: You will notice a trend today, a lot of these players are old and past their prime. Judon, 32, is in that same boat. He had a decent season though, with 5.5 sacks and 29 pressures. He also had a pressure rate of 9.1% and a sack rate of 1.7%. However, Judon seems to be the most past his prime player of this group, but he could still offer some solid play in a rotation. He had an abysmal PFF grade of 43.0, but I think he’d play better in Detroit for a multitude of reasons. Scheme fit, coaching style, and the players around him could make him a lot better. Spotrac has him valued at about $5 million per year, but I expect him to sign a 1 year deal worth around $8-$10 million. That could make a lot of sense for Detroit as a low cost high upside addition. I feel Judon would fit here pretty well, he likely won’t be the answer we’ve been hoping for opposite Hutch, but he will be a good rotational guy. I’d offer a 1 year deal worth $7 million, it is reasonable for the Lions, and I think it would get a deal done.

Josh Sweat: Sweat is coming off of an amazing Super Bowl performance where he had 2.5 sacks, 2 TFL, and consistently pressured Mahomes. He will likely get a large contract because of it. After having 8.0 sacks in the regular season, Sweat really stepped it up in the Super Bowl. He also had 41 pressures, a pressure rate of 10.8%, and a sack rate of 2.1% during the regular season. His overall PFF grade was a 75.7, which is pretty solid. He also had a run defense grade of 69.3 and a pass rush grade of 71.5. Sweat, 27, is being valued at around $15-$18 million per year from multiple sources, which is reasonable. I think Sweat would be a solid addition, but I also find it highly unlikely he will carry that Super Bowl production over to next season. Sweat would be more of a 3 down starter, with Smith rotating in. I also think Sweat and Smith could be on the field along with McNeil and Hutchinson on obvious passing downs. Sweat is definitely on my shortlist for Lions additions this off-season. I’d offer a deal similar to that of Chase Young, 2 years $30 million total. There is a high chance he gets a better offer in the open market, especially after his Super Bowl performance.

Charles Omenihu: Omenihu, 28, is a relatively young, solid player. He isn’t the most productive, only having 1 sack and 11 pressures in 6 games with only 1 start in that span. He had a better year in 2023, notching 7.0 sacks and 30 pressures in 11 games played, with just 1 start. Omenihu is more of a rotational player, as you can see from the amount of games he’s started. In his limited play least year, PFF gave him an overall grade of 64.7, which is decent but not great. He is valued at around $11 million per year, which is a little rich for my taste, at least for a rotational player. I would give him a 2 year deal worth $16 million total, that feels more reasonable for a player with his production. He would fit well here, coming from a winning culture in Kansas City. This would be a good signing if we were taking a ‘pass rush by committee’ approach.

Patrick Jones II: Jones, 26, is a young player that has some upside. He has a good build, at 6’4″ 264 lbs, he offers the alignment versatility we like so much in our edge defenders. He is coming off of a career high 7.0 sacks, in a season he only started 1 game, and played in 15. He also had 30 pressures, a pressure rate of 10.1%, and a sack rate of 2.4%. His PFF grades aren’t amazing, with a 55.8 overall, 50.7 pass rush grade, and a 69.4 run defense grade. Jones joined a high-pressure Brian Flores led defense last year, where he was utilized very well. He is valued at around $3-$5 million per year, which is perfect for Detroit. I am a big fan of his, as we played him twice last year, and he caused a a lot of issues. He adds another hustle defender with the prototypical build for his size, which the Lions love. I would sign him to a 3 year deal worth $14 million in total, which is $4.6 million per year. That would be an ideal signing as a rotational player, that could become a starter when we have to inevitably move on from Za’Darius Smith.

Baron Browning: Browning, 25, is similar to Jones. They are both young, versatile edge rushers, that have yet to truly breakout. Coming off of a season where he had just 2 sacks and 29 pressures, while on the leagues best pass rush in both sacks and pressures, doesn’t necessarily bode well for him. He only played in 13 games, and started 3, which could explain the lack of production, being more of a rotational player. He had a pressure rate of 14.1%, and a sack rate of 1.0%. He had a 58.0 overall PFF grade, but his pass rush grade of 76.3 ranked 23rd overall, which fits what we know about him. His pressures show he has the ability to make the Quarterback uncomfortable, which is really all you need opposite Hutchinson. Browning is valued at $5-$8 million per year, which is pretty reasonable. I would feel pretty good about a 3 year, $18 million dollar deal, or $6 million per year. I could also see Browning as one of the ‘prove it’ deals.

