8 Impactful Free Agents Left For Detroit

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The Lions have had a rather quiet Free Agency period so far, with only a few moves coming, most of them being re-signings. Most Lions fans are looking a bit like Chicken Little right now. But, the sky is in fact not falling, unlike that movie. There are still a lot of solid free agents left, and Brad likes to let guys price themselves out before he starts being aggressive. Remember, Zeitler didn’t sign until late in Free Agency last year. The Lions are also in a tough spot cap wise for the first time since Brad arrived, having to extend all of the studs he drafted.

With that being said, lets take a look at a few players still open the open market that could help Detroit the most.

Von Miller, EDGE:

Miller, 36, is obviously past his prime, which is why he was released by Buffalo. However, I think that works in our favor. He is coming off of a season where he had 6.0 sacks in 13 games, while playing just 32.9% of total snaps. He also had a pressure rate of 17.9%, with 35 pressures and a sack rate of 3.1%. His pressure rate ranks 7th among all defensive linemen, just behind the likes of Micah Parsons, Myles Garrett, Danielle Hunter and Trey Hendrickson, 2 of which Lions fans want to give up picks for. Miller also had a PFF overall grade of 82.4, and a pass rush grade of 83.0, showing he is still a productive player at his age. He could be the missing piece the Lions need, and won’t affect the future cap space with it being a one year deal. I would love to add Miller on a 1-year deal worth a max of $14 million, but would prefer something closer to $10 million, with incentives.

Brandon Scherff, GUARD:

As of now, it doesn’t seem like the Lions will be adding a veteran guard after Zeitler headed to Nashville. However, I am not personally very confident in trotting out a guard tandem of Glasgow and Mahogany. Nothing against them, as they are both solid players, but Mahogany was a 6th round rookie last year, and Glasgow had a pretty rough go of it. Obviously, the Lions will be adding an Offensive Linemen in the draft, but I still think we should add a vet. Glasgow moving back to Right Guard should help him a bit, but I still like the idea of adding a solid vet on a 1-year deal to mitigate some of those concerns, we are a Super Bowl contender after all. Scherff, 33, would be a good fit for us, for a plethora of reasons. Last year, he played all of his 1,013 snaps at Right Guard, allowing 0 sacks, 1 hit, 17 pressures, with just 2 penalties as well. PFF gave him an overall grade of 64.7, a pass blocking grade of 74.5 and a run blocking grade of 57.3. Obviously, he is not an All-Pro, but I think he would be a good cheap option as insurance. Probably on a 1-year deal worth $6 to 8 million.

Matt Judon, EDGE:

Judon, 32, would be an ok addition as a rotational player, but I am not looking at him as a legitimate starter. Playing in 17 games in Atlanta last year, he had 5.5 sacks, 29 pressures, a pressure rate of 9.1%, and a sack rate of 1.7% on 58.5% of snaps. Judon wasn’t terrible, but his 43.0 PFF overall grade doesn’t necessarily bode well for his future. He would add some versatility to our team, as he can play as a stand-up or hand in the dirt rusher. I would expect Judon to sign a pretty cheap 1-year deal, somewhere between $5 and $8 million with incentives. If we signed him, he would be more of a true rotational player, probably even a backup, so it wouldn’t immediately fix our issues. I would still give him a look, as it is possible he could return closer to form playing with the talent along this Defensive Line.

Shaq Mason, GUARD:

Mason, 31, is coming off of a down year for him with Houston, which led to his release. In his prior years, he was known as a consistent reliable guard. Last season, he played all of his 931 snaps at right guard, and allowed 8 sacks, 5 hits, 34 pressures, with 3 penalties as well. PFF gave him an overall grade of 62.3, pass blocking grade of 65.2, and a run blocking grade of 57.7. Obviously, that’s not ideal, but Mason could benefit from playing with this group, he’s not likely to return to his Pro-Bowl form, but he could take a step forward. I don’t think the Lions are necessarily looking hard for a new guard, but Mason could be a low-cost veteran addition that could help us. I would offer something similar to Scherff, 1-year worth up to $6 million, but I think I would prefer Scherff at this point in their respective careers.

Za’Darius Smith, EDGE:

Obviously, the Lions cut Smith at the beginning of Free Agency to save cap space, but it could make a lot of sense to bring him back. His release saved around $11 million in cap, and if we can bring him back for $5-$7 million, it would be a great move. In 17 games last year, he had: 9.0 sacks, 60 pressures, a pressure rate of 14.9%, and a sack rate of 2.2%. PFF gave him an overall grade of 74.7, pass rush grade of 76.5, and a run defense grade of 62.8. I think it was clear he could still play at a pretty high level, and bringing him back makes a ton of sense. He has familiarity with the team and staff, and next season he could be used as more of a rotational guy. I would give him up to $8 million on a 1-year deal.

Preston Smith, EDGE:

Smith, 32, has had a bit of an up and down career so far. He had a few very good seasons in Green Bay, before being traded to Pittsburgh at the deadline last year. He was then cut by the Steelers, mainly for money reasons. However, Smith could still have something left in the tank, and is likely to be available for a relatively cheap deal. Last year, he had 5.5 sacks and 22 pressures with a 9.1% pressure rate. He is similar to Judon, not a true starter, but would be great in a rotational role. I would assume he gets between $4 and $6 million on a 1-year deal.

Charles Omenihu, DE:

Omenihu, 27, coming off of a torn ACL from the 2023 AFC Title game, returned to play for the Chiefs in December. He played in just 6 games in 2024, racking up 1 sack and 11 pressures with a pressure rate of 7.6%. Don’t be alarmed, as just last season he had a career-high 7 sacks in 11 games with 30 pressures and a pressure rate of 12.6%. Omenihu has been with Kansas City for a few years now, and is used as a rotational pass rusher, playing just 56.3% of snaps in 2023 and 55.9% in 2024 when he returned from injury. I would expect a 1-year ‘prove it’ deal worth up to $8 million. I could also see a team signing him to a 2-year deal, as he is still just 27. He is likely one of the better fits for Detroit, as he’s relatively young, brings a winning pedigree, and has already been utilized as a rotational player for most of his career.

Rayshawn Jenkins, SAFETY:

Jenkins, 31, was recently cut by Seattle to save money, but I could see him being the replacement for Melifonwu after he left for Miami. Jenkins fits the physical requirements, at 6’1′ 216lbs, and has a similar hard hitting, in-the-box playing style. He had his best season in 2023 with Jacksonville, where he had 116 tackles, 1 sack, and 3 interceptions with one returned for a touchdown. In 13 games played last season, he had 53 tackles, 2 sacks and 0 interceptions. He allowed a Quarterback Rating of 107.3, 171 yards, and 1 touchdown on 25 targets. Jenkins obviously isn’t the answer at safety, but I think he could be a great depth addition who could return to his 2023 form. The Lions need depth, and Jenkins fits the mold. I expect a 1-year deal worth maybe $5 million for Jenkins.

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