If you could sign one of the top 2 FA defenders on the open market which one are you choosing?
Being reported Wilkins will get 4 years and a millions or 2 more then Hunter
Being reported Hunter will get 3 years a little less per than Wilkinson.
I am going with Hunter here!
I think Hunter and Hutch would be the best edge duo in the league!
Wilkins. I dont really trust hunter as much.
Either one of them would make such a difference.
I can see certain situations where we would kick Hutch inside, with Hunter, and Houston coming off the edges. That shit could be special…really special.
Hutch
Houston
Hunter
Triple H
Neither for me… but i like both players a lot.
I’ll take Sewell, St. Brown, Goff, Hutch, McNeill, Kerby, Iffy, Barnes, Rodrigo, Jamo, and Houston + Holmes’ future classes instead.
Maybe my math is off, or I’m just in the minority, but i don’t think you can sign a player like the ones you’ve suggested and keep the ones mentioned here.
Maybe you can on a 1 year deal so they’re off the books before it’s time to resign the 22’ class, but i don’t think those kinds of players are looking for 1 year deals. 
The salary cap is real and there’s no loopholes like in madden.
Keep the core. Give the bags to the core.
Why other teams can find away around it.
I don’t think other teams have nearly the hit rate Holmes has had. I don’t think they try to retain nearly as many of their own talented players off of a successful run as the lions are about to.
I think the lions can still sign free agents, but not the top tier ones that require long contracts with huge guarantees.
Imo, they need to supplement the roster with guys hitting their 2nd contract that are good players without oversized names.
Teams that hand huge bags to big names end up cutting those guys 3 years into a 5 year contract and then need to deal with years of dead money. They can’t pay their own guys. I think the lions believe they can foster a sustainable model unlike most other teams.
Don’t get me wrong - if they can land a big name I’ll be excited about it so long as they think they’ll still be able to continuously retain their own.
I personally think whoever signs Hunter will be disappointed. Give me Wilkins everyday of the week.
There is a way. Just think if we dont land upfront help i worry we won’t be in the running next year.
Maybe 6 of those guys are going to command significant money. You cannot build exclusively through the draft. Adding one high priced FA isn’t going to change anything in regards to keeping our own.
This team is great and I love it more than anything lol. But it lacks elite talent. I welcome whatever star they decide is worth the money.
I think some don’t understand or can’t get past the home team goggles…it’s really hard to get to the NFC championship. We could be even better next season and not get there. Too many are taking the run we just made for granted like it’s 100% inevitable we get back.
Whatever it takes to make this team better should be the goal. Outside FAs is apart of building a championship team.
Hunter >>> Charles Harris in our scheme
Gotta get Hutch some help
Im curious as to why you think that. Other than the money, he seems like a really good fit to me.
Save some money on both and go get Autry!
I agree with this 100%
It’s pretty rare that you see a team with a great roster like we have and still have so much cap space available. We need to take advantage of that while we can, because once we do start paying our own, the opportunity will be gone.
There is a narrative that we have to pay our own or sign a high-priced FA or two. I think that narrative is false. We have been so good with our cap and drafting that we have a window where both can be done. That window is now.
Looking at his year by year stats I don’t see that. The guy gets pressure and sacks TFL’s, and he is good against the run.
Both are great players… But me Hunter every day of the week
I respectfully disagree. I think this team has a lot of elite talent and it all came through the draft, and it’s all on rookie deals.
Don’t forget, this team came 30 minutes from getting to and winning the super bowl…
Sewell is elite. Hutch is elite. St Brown is elite. Gibbs is elite. Ragnow is elite. Decker is elite. LaPorta is elite. The LB group is overall elite. Branch is going to be elite. More and more players will become elite as they develop and be added to this growing list.
Holmes is elite at drafting and Campbell and crew are elite at helping these young players realize their full potential and turn them into elite players. Keep stacking and paying these guys. Do not hand Hutch’s future bag to anyone else. Players brought up here will see it, love it, and want to stay if they’re part of the core. They know their bag will be given to them and not some dude from another team.
Just my opinion.
To further articulate my point with an example - Don’t hand a huge bag to Saquon Barkley. Hand a decent bag to David Montgomery. FA contracts like this are affordable and allow the team to retain their homegrown core in a sustainable way.
Hunter, easily.
We do. It’s just young. By next year that narrative will disappear
You just named 6 players as elite, 3 of which are offensive lineman. Not saying you are wrong but that list doesn’t match the other contenders around the league. Also, not everyone reaches their max potential. LaPorta and Gibbs were amazing and I have no issues referring to them as elite. Also see the same outlook as you in regards to Branch. The LB core however isn’t great. If Jack ends up what we all hope sure, he can join the list of team stars.
The main point of my response, which I probably didn’t relay very well, is that this team would benefit greatly from having a Danielle Hunter opposite Hutch. That single player would completely transform the defense. And giving a big 3 year contract to an outside FA doesn’t affect the long term cap or the guys who will be due for extensions over the life of the contract.
You want to see this team take another leap? Get to the QB. Eventually our luck in the draft is going to come down to the mean. Relying on a rookie to improve this pass rush is a mistake imo. Get a proven guy and watch the defense go up a couple notches. And watch Aiden Hutchinson become TJ Watt because he has his Alex Highsmith opposite him.
As to your last point…not every David Montgomery esque signing is going to return what he did. We have been extremely lucky and fortunate with our FA/draft hits of the middling variety. It won’t happen this way forever…