CORNERBACK:

Corner is an obvious need, as Arnold had an up-and-down rookie year, Rakestraw has yet to get meaningful snaps, and Davis is entering the open market. I’m not sure what new Defensive Coordinator Kelvin Sheppard plans on for coverage scheme, so we will just assume it will be pretty similar to what Glenn did, maybe just with a little less man coverage.

Carlton Davis: Obviously, Davis played for Detroit last season, and he had a pretty solid year before his injury. The Lions played a ton of press man, and Davis allowed 43 catches on 76 targets, 598 yards, 2 touchdowns, 56.6% catch rate, 20.9% target rate, 2.6 yards of separation per target, QB rating of 79.8, and he forced tight window throws 23.7% of the time. He also had 56 tackles, and 2 interceptions. He had a 74.5 overall grade from PFF, along with a 77.7 run defense grade, and a 72.1 coverage grade, which are all pretty solid. Davis showed he fits the team, the culture, and he is a pretty damn good corner. At 6’1″ 205 lbs, he has great size and length for the position. Davis is valued at between $14-$17 million per year, which is pretty reasonable. At 28, I’d offer 2-3 years at most, because you really don’t want to be stuck if he declines rapidly as he enters his 30’s. I honestly expect Davis to return to Detroit.

Charvarius Ward: Ward, 29, is on the older side, but he could make some sense as a back up option to Davis. Ward had a down year, after the tragedy of losing his daughter, which is understandable after going through something like that. He played and started in 12 games, allowing 48 catches on 31 targets, 378 yards, a QB rating of 123.4, 64.6% catch rate, 15% target rate, and 5 touchdowns to 0 interceptions. At 6’1″ 196 lbs, he has the size you’d like in a true CB1. His PFF grades weren’t great, with a 56.2 overall grade and a coverage grade of 58.2. He mentioned that California reminds him of his daughter, and it’s hard for him to live there, so I definitely expect him to leave San Francisco. I also expect his play to return to that of years past, with more time to grieve the loss of his daughter. Ward would make a lot of sense on a 1 year deal after the season he had, and he is being valued at around $15-$17 million per year. I personally wouldn’t give that, as you never know if he will return to form. I’d offer a 1 year deal at $12.5 million max, and if he doesn’t take it, we pivot again. However, I don’t think it’ll come to that, as I believe Davis will re-sign here.

DJ Reed: Reed, 28, is another solid backup option if Davis somehow decides to sign elsewhere. Starting all 14 games he played in, he allowed 32 catches on 52 targets for 373 yards and a touchdown last year. He allowed a 61.5% catch rate, a 14.7% target rate, 2.1 yards of separation, a QB rating of 89.7, and forced tight window throws 36.5% of the time. PFF gave him an overall grade of 70.7, a coverage grade of 70.1, and a run defense grade of 71.8. He is a solid, relatively young corner that I think would fit pretty well here. He is valued at around $13-$15 million per year, which is right around where I’d feel comfortable. The one thing I don’t love about adding Reed is his size, at 5’9″ 187 lbs, you’d feel a lot less comfortable with him 1-on-1 on the outside. I’d offer a 2 year deal worth $28 million total, giving him $14 million per year.

Rasul Douglas: Douglas, 30, is an older rental option, that would be a good fit. Douglas has been a pretty solid player throughout his career, and adds versatility to the DB room. Last year he started all 15 games he appeared in, allowing 39 catches on 53 targets for 452 yards and 4 touchdowns. He allowed a 73.6% catch rate, 13.3% target rate, 2.6 yards of separation per target, a QB rating of 124.1, and he forced tight window throws 15.1% of the time. PFF gave him an overall grade of 59.2, run defense grade of 61.0, and a coverage grade of 58.9, which obviously aren’t great. Douglas had a down year, but I think he would fit what we do pretty well. Obviously this would be a 1 year rental, but it wouldn’t break the bank. Douglas is valued at around $10-$12 million per year, which is respectable for a CB1/2 depending on how Arnold grows this off-season. I don’t know how confident I’d feel going into the season if he was our CB2, but it could be much worse. I would offer a 1 year deal worth about $8.5 million, which he may not take, but I wont overpay for him either.

