Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
These five Detroit Lions can official go in the books as post-draft winners.
The Detroit Lions had a solid run through the 2022 NFL Draft, by most if not all accounts. My own post-draft 53-man roster projection has all eight draft picks making it, for whatever that’s worth.
Via additions made or not made in the draft, and even going back to free agency if we want to, there are Lions’ players who can be tabbed as winners and losers now. Competition added? (or not), players added to make a job or role easier?…it all depends on that stuff should be seen.
With that, which Lions can be regarded as winners after the draft? Here are five that fit the bill.
5 Detroit Lions who can be declared winners after the 2022 NFL Draft
5. OG Halapoulivaati Vaitai
Vaitai does linger as a possible post-draft cut, with the ability to clear $7 million in cap space as a post-June 1 cut. What would or even could be done with that cap space at this stage of the offseason is the question, and the answer is not a lot.
The Lions did not draft a guard, but their significant undrafted free agent investments in two offensive lineman (Kevin Jarvis, Obinna Eze) who may be guards in the NFL was interesting. In any case, Vaitai’s hold on the starting job at right guard, while never really that loose unless the Lions drafted a guard, is now very firm. So he’s a post-draft winner, barring a pretty surprising move to cut him.