Looking at the best free agent fits for the Detroit Lions in 2025.
The “legal tampering” period of NFL free agency is nearly at hand. On Monday, March 10 at Noon ET, teams will be able to chat with agents of players who are set to become free agents on March 12 and agree to terms with those players.
At this point, it’s unclear how aggressive the Detroit Lions will be in free agency. Typically, their focus is more inward, with much of their salary cap space historically spent on retaining their own players. We’ve already seen some of that come to fruition, with the reported re-signings of Derrick Barnes, Anthony Pittman, and Ezekiel Turner on Friday. There are other Lions still out there ready to be re-signed, including Carlton Davis, Kevin Zeitler, and Tim Patrick.
But even if the Lions were to re-sign all of those players, they are undoubtedly going to dip their toe in the massive amount of players set to become free agents. So today’s Question of the Day is:
Which realistic free agent target is the best option for the Lions?
My answer: Note that I said “free agent target,” so you’ll have to put aside all of your Trey Hendrickson or Myles Garrett answers for now.
Obviously, many Lions fans are focused on the defensive line, and for good reason. Detroit was thin at that position last year, and they were exposed after losing Aidan Hutchinson, Alim McNeill, and Marcus Davenport (among others). While the Lions will have to spend big if they want to land one of the bigger fish via trade, there are some intriguing options, as outlined by Al Karsten in our two-part free agency series on edge defenders.
I am tempted by the allure of Khalil Mack, even though he’s now 34 years old. His production is still there (52 pressures, 6.0 sacks last year), and we’ve seen guy like Calais Campbell and Cameron Jordan still be productive deep into their 30s.
But let’s not forget Detroit’s need for an interior defender. It’s unclear when Alim McNeill will be cleared from his torn ACL, and Levi Onwuzurike may or may not be back as his rookie contract expires next week. Recently-released Jonathan Allen is an alluring option. His production has dropped as he has now eclipsed 30 years old, but he still had 3.0 sacks in just eight games last year after returning from a torn pec. The question is how much money he’ll be seeking in free agency. This may be his last opportunity to cash in, so his price tag may be too costly for Detroit.
Who are your favorite free agency fits? Scroll down to the comment section and share your thoughts.