Asante Samuel Jr: Samuel, 25, has been a solid corner throughout his career so far. He had some injury issues last year, which ended his season after just 4 games. When he was on the field last season, he was shaky. PFF gave him an overall grade of 59.3, and a coverage grade of 58.6. Obviously, Samuel isn’t ‘the answer’ at corner, but he offers some young potential that has shown he can play. At 5’10” 185 lbs, he doesn’t exactly scream starting outside corner, which worries me a bit for his fit here. Last year, he allowed 13 catches on 19 targets for 143 yards and 0 touchdowns. He allowed a catch rate of 68.4%, target rate of 16.8%, 2.3 yards of separation per target, a QB rating of 90.5, and forced tight window throws 21.1% of the time. In my opinion, he would benefit from this coaching staff and scheme, and with his youth and potential, it makes even more sense. His market value is between $10-$12 million per year, which is not egregious. However, it is a bit more than I’d like to pay a guy coming off a season cut short to injury, who wasn’t playing that well when on the field. I’d offer Samuel a 2-3 year deal, worth $11 million per year, low on guarantees and heavy on incentives. If he can play up to his potential, that’s a steal of a deal. If not, well, I hope it is structured in a way that we can get rid of him relatively easily.

Bryon Murphy: Murphy, 27, is coming off of one of the better seasons of his career, racking up 6 interceptions for the Vikings last year. He played and started all 17 games, allowing 75 catches on 113 targets for 792 yards and 4 touchdowns. He also allowed a catch rate of 65.8%, target rate of 17.8%, average separation of 3.2 yards per target, a QB rating of 75.6, and a forced tight window throws 21.1% of the time. PFF gave him an overall grade of 72.8, run defense grade of 68.0 and a coverage grade of 72.6. One thing that worries me is his size, he’s bigger than Reed at 5’11” 190 lbs, but he doesn’t quite have prototypical size to play outside. That’s probably fine though, as he’s not small enough to be that worried. Brad Holmes loves that build at corner, as he’s shown over the years. He also adds versatility to the room, having played 678 snaps outside and 259 snaps in the slot last year. Murphy is probably the ‘best option’ for the Lions at corner, if Davis moves on. His market value is between $12-$15 million per year, which isn’t terrible for a player with his production. Id offer him a 2 year deal worth $25 million, or $12.5 million per year and feel pretty good about it. He may see better offers, and Murphy would be a guy you’d be willing to pay a little more for, if needed.

Jeff Okudah: I know, seeing this name sparks your deep Lions fan PTSD. However, I think Okudah would fit what we need here, to a point. He is more of a depth corner, and has man coverage prowess. With the Texans last year, he played in 5 games, starting none. He allowed a passer rating of 139.6, 13 catches on 16 targets, 233 yards, catch rate of 81.3%, target rate of 35.6%, and allowed 4.6 yards of separation on average. Those are not great numbers by any means, but I think Okudah would benefit from the coaching here, as well as the ability to be a depth guy who only plays in spurts. PFF gave him an overall grade of 30.8, a coverage grade of 29.3, and a run defense grade of 66.7: pretty rough numbers there. Obviously, this is a CB6 type of signing. I don’t see him being a true depth piece, more of a bottom of the depth chart type. His market value is about $3-$5 million per year, which isn’t very expensive. I would prefer to add him to the practice squad, but being a former 3rd overall pick, I assume someone will be willing to sign him on a flyer deal. I see him signing a 1 year deal wherever he goes, which is a positive for Detroit. I would offer a 1 year deal worth $2.5 million.

Eric Stokes: Stokes, 25, played in 17 games, and started 7 for Green Bay last season. He allowed 31 catches on 50 targets, 343 yards, QB rating of 102.3, 2.8 average yards of separation, 62% catch rate, target rate of 15.9%, and allowed 5 touchdowns with 0 interceptions last season. These numbers aren’t amazing, but he’s a very athletic corner, running a 4.25 40, and I think he’d benefit a lot from our coaching staff. PFF gave him an overall grade of 61.3, run defense grade of 50.8, and a coverage grade of 62.4. He’s got a lot of potential still, being only 25, and he has prototypical size at 6’1″ 194 lbs. He had a good rookie year, but has been up and down since. He has had injury issues as well, that hindered his growth along the way. Stokes would be very similar to Okudah, a CB5 or 6, but would offer a bit better play than Okudah. I would assume he will get a similar deal to Okudah as well, between $4-$6 million on a 1 year ‘prove it’ deal. I’d give him 1 year $3.5 million.

