Three Days In…Where are the Lions?

NFL Detroit Lions
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LBer Barnes, CB DJ Reed and DT Lopez all signed.

Levi likely gone, Zeitler in limbo and Tim Patrick still out there.

At LBer we have Anzalone, Jack Campbell and Barnes. Rodrigo recovering. Special team LBers re-signed. Good there overall. A rookie would be nice.

Secondary is the same. Solid. Need depth at safety.

DL is interesting:

At DT Reader and Lopez as well as Myles Adams are the healthy DTs. BroMart too. Alim is recovering as is Wingo. Levi likely gone. Feels like a top rookie can fill in team need here. Reader, Lopez, Adams and a 2nd rd DT can get the job done until McNeil and Wingo can come back. That would be 6 bodies without BroMart.

At edge we have Hutch, Davenport, Josh Paschal and Travis N. I think. I would think Muhammad would be back? Add a 1st rd. rookie and that might be okay? Another veteran there would be nice. Would move from okay to elite with another viable veteran and a top rookie.

I wanted Levi back, I would be happy to get Levi back but he is a glorified depth piece here and Lopez likely plays that role now.

On O I feel like that side will still be elite. Zeitler can be replaced in house at this point if necessary. Better with him, okay without.

Keeping Barnes was critical. Adding DJ at CB was important as we have 4 great options there (Reed, Arnold, Robertson and Rakestraw).

I think Holmes is aware of the importance of keeping difference makers that we drafted and paying depth pieces/role players ma RT let or below rates. Critical.

This team hasn’t lost a difference maker to another team. Injury yes but not free agency. Hutch, Kerby Joseph, Branch (in a year likely), Jack Campbell (in a year or two), Gibbs, JaMo, LaPorta and so on are difference makers not locked down past rookie deal.

If Brad takes advantage of draft depth and drafts edge and DT in rds. 1 and 2 I feel good about that. Adding another veteran DE is critical to me. Hutch, Marcus, veteran, rookie and Josh Paschal would be excellent.

WR #3 is a concern. Tim Patrick back? #3 safety is a concern. Interior OL is a concern without Zeitler.

This is still a dangerous team at this point. A few more additions and they will be ready to compete for the North crown again.

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I like where the roster is at 2 days into free agency. Stil plenty of time to add more, plus the draft.

Dline clearly is the biggest weakness. Especially with Alim recovering and Levi maybe out the door. The draft is apparently quite deep, especially at DT. So we may be able to go that route. Really need 1 more edge rusher though too.

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I think we’re all a bit nervous about an apparent lack of action in free agency, but the reality is this roster has been strong enough to a) come a play or two short of the SB in 2023, and b) amass a 15-2 record in 2024 despite an epidemic of injuries on the defensive side of the ball.

Those two campaigns mean zip now, however. They are only what could have been. But the club is indeed set up for long-term competitiveness, and I think we can realistically expect that to continue in 2025.

The next few days may even surprise with who they bring back or onboard, there are still quite a few solid options available to flesh out the club. And, as you mention, the draft should add to the talent on the DL with inexpensive reinforcements than may be able to provide lots of meaningful snaps right out of the gate.

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No one is getting any deals the first few days of Free agency. Even though I think we got a great deal on DJ. There will be some guys in the next few weeks we can use and won’t have to hurt the cap to sign. Bears and Vikings went crazy….but they also have rookie QBs. And honestly, the Vikings don’t really know what they have in JJ.

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Can’t help but wonder if there’s an offer on the table for Za to return on a 2-year deal after shopping himself around.

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Technically at noon it will be 48 hours since the legal tampering period began. And FA actually begins today. I hope we are still in on Levi and Zeitler until we are outbid (or Kevin retires). Patrick too. I expect to get outbid on Levi and Patrick.

I expect Brad to bring in a few more very cheap players. I want Zeitler back the worst so that we can focus on filling out all of our dline depth from this draft. I think Dline will be bpa in many rounds this year.

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A three man rotation of Hutch, Z and Davenport on the edge would be more than solid. Should always have a fresh guy there. We know Hutch will wreak havoc. But when any of them need a blow, those three, plus a rook hopefully, should ensure consistent pressure through four quarters.

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I’m getting into the draft now and I am loving edge and DT draft option in rd. 1 AND 2.

Holmes is likely gaming this out now a touch.

Say the Lions can add a Mykel Williams with a slight trade up (edge defender…like Holmes did with Arnold) and say DT Shemur Turner in rd.2. Turner is very versatile and experienced. A likely mid/late rd. 2 guy Holmes likely loves.

The DE group might be:
Hutch, Marcus, Josh Paschal, Mykel Williams and then maybe Muhammad? That could be excellent.

At DT:
Reader, Lopez and say Shemur Turner with Myles Adams with McNeil and Wingo recovering. BroMart competiting. Could be excellent.

So many great edge and DT options in this draft. If one looks like that…where might Brad make one more splash this free agency?

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I would love to see Brad make moves in the draft to focus on quality not quantity. There just aren’t a lot of jobs available for the Lions in 2025.

If all they walked away with was three players, a DE, DT, and an OG, that would be fine with me if they are all great prospects. We do need depth in other spots, S for sure. But really this draft is deep on the DL and Brad should be able to get two there who could be very solid for years to come.

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I am looking at available free agents and my guess is Brad is also looking at this draft too. With the deep pocket of DT and Edge players I am lookin at free agents a little differently now.

What is Brad signed we Keenan Allen for example. 6’2”. I have always loved this guy. Would be a kick ass #3 wr here.

At safety…Julian Blackmon or Justin Simmons as an Iffy replacement would be very nice.

Affordable moves likely at this point.

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I don’t think we realize just how stacked this roster is.

This is unlike any free agent period in the last 30 years for the Lions. They are simply that loaded.

I’d love to bring in a stud DE or another big name but … at what point are we being greedy?

Inside out is working. And at some point, you have to pay for that approach as well.

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Hey where are all the ring chasing older free agent discount contract guys? I was told there would be guys that would come here on the cheap because we are ready to cash that ring ticket

office space i would set the place on fire too if i didnt get my cake GIF by Maudit

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Buddy do some research , a glorified piece ? the dude played 655 snaps and had 45 pressures and played the run really good. That statement is totally inaccurate.

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Were still down 4 starters

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Someone else mentioned him , I really like this idea

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Where? The roster heading into this season is very similar to where it was heading into last season, minus Zeitler and Tim Patrick (who wasn’t even a Lion until late August). I guess you have to count Alim too, assuming he is out for a bit.

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Probably need to pass physicals, which they can’t do until today.

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DE and DT. Mingo and Mac won’t be there at the start. Lopez is depth or should be.

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Normally I have you on ignore. I’ll address your point here:
Glorified depth means that without injuries Levi would not have played that many snaps. Levi also got in edge work as we were so decimated by injury on the edge too as well as DT.

Levi played great but he isn’t starting over Reader OR Alim. He is a #3 DT here. Therefore he would be a #3 DT here again but Brad just signed Lopez for this role. Levi is likely done here.

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I mean, technically, Davenport was our starting DE last year. And he’s still here.

We can want an upgrade (and definitely insurance at the least), but I don’t think we can say we’re down a starter from last year.

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