The Detroit Lions offseason is in full swing and they’ve already begun their pre-draft process. Expect Detroit to be all over the Senior Bowl this week. But first things first, the Lions have 34 free agents this year and it’s time to talk about which of these guys we think will be brought back and which are likely to walk. Let’s jump into it.
Who the Lions could re-sign
RG Kevin Zeitler
This is probably the biggest one right here. The Lions have a chance to push off their offensive line retooling for another season and they should take it. Brad Holmes has already said there’s been a dialogue between the team and Zeitler and we know he’s not retiring. Let’s see if Detroit can get him back.
DT Levi Onwuzurkie
He had a nice season for sure. At one point the question was about if he would ever play again, now the question is how much the Lions are going to pay him to stay. He put up 45 pressures and three sacks in 2024. That’s a good season. Makes you wonder what he could do with a full season of healthy guys around him.
S Ifeatu Melifonwu
It was a bit of a lost season for Melifonwu because of all the injuries, but when he was on the field he was good. Plus he had a big 2023. just can’t see the Lions letting him get away. Especially when they could probably bring him back on a discount.
LB Derrick Barnes
Barnes is a priority guy for this team. They need to make sure they can bring him back because he has really begun to show that promise we once saw in him. With Kelvin Sheppard as the Lions’ new DC, look for this team to keep players that he put a lot of work into. Barnes is at the top of that category.
OT Dan Skipper
Sort of leaning both ways on this guy. On one hand, the Lions are likely to be on the lookout for tackles sooner rather than later, but on the other hand this guy is a team guy that just does whatever is asked of him. Campbell usually loves those types of guys. So I think he sticks.
DL O’Connor
The guy isn’t a superstar, but he doesn’t have to be. O’Connor showed this year that he can be a depth guy who will get stuff done when his number is called. That hard-nose play that he brings has Dan Campbell and Kelvin Sheppard written all over it.
LB Ben Niemann
If I had a quarter for every time that Dan Campbell mentioned Niemann in a presser this year, I’d have like three dollars. That’s not a small amount when you do the math. He loves this guy for his special teams ability and what he’s able to bring in a depth role. He’ll be back.
RB Craig Reynolds
This is a super easy one. Reynolds is a restricted free agent so it’s almost guaranteed that the Lions bring him back. It helps that he’s such a big part of the culture here too.
CB Kindle Vildor
I know there are a lot of Lions fans who seem to think this guy is horrible because they watched one-half of football in Indianapolis, but he’s actually a solid depth player that is essentially what everyone wanted Will Harris to be all those years. The Lions may have to fight the Jets on this one, but Vildor should be back in Detroit.
IOL Kayode Awosika
Another restricted free agent that you can guarantee will be back. Depth is a big thing and while Christian Mahogany has jumped him, you can’t have enough solid guard depth.
CB Khalil Dorsey
Man, this guy is really good on special teams. Maybe one of the best gunners in the entire league. They will definitely bring him back.
LB Trevor Nowaske
He’s an exclusive rights free agent so it’s really easy to just bring him back. Nowaske has been great as a SAM linebacker for this team.
Quick hits on others that should be back:
- Edge Myles Adams: Showed some promise as a pass rusher whenever he got a chance to be on the field. Is an RFA.
- LB Anthony Pittman: Special teamer that the Lions were happy to get back this season.
- DL Jonah Williams: I think they might want to see what he can do at camp.
- OT Connor Galvin: He’s an ERFA, so it’s likely they bring him back based on the good he showed in the preseason in 2023 and 2024.
- TE Shane Zylstra: Was shocked when he got cut last year. Definitely see him being back.
- NT Kyle Peko: Lions liked him a lot this year, but the injury took him out when it was supposed to be his big moment. Should be back.
- LB Mitchell Agude: The Lions tried a lot of things with him this year. I don’t think they’re done trying things.
Players that are likely moving on
CB Carlton Davis
This was the hardest one to figure out, but at the end of the day, I put him in this section because I think the Lions might find it a lot cheaper to extend Amik Robertson and put him in place as CB1 than it would be to set Davis up with a big new contract. Plus they need money to do all the other things they want to do this year. I’m fully prepared to be wrong about this one.
Edge John Cominsky
Ahead of his injury in training camp, it seemed like there was a solid chance that he might get cut. The Lions could bring him back on a very cheap discount, but I think they’re about to do a full rebuild on their edge rushers outside of a select few.
WR Tim Patrick
Love Tim Patrick and would not see one thing wrong with bringing him back, but at the end of the day he’ll be 32 next season and he’s just not the long-term solution for the WR3 problem. Plus I think the Lions look to draft a guy and maybe sign a couple of players too. Just can’t see them going into another summer concerned with their depth like they did last year.
Edge Marcus Davenport
At this point, I just can’t see it. Davenport has a long history of injuries and it took him one game in Detroit to continue that problem. That’s not counting the injury he had in camp either. This is not the way to go.
Edge Al-Quadin Muhammad
Sort of on the fence with this one because he had his really good moments, but I’m sticking with the idea that this team is going to rebuild that edger spot with younger guys.
CB Emmanuel Moseley
It’s sad that things went down this way, but the injuries were just too much to overcome. Nobody should blame Moseley for that. He went through hell and just being able to come back was a giant achievement.
LB Kwon Alexander
The Lions have kind of already moved on from this guy. They did not sign him to a futures contract and he can sign with whoever he wants right now. Hard to see the Lions bringing him back if they have a fully healthy linebacker room.
WR Donovan Peoples-Jones
Boy did this not work out. The Lions traded for him in 2023 and there was some hope that he could be an important receiver on this team, but it just never happened.
Teddy Bridgewater
I maintain that he will be back with the Lions, but will be a part of the coaching staff. I just don’t believe him when he says he’s not interested in coaching.
Quick hits on others that likely won’t be back
- WR Maurice Alexander: Lions didn’t sign him to a futures deal and it was clear they didn’t see him as a full-time return man during Kalif Raymond’s injury.
- RB Jermar Jefferson: This is a good opportunity for Jefferson to find a place where he might see more playing time. It’s not going to happen in Detroit.
- IOL Michael Niese: He was on the 53-man roster all year and never saw the field. Was likely an emergency guy in case all hell broke loose.
- K Michael Badgley: Hard to see the Lions bringing him back with Bates being successful. They’ll likely look for competition, but Badgley won’t be it.
- WR Allen Robinson: He’s just not the Pro Bowler he once was and the Lions will look to go younger for their receiver depth.
- LB Ezekiel Turner: Had good moments, but the bad moments were really bad.