Brandon Stephens: Stephens, 27, has played the outside corner spot for the Ravens the past few years. He has had an up and down career, and 2024 wasn’t necessarily the best year for him. He started all 17 games though, which is a good sign health-wise. He allowed 63 catches on 98 targets, 858 yards, a 105.7 QB rating, 64.3% catch rate, 17.4% target rate, 2.5 yards of separation on average, allowed 4 Touchdowns to 0 interceptions, and forced tight window throws 33.3% of the time. PFF gave him an overall grade of 55.8, a run defense grade of 70.7, and a coverage grade of 50.7. Obviously, not the greatest in terms of stats, as he seemed to be targeted a lot, and a lot of them turned into yardage. However, he has shown to at least be solid in coverage throughout his career. I would sign him to be that rotational CB3 depending on matchups, and how guys are playing. I’d expect him to push Rakestraw for the CB3/4 spot. His market value is between $6-$10 million per year, which is a little expensive for my taste. However, he has prototypical size at 6’1″ 216 lbs, and ran a 4.44 40 yard dash, giving you an ideal height-to-speed ratio. I would sign him to a 2 year $12-$15 million dollar deal, making it around $6-$7 million per year.

Benjamin St. Juste: St-Juste, 27, is a long, athletic outside corner, at 6’3″ 201 lbs. Much like the others, he is a depth option that would add some versatility to the DB room. St-Juste is coming off of an okay season, where he played in all 17 games, and started in 14. He allowed 686 yards, 52 receptions on 86 targets, a 101.2 QB rating, 60.5% catch rate, 23.2% target rate, 2.4 yards of separation on average, and allowed 4 touchdowns to his 0 interceptions. PFF gave him an overall grade of 47.4, a run defense grade of 56.2, and a coverage grade of 46.8. St-Juste would not be a legit starter for us, similar to Stokes, he would be more of a CB5 or 6. I would assume he would get a similar deal to Stokes and Okudah, something like 1 year $3-$5 million. I’d offer him a 1 year $4 million deal, which is a respectable offer for both. St-Juste would add much needed length at a position where the Lions sorely lack it.

GUARD:

Depending what happens with Zeitler, Guard could be a huge need, or not. If Zeitler returns, I could still see the Lions adding an older guy to play that Left Guard spot, and drafting one relatively early come April. Glasgow just wasn’t up to snuff and Mahogany could use another year as a rotational guy before taking over the spot. Either way, they should draft Offensive Line relatively early on. The Lions need to keep their best unit elite.

Kevin Zeitler: The Lions have a need at the guard spot, with Kevin Zeitler entering Free Agency, and Graham Glasgow having a down season. Christian Mahogany showed some promise when he played, so he may be able to start. He had a 86.8 PFF grade last year, which was his best since 2014, also ranking him 5th among guards. PFF also gave him a 71.8 pass block rating, and an 87.2 run block rate, making him the 3rd best run blocking guard in the NFL. I feel Zeitler wants to come back to Detroit, and finish what they started last season. Based on he and his wife’s social media posts, it seems like he will be back. Zeitler is valued at between $8-$10 million per year, and he is likely to sign a 1 year deal. He signed a 1 year $6 million deal with the Lions last off-season, and he earned himself a little bit more money this year. I’d easily offer him a 1 year deal worth $9 million, giving him a bit of a raise for having such a great season.

Zack Martin: Martin, 34, is in a similar boat as Zeitler. Both similar ages, both likely having one season left. I would be interested in Martin regardless if we re-sign Zeitler, as adding Martin to this offensive line would feel like cheating. The Lions would immediately be the best unit in the NFL, even after Martin’s down year. He had a 65.6 PFF grade, which is not great. However, I would expect Martin to benefit from having elite guys around him. He is valued very similar to Zeitler as well, at around $8-$10 million per year. I also expect him to sign a 1 year deal wherever he ends up. Imagine our Offensive Line being Decker-Martin-Ragnow-Zeitler-Sewell? Good luck to opposing Defensive Lines. I’d comfortably give him a 1 year $6.5 million deal, keeping him under Zeitler but giving him a respectable offer.

James Daniels: Daniels, 27, is coming off a very solid year where he posted an overall PFF grade of 92.9, which ranks 2nd among guards. He was also the 2nd best run blocking guard with a grade of 92.5. I feel Daniels would fit perfectly with this group, he seems to have the right style for us. His pass blocking grade was a bit low, with a 66.5. However, his age, ability, and fit would make a lot of sense for Detroit. He is a versatile player, able to play all 3 interior spots. He is valued between $7-$9 million per year, which is more than reasonable. I would offer him a 3 year deal worth $22.5 million total, or $7.5 million per year. Signing Daniels would shore up the Offensive Line next year, and open the draft up for Brad Holmes. I wouldn’t be surprised though if Daniels ends up getting paid pretty well on this market.

