Photo Credit: Cooper Neill/Getty Images.

NFL free agency is right around the corner, and the Lions have quite a few needs going in. We will be putting together a daily series featuring a few options at positions that I believe have a realistic shot of happening. We already covered Quarterback and Running back here and Wide Receivers and Tight Ends here. Next up; Offensive Line.

After going 9-8 and missing the playoffs for the first time since 2022, Detroit is in a unique spot with roster construction, having the overall talent to contend, but falling short. They have a top-20 pick, and could have more than enough money to fill the holes, given a few restructures. I don’t think the Lions will actually restructure all of these players, but for the sake of this simulation, I didn’t want to be too constrained by cap. Detroit will be forced to be aggressive when going after offensive linemen this off-season, as that was the biggest issue by far on offense, and you need a good one to be an elite team.

For this simulation, the Lions will restructure Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St Brown, Alim McNeill, and Penei Sewell, clearing up just over $91 million. We were able to do this with the ‘Be A GM’ mode on the new ‘Stick To The Model’ website https://sticktothemodel.com/?via=MFN. Use our code MFN2026 to save! This leaves the Lions sitting at about $82 million, before the rookie class.

This does not mean they will spend $80 million, but that they have some wiggle room to make a few deals. As aforementioned, they have holes, and free agency is the best way to get immediate impact players, which Detroit needs.

The Lions desperately need to fix the offensive line, and there are a lot of solid options to choose from whether you need a tackle, guard, or center. For the sake of this article, I will pick just one option for each position.

Tackle:

Coming into the off-season, there were a lot of rumors going around that Taylor Decker may retire. He recently put those to rest, announcing he will in fact be returning to play for the Detroit Lions in 2026. However, that doesn’t totally wipe out the need for a tackle, as our depth has not been great recently, and our “swing” tackle Dan Skipper ultimately retired and joined the coaching staff as an assistant. The Lions will likely look to the draft to find a future replacement for Decker, but right now, theres no need to spend the money on a starter level player.

The Pick: Josh Jones.
Jones, 28, spent 2025 with the Seahawks, where he started three games. PFF gave him an overall grade of 74.3, pass block grade of 71.9, and run block grade of 70.3, all are overall very good, especially for a backup. Jones would be perfect for the Lions because he has the ability to start, and play well if needed. The Lions also have shown their love for swing tackles, or the extra linemen when they go heavy sets. Jones would be a perfect fit for his ability to play all over the line, having played left and right tackle as well as both guard spots. He has also shown his ability in both run and pass at a starter level. He should be relatively cheap as Spotrac projects him to get $3.5 million per year, which he is definitely worth. He could be the perfect guy especially due to the Lions staff mentioning its likely Decker will have to take a few games off next year to rehab his body, and for a cheap backup, Jones can handle that job. Either way, the Lions need solid depth here.
HM: Spencer Burford, Justin Skule, Max Mitchell, Darian Kennard.

Offensive Guard:

Similar to tackle, the Lions already have starters at each guard spot, which means they really just need depth. With Frazier, Mahogany, and Ratledge, they have a pretty solid room with depth and versatility. However, the Lions have talked about Ratledge playing center, so we will offer a starter level player as well as depth.

Starter: Alijah Vera-Tucker.
If the Lions move Ratledge to center, Vera-Tucker is by far my favorite pick in free agency. At just 26 years old, he offers the youth the Lions are looking to add to sure up the offensive line. He also has much needed versatility, with the ability to pay either side guard or tackle. He would be a bit expensive though, as Spotrac projects he will get just under $13 million per year, but that’s a price I’d be willing to pay. He unfortunately missed the entirety of the 2025 season with a torn triceps, but in 2024 he played very well. PFF gave him a 77.7 overall grade, 74.5 pass blocking grade, and a run blocking grade of 76.3. He also only gave up 16 pressures, 3rd fewest, and was one of only six guards to have at least a 74.0 in all three categories. Overall, Tucker is a young, talented, versatile lineman the Lions should absolutely go after. They will have a lot of work to do along the offensive line this off-season.
HM: Wyatt Teller, Joel Bitonio, Isaac Seumalo, James Daniels.

Depth: Will Hernandez.
Hernandez is a solid vet, who should be relatively cheap. He offers some versatility, and would be a solid addition as depth, and could be used as an extra linemen. The Lions will have a lot of options for depth. I only see them going this route if Ratledge stays at right guard, which I would prefer. He is projected to get just over $2 million per year, per Spotrac, which is more than affordable. The addition of Juice Scruggs may take away some of the need for depth along the interior as well.
HM: Liam Eichenberg, Cole Strange, Cordell Volson, Robert Jones.

Center:

Center is by far the biggest hole the Lions have on the entire team, period. After losing Ragnow, they were forced to move Glasgow to a position he hadn’t played in years. He did an ok job, but a Super Bowl contender needs better and more consistent play. There is a possibility Ratledge moves over, but we will go forward as if he is staying at right guard. One big problem though, is the top free agent center is likely too expensive for Detroit, meaning they will have to pivot. They will have multiple options here.

The Pick: Connor McGovern.
McGovern spent the past two seasons in Buffalo, where he was a very solid starter. Although he’s not the top center available, he is the consensus next best. In 2025, PFF gave him an overall grade of 69.1, pass block grade of 73.4, and a run block grade of 65.2. Obviously, those aren’t elite numbers, but he would be a pretty big upgrade over Glasgow. At just 28 years old, he could also be the Lions center for the next few years, suring up a very important spot for Detroit. He is set to make just over $16 million per year, per Spotrac. That is a bit pricey, but it would be worth it, especially if we signed him on a two year deal. Detroit has their work cut out for them when it comes to finding someone to man the middle of the offensive line.
HM: Cade Mays, Ethan Pocic, James Daniels, Sean Rhyan.

Either way it goes, the Lions absolutely have to go after offensive lineman in free agency, as well as the draft.

Once again, this is installment three of many as we approach free agency. We will be posting new articles daily with new options at different positions. Next up; Defensive Line.

Stay tuned for our next installment of the series!

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