Brad Holmes would tell you the task of roster building is never finished, but after an aggressive free-agency period, the Lions general manager doesn’t have many items left on his shopping list ahead of April’s draft.
Holmes checked another item off that list this week, bringing back wide receiver Marvin Jones to fill the roster void created by DJ Chark’s departure. With that signing in mind, let’s quickly recap what the GM has accomplished this offseason.
On offense — where less work was needed after the team finished top five in scoring last season — Holmes solidified the depth at right guard by convincing Halapoulivaati Vaitai to take a pay cut and adding experienced veteran Graham Glasgow to compete for the starting job. And in the backfield, the team pivoted from Jamaal Williams to David Montgomery. Not only was that an upgrade in talent, but they weakened a division rival in the process. Finally, while the 33-year-old Jones isn’t likely to produce at the same levels as when he left in 2021, it mitigates the loss of Chark and provides another valuable veteran mentor for Jameson Williams.
Defensively, the Lions retained several key contributors from last year’s unit, re-signing Alex Anzalone, Isaiah Buggs and John Cominsky. Meanwhile, the most notable upgrades have been in the secondary, where the team added three potential starters in Cam Sutton, Emmanuel Moseley and C.J. Gardner Johnson, who led the NFL with six interceptions last season.
Holmes was able to accomplish all that while being fiscally responsible. The Lions’ salary cap is in great shape for the upcoming season, enough to potentially make another modest addition or two from the remaining pool of free agents.
Looking over the roster, the biggest area of need remains defensive tackle. The team made a run at six-time Pro Bowler Calais Campbell, but he opted to join the Atlanta Falcons on a one-year deal, worth up to $9 million. So let’s start our assessment of 10 remaining free agents who could still help the Lions with five who play that position.
▶ Poona Ford
Detroit’s former regime was keen on the undersized Ford when he entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2018. The former Texas Longhorn ended up going to Seattle, where he’s spent five seasons, almost instantly establishing himself as a quality NFL player.
A starter the past four years, Ford has proven to be a reliable run defender, while offering decent juice as a pass rusher, averaging 28 quarterback pressures the past three seasons. Obviously, he doesn’t possess an ideal frame at 5-foot-11, and he’s only an average athlete at the position, but there’s no denying the production.
Coming off a down year, by his standards, Ford has something to prove and might be willing to take a short-term deal to re-establish his value. Still, he’s likely to command more money than anyone else on this list.
▶ Matt Ioannidis
A fifth-round pick in 2016, Ioannidis spent six years in Washington before playing last season with Carolina. The 6-3, 305-pounder offers some versatility, with plenty of experience lining up both inside and on the edge.
As a run defender, Ioannidis is average, which doesn’t immediately help a defense in Detroit that allowed opponents to average 5.2 yards per carry last season. But as a pass rusher, he’d be an immediate boost. At his peak, in 2019, Ioannidis racked up 55 pressures and he’s had at least 34 five of the past six seasons.
▶ A’Shawn Robinson
The Lions have brought back a trio of former players this offseason with Jones, Glasgow and linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin. Acknowledging that theme, why not kick the tires on Robinson, the team’s second-round draft pick in 2016?
The book on Robinson hasn’t changed all that much in the three years he’s spent with the Rams. He’s still at his best playing the run and won’t be particularly disruptive against the pass, tallying just two sacks and 28 pressures on 542 rushes across those three seasons.
Robinson finished last season on injured reserve after tearing a meniscus in his knee, but he should be healthy for the offseason program.
▶ Chris Wormley
It would be a different type of homecoming if the Lions were to pursue Wormley, the former University of Michigan standout. A former third-round draft pick, he’s spent his entire career in the AFC North, with three seasons in both Baltimore and Pittsburgh.
Wormley has been an outstanding run defender his entire career, but outside of an out-of-nowhere seven sacks in 2021, he isn’t much a threat as a pass rusher. After playing fewer than 350 snaps two of the past three years with the Steelers, it’s easy to suggest a change of scenery could be beneficial.
The biggest issue is health. Wormley tore his ACL in December, and while recovery time for that injury has been shortened the past decade, it can still take the big fellas a bit longer to get back to 100%. Any consideration given to adding him could wait until closer to training camp, when a timetable for returning to action is clearer.
▶ Shelby Harris
The 6-3, 300-pound Harris has been a steady, durable player for quite some time. He’s appeared in 15 or more games five of the past six seasons, topping 500 defensive snaps four of those years. A rock-solid defender against the run, he’s averaged 40 tackles during that stretch, while also getting home for just under four sacks per season.
Harris is a little older than the other options on our list, turning 32 shortly before the start of the season, which should keep the price tag down.
Beyond defensive tackle, Holmes noted some interest in potentially adding a veteran tight end to supplement the trio of young players that currently make up that room.
▶ Marcedes Lewis
If it feels like Lewis has been around forever, that’s because he has. Next year would be his 18th season. Impressively, he’s appeared in 15 or more games the past six years, including starting all 17 contests for the Packers last season.
The longtime Jacksonville Jaguar, Lewis played the past five seasons in Green Bay. It’s reasonable to think he might eventually follow Aaron Rodgers to the Jets when that trade finally gets done. But the alternative here is Lewis serves as a mentor to a young group as part of a team on the rise. He’s still a good blocker and won’t demand much action in the passing game.
▶ Maxx Williams
We’ve mentioned Williams as a tight end possibility for the Lions since the beginning of the offseason, and Detroit’s hiring of his former position coach, Steve Heiden, only further connects those dots.
Williams tore his ACL in 2021 and wasn’t the same caliber player he once was when he returned to the lineup last season. Still, there’s meat on the bone, particularly as a run blocker, where he has long thrived. Now closer to two years removed from that knee injury, and still under 30 years old, there’s reason to believe he can round back into form closer to the player he was earlier in his career.
▶ Stephen Anderson
Anderson probably won’t register with with many NFL fans, but Jared Goff’s former college tight end has carved out a nice six-year NFL career for himself.
Averaging slightly more than 200 offensive snaps the past three seasons, Anderson wouldn’t be much of a threat to eat into Brock Wright’s or James Mitchell’s workload. It’s on special teams where Anderson could have an impact. He’s registered at least 234 reps with those units each of the past three seasons, including 272 while playing for Heiden in Arizona in 2022.
Speaking of special teams, the Lions should still be in the market for some help there. Adding back Reeves-Maybin was obviously a huge boost, but after losing both Chris Board and Josh Woods in free agency, adding another linebacker with a track record for excellence on special teams makes sense.
▶ Damien Wilson
Wilson brings extensive experience to the table, having appeared in 127 games, including 73 starts. He wouldn’t be in line for a starting job in Detroit, which might be a deal-breaker, but if he’s open to accepting a backup role, he could bring a huge boost to Detroit’s special teams, having logged 211 snaps with those units in Carolina last season.
Wilson played a larger special teams role earlier in his career, before his increasing defensive role merited reducing how frequently he was asked to cover kicks. Additionally, he has shown the ability to man all three linebacker spots, adding plenty of value on game days.
▶ Tanner Vallejo
Another experienced veteran, Vallejo hasn’t had as much of a defensive role during his six-year career, playing a personal-best 280 snaps last season. His calling card has become special teams, where he also shouldered a career-high workload in 2022 with 375 snaps in Arizona.
A four-phase special teamer, he recorded six tackles for the Cardinals last season and was one of Pro Football Focus’ top-graded performers among players who were free agents this offseason.
jdrogers@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @Justin_Rogers