The first week of free agency is in the books, and it has been a controversial one among the Detroit Lions fanbase.
While the team did address some positions of need, many among the community would categorize this first week as slow. Outside of center Cade Mays, no player signed for more than one year or eclipsed an average annual value of $6 million (though contract details for some players are still unknown). Modest spending has been the name of general manager Brad Holmes’ game since taking over, rarely shelling out in free agency:
With their 2026 quota (potentially) met, attention turns to the rest of the free agency pool. Looking at the roster, everyone immediately notices the lack of defensive end depth, especially following the release of Josh Paschal. Not only do the Lions need immediate starting-level players, but they also need to round out their depth chart.
That being said, the discussion about defensive end is dominating the free agency landscape in Detroit. Instead, I want to look at the other spots that need some additions. How can the Lions fill out their remaining needs?
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Besides DE, which positions do the Detroit Lions still need to address in free agency?
My answers: Defensive tackle and linebacker.
On offense, I am somewhat satisfied with free agency thus far. While I would love a better offensive tackle than Larry Borom, the price tag is fine for a higher-caliber swing tackle. Part of my modest satisfaction comes from my assumption that an offensive tackle will be selected early in the 2026 NFL Draft. If such a pick never happens, however, then I would begin to panic about the state of the offensive tackle room. Elsewhere on offense, the signings of Mays, Teddy Bridgewater, Isiah Pacheco, and Tyler Conklin are solid options to bolster and/or replace depth on the roster.
I am still concerned about the present outlook for the defense. Defensive end aside, there are two spots I would like to see Detroit add to in free agency prior to the draft.
The team is still without a starting linebacker to replace Alex Anzalone. While they did re-sign Malcolm Rodriguez, I am cautious about penciling him as a starter after a subpar 2025 campaign derailed by a torn ACL the season prior. There is a chance that the Lions lean on Derrick Barnes more or forego three-linebacker sets as often, but it is still a group that needs experienced depth. At the very least, I would like someone to challenge Rodriguez for a spot. Perhaps that could be a player like Amen Ogbongbemiga, with a safe floor as a special-teams ace (also helping replace the departed Grant Stuard), or it could be a veteran like Logan Wilson, with plenty of starts under his belt and strong run defense.
The loss of defensive tackle Roy Lopez was a surprise to some, as it seemed like a slam dunk that the Lions would bring him back on a relatively affordable contract. Instead, Lopez signed a two-year, $10.5 million deal to return to the Arizona Cardinals. While Detroit seems set with their starters of Alim McNeill and Tyleik Williams, they are still in need of nose tackle depth. It could be as simple as re-signing D.J. Reader, but the price tag for the aging veteran is unclear. Otherwise, the only nose tackle candidate with the team is Chris Smith, a perennial practice squader since 2023. I would like to see Detroit attempt a repeat of Lopez’s 2025 deal by signing a nose tackle with pop to a small, short-term deal. A name to consider could be Greg Gaines, a player drafted by the Los Angeles Rams back when Brad Holmes was their director of college scouting.
I think that the signings of Roger McCreary and Christian Izien were solid moves to bolster the defense, but I would still like to see the rest of the defense addressed in the lead-up to the draft. Defensive end is a glaring need, but not the only need.
Your turn. What positions do you think the Lions need to address, beyond defensive end?
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