Brandon Scherff: Scherff, 33, is in a similar boat to Martin and Zeitler. He’s an older, solid Guard. He has versatility, with the ability to play pretty much every position along the line. He had a 64.7 overall PFF grade, a 74.5 pass block rating, and a 57.3 run grade, while allowing 0 sacks. Scherff, much like Martin, would be a good addition regardless if we bring back Zeitler or not. Scherff has proven ability, and could play either guard spot, tackle or center in a pinch if needed. He obviously isn’t a long term option, but signing him would make the interior better, while making it so we can sit whoever we draft. Scherff should be a bit cheaper than the other two, as his market value is between $6-$8 million. I would be fine with that on a 1 year deal.

LINEBACKER:

Linebacker isn’t a huge need, but the Lions need depth, especially when you consider they are likely losing Derrick Barnes this off-season. I would like to add a versatile, savvy veteran that can play all over the field. We could also use a few depth additions, as injuries killed us last year.

Lavonte David: David, 35, would be an awesome addition to this defense. He is a great veteran, who had a 68.7 overall PFF grade last season. He had 122 tackles, 5.5 sacks, 34 pressures, with a pressure rate of 24.1%, and allowed 594 receiving yards, 1 touchdown on 55 catches on 64 targets, and 1 interception as well. Obviously, he’s not elite-of-the-elite like he used to be, but he would definitely improve that room. He had a pretty productive season all around, while playing 96.5% of snaps at 34 years old, with a PFF run grade of 75.8, pass rush grade of 65.7, and coverage grade of 59.5. He would also add versatility to the room, with the ability to play all 4 linebacker spots in our scheme. David would fit well in the Derrick Barnes role, who is a Free Agent himself. He would also add winning pedigree, and a leadership role on the defense. I feel Kelvin Sheppard would absolutely love adding him. His market value is between $6-$8 million, which isn’t too expensive for the Lions. I would sign him to a 1 year $7.5 million deal in a heartbeat.

Jerome Baker: Baker, 28, is an athletic linebacker who can cover well. Last year, he had a 61.0 overall PFF grade, a 65.7 run defense grade and a coverage grade of 60.7, which aren’t great, but aren’t terrible either. If Baker was signed, he’d be more of a depth addition than a true starter, which is fine. At this point, the Lions just need a rotational linebacker to take Barnes’ role. Rodriguez has been solid depth, but we need another linebacker in that room. In Tennessee last season, he had 61 tackles, 2.0 sacks, and 6 pressures in 10 games, starting 8 of them. He was decently productive for the games he played in, which is a good sign. I would like Baker in the right role, on a 1 year deal. He will likely get around $5-$7 million on the open market, which isn’t bad for a rotational player. I’d offer 1 year worth $4.5 million, and if he doesn’t take it, no worries. There are a decent amount of depth Linebackers available, so no need to overpay.

Shaq Thompson: Thompson, 30, would be similar to David, as a one year rental who adds veteran leadership and versatility in the Linebacker room. Last year, Thompson only played 4 games, due to a torn achilles. Holmes has shown in years past he will go after injured players, because you can usually get them a little cheaper. PFF gave him a 67.4 overall grade, a 52.7 pass rush grade, a 73.2 run defense grade, and 62.9 coverage grade. The numbers signal he is still a solid player, we will have to see what he looks like post-injury. He has always been very good, and has the ability to play all 4 Linebacker spots, which is exactly what we need. His market value is between $2-$4 million per year, which is more than reasonable. I’d give him a 1 year $3.5 million deal pretty easily, knowing we are adding a solid defender for a low price. If he doesn’t come back from injury the same, its a small deal. If he comes back the same, it is an absolute steal, and immediately improves the defense.

WIDE RECEIVER:

Wide Receiver, much like Linebacker, isn’t a huge need. However, we really need a true WR3, and could use some better depth in general. I’d like to add a veteran, and a few young guys that can push for a roster spot. I’d also like to draft one, as this years draft has decent depth.

Tim Patrick: Patrick, 31, had himself quite a season after being added to the team in August. Coming off of an ACL tear, the Broncos cut him to save money, and the Lions reaped the benefits. He had 33 catches on 44 targets for 394 yards and 3 touchdowns in 16 games, with 9 starts. PFF gave him an overall grade of 66.9, and a receiving grade of 66.0. Lions fans know, Patrick was a huge addition for us, as he came up big in a lot of situations. However, I would still like to add some competition for him. His market value is between $2-$4 million per year, which is very reasonable. Id re-sign him to a 1 year $3 million deal, while also adding others to the receiver room. There’s a small chance another contending team tried to swoop in and outbid us after how he played last year, but we shall see.

