The 2026 free agency period could be the first time in which the Detroit Lions might be forced to say goodbye to some once important parts of their roster. Between ages creeping up and a salary cap shrinking amid expensive extensions, the Lions will have to spend wisely in free agency in their attempt to restock for the 2026 campaign.
There is no shortage of pending free agents for the Lions to ponder, and given their roster situation, a few of these names will likely be in different uniforms next season. However, letting a player walk means another roster spot to address. Whether a starter or depth piece, teams rarely want to create holes on their depth chart. That highlights the importance of re-signings—the Lions know their players best, so which of them are worth bringing back? Of the upcoming free agents, which players can the Lions least afford to lose?
Today’s Question of the Day is:
Which free agent can the Detroit Lions least afford to lose?
My answer: Amik Robertson.
There are a fair number of worthy answers. Alex Anzalone has been a reliable (and affordable) starter for the Lions, but the pair seem destined to part this offseason. Elsewhere on defense, Avonte Maddox and Rock Ya-Sin massively outperformed their bargain bin contracts and are certainly worth bringing back as high-tier depth. Jake Bates is an exclusive rights free agent, meaning that the Lions have first dibs on re-signing him, a move that Detroit will almost assuredly do—it is worth noting that Bates was the lone ERFA to not get re-signed back in January, meaning an extension could be coming soon.
However, I give the nod to cornerback Amik Robertson.
Robertson had a down 2025 season after a great 2024 campaign, but it is worth remembering that he was getting shuffled around the field throughout the year due to injuries. The initial plan was for Robertson to compete and/or pair with Ennis Rakestraw for slot duties, but Rakestraw suffered a training camp injury and never saw regular season action. That left Robertson as the lone nickelback, a role he would not maintain for long following the injuries to Terrion Arnold and D.J. Reed on the outside. Over the course of the season, Robertson was anywhere from CB1 to CB3, plus he had to deal with a carousel of safeties behind him—it’s hard for any player to find a groove when your role is changing so much.
I choose to believe that 2024 version of Robertson is a better representation of his talent level. If anything, this could be a good buy-low option for the Lions if the market does not covet Robertson. Robertson can be a starting-caliber cornerback, albeit not the CB1 he was sometimes forced to be. At the very least, Robertson is excellent depth capable of playing any cornerback position. Even if the long-term plan is to have Arnold and Rakestraw as starters, they have been anything but reliable thus far in their careers. This makes Robertson an excellent safety net.
For a secondary with plenty of questions, I think that the Lions can ill-afford to let one of their few known commodities leave in free agency.
See More:
