DetNews: After D.J. Wonnum add, where do Lions stand on free-agent needs?

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# After D.J. Wonnum add, where do Lions stand on free-agent needs?

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Interior offensive line

:play_button: Added/retained: Cade Mays, Juice Scruggs

:play_button: Also under contract: Miles Frazier, Christian Mahogany, Tate Ratledge, Michael Niese, Seth McLaughlin

Detroit attacked its most glaring need — starting center — within the first few hours of the legal tampering period, agreeing to terms with Mays on a three-year, $25 million deal. Detroit also had struggles at left guard last season, but after acquiring Scruggs from the Houston Texans in the trade for running back David Montgomery, we get the sense that the Lions might not add another potential starter at the position until draft day.

Assuming Mays (center) and Ratledge (right guard) have two of the interior line spots locked down, that leaves Frazier, Mahogany and Scruggs to battle it out for the final spot at left guard, which is a fine spot to be in this time of year. However, we wouldn’t be surprised to see the Lions add another interior lineman as early as Round 1 in the NFL Draft, where someone like Penn State’s Vega Ioane could help Detroit solidify the interior for years to come.

Defensive end

:play_button: Added/retained: D.J. Wonnum

:play_button: Also under contract: Aidan Hutchinson, Ahmed Hassanein

Considering that Wonnum fills the early-down, run-stopping, edge-setting role that was played by Marcus Davenport, Detroit still needs someone to fill the situational pass rusher role that was previously occupied by Muhammad, who joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in free agency. This group could also use some depth. The 2026 draft class is considered deep at edge, so we’d expect the Lions to make a few more bargain-bin additions in free agency and further attack the position at the draft.

Offensive tackle

:play_button: Added/retained: Larry Borom

:play_button: Also under contract: Penei Sewell, Devin Cochran, Mason Miller, Colby Sorsdal, Giovanni Manu

We already know that general manager Brad Holmes doesn’t have enough conviction to throw Manu into the mix for a starting job, and we don’t think the Lions will simply hand a starting gig to someone like Borom, which likely suggests the Lions will be aggressive about adding a top prospect via the draft. If Detroit can land someone the likes of Monroe Freeling (Georgia) or Caleb Lomu (Utah), the addition of Borom gives the Lions a strong baseline to work with at tackle — even if the situation opposite of Sewell is relatively uninspiring right now.

Cornerback

:play_button: Added/retained: Roger McCreary, Rock Ya-Sin, Christian Izien

:play_button: Also under contract: D.J. Reed, Terrion Arnold, Ennis Rakestraw, Khalil Dorsey, Nick Whiteside
The Lions could continue to add here in free agency and the draft, but they’ve done a good job of bringing in young players with upside and versatility to boot.

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What’s the word?

While it seemed like the Lions were poised for a big free-agency period based on comments from Dan Campbell about adding more competition, it appears we misread that a bit; it’s clear now they were instead talking about adding hungry, young players with upside, rather than splurging on big-money players. This, of course, is not much different from past approaches; but letting go of culture-setters like Anzalone, Decker and Glasgow certainly is.

Detractors will point to the lack of a big-ticket player as a sign that the Lions haven’t done enough in free agency, which is a fair critique. We’re especially concerned about defensive end, which has added a high-floor player with upside in Wonnum, but isn’t clearly better than it was at the start of free agency.

Still, the Lions don’t have much cap space left, even after restructuring Jared Goff’s contract. And for all the flaws of the players they’ve signed — inevitable when you’re making signings from the bargain bin — Holmes deserves credit for the fact that each of them has a clear path to being contributors in 2026.

If there’s one thing we’re keeping an extra close eye on, it’s how the Lions land the plane at tackle. We don’t love that they’ve seemingly boxed themselves into drafting one with the No. 17 pick, especially because it seems possible that all the tackles they like are gone by that point, and they have too many holes to use serious capital for a trade-up. But again, if they land the player they like at that position, you could consider the trade of Decker for Borom and a first-round pick to be a massive win for both 2026 and the future at large.

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“land the plane’ lol I like that characterization. It just isn’t like Brad to make his plan this obvious so I feel like there is going to be some kind of surprise.

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As of now…I see 4 main roster spots headed into the draft…

Offensive tackle
Defensive End (pass rushing help)
Will linebacker
Safety

Now free agency aint over yet. So the list could change.

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Needs?

I see value signings… probably after the draft. But I think we are into the “opportunist” part of the offseason.

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100%

I personally feel like Brad has done a helluva job thus far, and I think the remaining pieces of the offseason board align perfectly with our needs and a 2-3 year window.

  • the remaining edge and interior options are quite bountiful right now. Boss, Cam, Calais, Clowney, D Fowler, D Jones, Reader… if we sign 1 or 2 here we have a helluva DL…. Then add a rookie in round 4-5 to compete with Hass

  • right now S is a bigger concern than edge, and by a LOT!!! There is concern that Brad never seems to prioritize edge, but at least if he cared, he could add Bosa or Cam Jordan tomorrow and have top 5 edge room pretty easily with a late round rookie in the mix. At safety however we have a final year stud in Branch with a busted achilles for at least 75% of his final contract year, and a 21M all pro who had a very mysteriously injury plagued 2025… is Kerby fine? Is he done? Will he play 13 games this year and be somewhat limited? Then we have a one year role player option beyond them. SEEMS LIKE MAYBE GET A 4 YEAR STARTER IN ROUND 2? If Kerby is fine, and if we retain Branch, then we slide Branch back into the slot where he is half DB and half LB for us? Genesis Smith, AJ Haulcy, McNeill-Warren, K Ramsey etc

  • I love the idea of Fano or Miller in round 1 Miller at RT and Sewell at LT.. solid IOL with some depth pieces like Scruggs and Frazier, and Borom is a great swing OT option. Maybe Boron looks good at RT though and Fano looks like an All Pro LG… options

  • I think we take a swing in round 5 at a WLB but also like signing on more vet… Logan Wilson type

Also like some mid round RBs as the 2027 Monty replacements, and some 4-5 round TE options to give us some flexibility with Laporta coming due

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Top needs

1 - OT

2 - WLB

3 - DE

4 - DT

They have a bunch of dudes at DB. Idk how you get better with out over spending in FA or a trade. A rookie isnt going to help dramatically. Best hope is the guys you have get healthy and get better.

IOL. Again they have a bunch of dudes. Again with out over spending. Your not getting better. And rookies wont be a major help.

DE & DT, those can be younger players. Or decent FAs. Because you can play by committee

WLB is a major concern to me. Barns is ok. But he had some issues last year. Maybe because he was lined up behind AQM. And had to pick up for his lack of Run sport and quick pass rush. Idk.

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