Mike Williams: Similar to Tim Patrick, Williams would offer a true X receiver at 6’4″ 225 lbs, and would add some veteran leadership in that room at 30 years old. I think Williams is currently better than Patrick, but not by a lot. I would personally like to bring both in, as we don’t have any true X receivers on the roster. Last season, Williams had 21 catches on 34 targets for 298 yards and 1 touchdown. He didn’t play enough snaps to get a PFF grade, he did play in 18 games this year, and started 5. He was traded from the Jets to the Steelers midway through the season, which is how he played 18 games. Williams had a catch rate of 61.8% and 2.0 yards of separation per target, so he’s not a true separator necessarily, but he would help us in those 1-on-1 go-ball situatons. He is valued at between $3-$5 million, which would be perfect for the Lions on a 1 year deal.

Nelson Agholor: Agholor, 31, had himself a solid season with the Ravens, with 231 yards and 2 touchdowns on 14 catches from 29 targets, as the WR3/4. He played in 14 games, and started 7. He had a catch rate of 48.3% and an average separation of 3.0 yards. He didn’t qualify for PFF grades however, due to low snap counts. At 6’0″ 198 lbs, he’s not your prototypical X receiver, but he can play there. Obviously, Agholor isn’t going to come in and break any records, but he would be another solid veteran addition that would produce. He would be more of a WR4 or 5, not really pushing for that WR3 spot necessarily. Similar to Patrick, his market value is between $2-$4 million per year, which is perfect for the Lions.

Noah Brown: Brown, 29, is coming off back to back productive seasons with 2 different teams. He played in 11 games, starting 9 last year for the Commanders. He racked up 453 yards and 1 touchdown on 35 catches from 56 targets, with a 62.5% catch rate and 2.6 yards of separation on average. PFF gave him an overall grade of 70.7 and a receiving grade of 70.2, which is pretty good for a rotational guy. At 6’2″ 225 lbs, he can play all 3 receiver spots, adding much needed versatility. His market value is around $2-$4 million per year, which is perfect. Sign him on a one year deal, and prosper.

Lil’Jordan Humphrey: Humphrey, 26, is a younger option for the X receiver spot. Standing at 6’4″ 225 lbs, he has the size you’re looking for there. He is coming off of an okay season where he played in 17 games, starting in 7, with 293 yards and 1 touchdown on 31 catches with 45 targets. He had a catch rate of 68.9%, and average separation of 3.4, which is pretty solid, especially for his size. PFF gave him an overall grade of 57.2, which obviously isn’t great. He wouldn’t come in and be an immediate starter, but with his age, and size profile, I like the idea of adding him as depth, and seeing how far it can go. His market value is around $3-$5 million per year, which is reasonable and would make sense on a 2 year deal in Detroit.

Marquez Valdes-Scantling: MVS, 30, is a speedy, big receiver who would bring in some veteran presence. Appearing in 14 games, starting 8 for New Orleans, he racked up 411 yards and 4 touchdowns on 19 catches from 44 targets, being a good deep threat for the Saints. At 6’4″ 201 lbs, he has the size you want, and the speed to go with it. He had a catch rate of 43.2%, and an average separation of 2.6. I think MVS would be a perfect addition, blending size and speed, and would push defenses matching his speed with Jameson Williams’ when on the field together. MVS would be a very good WR3 or 4 for us, and gives Goff another deep threat. Scantling’s market value is around $2-$4 million per year, which would be doable for Detroit on a 1 year deal.

Collin Johnson: Johnson, 27, is probably the ‘worst’ player on this list. He played in just 6 games, and only had 1 catch for 6 yards on the year. However, he has some likable traits, standing at 6’6″, 220 lbs, with a nice catch Radius to go with it. He isn’t a burner, running a 4.65 40 at his pro day, but he had a huge preseason game this year. Johnson would be similar to Okudah, in terms of his fit on the depth chart. He would be used really only as depth, at the bottom of the depth chart. He is valued at around $1-$2 million per year, but he might even be a guy you could add to the practice squad.

With all of that said, the Lions have some clear needs, and Free Agency could really help that. We are less than a month away, Free Agency opens on March 12th at 4:00pm. The Lions are hard at work with their pro scouting department to figure out who to sign, and who not to. Next up, the NFL draft in April.

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