Figured I might as well start looking ahead at 2025 (and beyond). The Lions are obviously in good position. We’re looking at anywhere between 25-35 million in cap space to spend on FAs depending on where the cap lands and how much the Lions want to hold for in-season - this has usually been anywhere from 15-20m each season with Brad.
List of Lions Free Agents:
Lions free-agents entering this off-season
I really think we could do damage with the starters that we have under contract now, even without FA signings and a draft, so that’s super exciting. But I’m going to go through position groups and give my thoughts on each one and assign an offseason need to each one that is based on what we need now and in the immediate future.
QB
2025: Goff, Hooker
UFAs: Bridgewater, Fromm
Offseason Need: LOW
The Lions have both Goff and Hooker locked up through 2026. I wouldn’t expect anything here other than possibly bringing Fromm back to the practice squad role. Bridgewater will probably do Bridgewater things and will stay a FA until late next season.
RB
2025: Gibbs, Montgomery, Vaki
RFAs: Reynolds
UFAs: Jefferson
Offseason Need: LOW
Running back should be set for the foreseeable future. Gibbs is a superstar. Monty is a perfect compliment. They’re both locked up for the next 3 years if they want them (2027 is Gibbs’ option year). Not sure if Reynolds will get an RFA tender, but I don’t expect him to go anywhere. They like him and could easily see both he and Jefferson back in similar roles next year.
TE
2025: LaPorta, Wright
RFAs: Zylstra
UFAs: Mitchell
Offseason Need: LOW
Top two TEs are locked in for the next two years. Can’t imagine Zylstra getting an RFA tag. Not sure if Mitchell has done enough to get another contract. Depth could be a need here, but could definitely see Zylstra coming back.
WR
2025: St. Brown, Williams, Raymond, Green
UFAs: Patrick, Robinson, Alexander, Kennedy, Peoples-Jones
Offseason Need: MODERATE
Amon Ra is a stud. Jamo broke out. Raymond is a PR machine. We’re basically exactly where we were again last offseason, except we now know that Jamo is a solid #2 WR. I’d like to see Tim Patrick back as the WR3. Kennedy will probably hang around forever. The rest can kick rocks. The big question is what we’re going to do with Jamo. This is his last cheap year. Do we pick up his 2026 option? Do we extend him? Going to be expensive either way. We only have Ra and Green under contract for 2026. Need to figure out the long term future of this position group.
OT
2025: Sewell, Decker, Manu
ERFAs: Galvin
UFAs: Skipper, Jones
Offseason Need: LOW
We have the best T in football and a pretty solid guy on the other side. I don’t buy the whole “Decker needs to be replaced soon” talk. He’s still solid, under contract until 2027, and only 31. In fact, we have Sewell, Decker, and Manu all under contract through at least 2027. I think Dan Skipper has to come back, even if it’s just as a glue guy. But, I’d like to see if Manu can step into that #6 OL role sooner rather than later.
IOL
2025: Ragnow, Glasgow, Mahogany, Sorsdal
ERFAs: Niese
RFAs: Awosika
UFAs: Zeitler, Eguakun, Muti
Offseason Need: HIGH
The good news is we have Ragnow. Maybe a bit of a tough year for him, but he seemed healthier than normal. There’s always talk of him retiring, but who really knows. He’s under contract through 2027 and I’d expect him to at least play though his contract. The bad news: Zeitler may be gone. He had a great year between Ragnow and Sewell, but so did Glasgow last year. Speaking of Glasgow…holy moly, move him back to RG immediately. He is just not comfortable on the left side and it shows. I don’t buy him being a $7m a year backup, but if you bring Zeitler back and make Mahogany the LG…maybe it’s not a bad idea. The always uncertainty with Frank and injuries, the potential loss of Zeitler, the poor performance of Graham really make me think we need to invest into the interior of the offensive line to keep this machine moving for years to come. Mahogany is a future NFL starter, no doubt. Sorsdal looks like he might not be cut out for the NFL.
DE
2025: Hutchinson, Smith*, Paschal, Lynn
ERFAs: Agude
UFAs: Davenport, Cominsky, Muhammad, Williams, Ukwu
Offseason Need: HIGH
We need to lock Hutch up this off-season. Full-stop. Beyond 2025, we have Nate Lynn as the only DE under contract. Yikes! Hutch will come back healthy next year and will be a for. I must imagine at this point that Smith’s option will be picked up for 2025. But he really kinda flamed out after a quick start here, so who knows. Lots of question marks on the free agents…Would like to see Davenport take a 1 year prove it as a rotational edge. Commish? I think he might be done here. They already asked him to take a pay cut once and I know they love him, but could also see the Lions moving on. Would really like to see Muhammed come back as cheap depth too. But we really need some long term solutions here – starting with a Hutch extension.
IDL
2025: McNeil, Reader, Wingo, Martin
RFAs: Adams
UFAs: Onwuzurike, O’Connor, Peko, Smith
Offseason Need: CRITICAL
McNeil is going to most likely miss a large chunk of 2025. Reader is in his final year of his contract. Martin looks like he’s heading to bag groceries. Woof. Immediate and future needs here. Wingo did look great for a late round rookie before his injury. Levi played pretty well too, but my fear is that we’re gonna lose him to a IDL needy team who will offer him more than we will. Need starter level play until Alim is back and depth behind Reader at the NT role. This position group is not great looking forward, in my opinion. Watching them get gashed repeatedly in the run game without McNeill towards the end of the season hurt. I really think you have to address this.
LB
2025: Campbell, Anzalone, Rodriguez, Reeves-Maybin
ERFAs: Nowaske
UFAs: Barnes, Niemann, Turner, Pittman, Alexander, Beauplan
Offseason Need: MODERATE
For 2025, except for the SAM role, we’re pretty solid with the four guys we have, honestly. However, literally no one at the SAM position. I definitely expect Nowaske to come back on his ERFA contract. Would really like to see Barnes back too. Niemann, Turner, and Pittman are all special teams guys and I think you probably bring at least 2 of the 3 back. Looking ahead though…Only Campbell is under contract for 2026. Need some long term solutions here as well.
DB
2025: Joseph, Branch, Robertson, Arnold, Rakestraw
ERFAs: Norris Jr.
UFAs: Davis III, Melifonwu, Dorsey, Vildor, Thomas-Oliver, Moseley, Strickland, Hallett, Gilbert
Offseason Need: HIGH
I think you could head into 2025 with our 5 guys as starters, maybe, depending on how Rakestraw is. We haven’t seen much of him, but I think he could make due at NB. Arnold, Branch, and Rakestraw are the only guys signed beyond 2025, so there’s some long term need. Kerby is due for an extension, as he’s heading into his final year. I’d like to see Amik extended too. The big question is…what happens with CD3? Would love to see him back, but I think it’s going to come down to cost. I think you bring back Vildor and Dorsey for their ST play. And Iffy?..Man, I like him, but the guy just can’t stay healthy. If he comes back at a cheap deal, cool. But he’s kind of a guy where you need a starter level player behind him because you can’t trust he will make it through the season.
ST
2025: Bates, Fox, Hatten
UFAs: Badgley
Offseason Need: MODERATE
Lock Jake Bates up. NOW. The combo of Bates and Fox should be a joy to watch for the Lions fans for the next 10 years.
