Lions mock offseason 2.0: The Big Splash

The Lions send the following to the Browns:

2025 1st round pick (No. 28)
2025 3rd round pick (No. 101)
2026 1st round pick
2026 3rd round pick
DT Brodric Martin

In exchange, the Browns send this package back to Detroit:

EDGE Myles Garrett
2025 5th round pick (No. 165)
2026 2nd round pick

The fifth-round pick the Browns are sending is Detroit’s own selection, which was traded in the fall for EDGE Za’Darius Smith.

Garrett instantly moves to the top of this list, as he refuses to report to Detroit without a new contract that pays him significantly more guaranteed money. The Lions and Garrett agree to a 4-year deal worth $144.5 million ($36.13 million per year) with $94 million guaranteed at signing (65 percent). This deal is worked out with Garrett’s agent before the trade; the hypothetical deal here does not happen without this new contract.

Detroit isn’t done locking up the defensive core, however. Aidan Hutchinson will have to wait a year, and the Lions have that luxury with contractual control over their star EDGE through 2026. But All-Pro safety Kerby Joseph is entering 2025 with an expiring contract. Not anymore…

The Lions and Joseph agree on a new four-year contract extension worth $82.5 million ($20.6 million per year) and $52.8 guaranteed at signing (64 percent). It makes the 24-year-old Joseph the highest-paid safety in the league in annual salary.

Due to the heavy hit from the new contracts, the Lions release LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin and EDGE Za’Darius Smith. Those moves save Detroit $6.1 million in 2025 cap room.

The Lions have a lengthy list of pending unrestricted free agents this offseason. Once again, we will be using the projected contract values from Spotrac as a guideline for free agent contracts. They’re unlikely to be 100 percent accurate, but they do provide a pretty strong baseline of expectation for the players and the free agent market. They were utilized in the new contracts for Garrett and Joseph, as well.

Those rich new deals rule out bringing back OG Kevin Zeitler or LB Derrick Barnes. In this hypothetical, the Lions capitalize on a soft market for CB Carlton Davis related to his durability issues and bring back the veteran cornerback on a two-year, $18.5 million deal with some heavy playing time incentives.

In the first scenario, DL Levi Onwuzurike left in free agency. This time around, he stays in Detroit on a 2-year, $8 million deal that can escalate up to $10.5 million with playing time-related incentives and roster bonuses.

Some duplicate lower-level deals from the first scenario:

OL Dan Skipper – 1 year, $1.78 million
CB/RS Khalil Dorsey – 1 year, $1.6 million
DT Kyle Peko – 1 year, $1.35 million
LB Ben Niemann – 1 year, $1.3 million
DL Pat O’Connor – 1 year, $1.25 million

The price tag on the restricted free agents forces some roster attrition here, too. Only versatile reserve OL Kayode Awosika returns, with RB Craig Reynolds and TE Shane Zylstra each getting offers elsewhere and leaving.

With the big move coming in a trade and a hefty payout of new contracts eating into the ability to spend much on outside free agents, the external free agent time is quiet in Detroit. The emphasis on developing young players like Kingsley Eguakun, Trevor Nowaske, Loren Strickland, Giovanni Manu and Nate Lynn overrides spending more salary on outside veterans for depth roles. Remember–after all the above moves, the only potential starting spot open on the entire team is offensive guard, and the Lions do still have veteran Graham Glasgow under contract with the hope that his poor 2024 wasn’t the end.

Brad Holmes doesn’t ignore the outside world in this scenario, however. The Lions go out and sign former Saints CB Paulson Adebo to a one-year contract worth $8.5 million. Adebo’s length (he’s 6-foot-1) and aggressive press coverage and run defense make him a nice fit for Detroit’s man-heavy scheme. He’s coming off a major injury (he broke his femur last fall), which keeps the price tag down. Adebo plays the ball in the air very well but is penalty-prone; he ranks in the NFL’s top 10 in both PDs (47) and penalties (35) amongst DBs over the past four years. The Lions have a definite type at CB, and Adebo is it.

The trade leaves the Lions thin in early picks. Detroit still has its own second-round pick at No. 60 but then doesn’t pick again until the end of the fourth round, No. 132 (acquired from the Eagles).

2nd round: Wyatt Milum, OL, West Virginia

I recently profiled Milum and would find him to be an absolute steal at this spot, though I suspect it’s a fairly realistic draft range for the West Virginia left tackle who didn’t allow a sack in his final three seasons. His odd build and tendency to play narrow in space makes him something of a tackle/guard ‘tweener, but he’s a future starter and a capable fill-in starter as a rookie at either spot.

4th round: Aeneas Peebles, DT, Virginia Tech

Peebles thrived in Senior Bowl team drills with his lightning-quick burst and consistent ability to slip through gaps and into the backfield. He’s got more useful bulk at 290 pounds than most guys who play that style, including Lions 2024 rookie Mekhi Wingo, who is coming off injury.

5th round: Malachi Moore, S, Alabama

A well-heeled free safety with good coverage instincts and impressive open-field tackling skills, Moore slides into the reserve free safety role behind Kerby Joseph with some upshot at playing in the slot behind Brian Branch/Amik Robertson, as well. With 2024 UDFA Loren Strickland stepping into the Ifeatu Melifonwu reserve role, Moore would replace the released Brandon Joseph on the Lions defensive depth chart

Rest of draft:

6th round: Jamaree Caldwell, DT, Oregon
7th round: Ben Yurosek, TE, Georgia
7th round: Isaac TeSlaa, WR, Arkansas

Caldwell jumps into the mix as a reserve nose tackle with ability to span across gaps. Yurosek is a combine snub with good all-around potential that will need to be developed. TeSlaa is a former D-II player (Hillsdale) who showed off size, speed and return specialist potential during Senior Bowl week.