2025 NFL Scouting Combine | Stacy Revere/GettyImages
In 2023, Detroit Lions finished 12-5 and won their first division title since 1991. That also happened to be the last year they reached the NFC title game, which they managed with home playoff wins over the Rams and Buccaneers. However, Dan Cambell’s club squandered a big lead at San Francisco a week later but the seeds were planted for a franchise that was certainly on the way up.
When the 2024 regular season had concluded, Dan Campbell’s club was tied with the reigning Super Bowl champion Chiefs for the best record in the league at 15-2 The Lions also won a second straight NFC North title and for the first time were the top seed in the conference playoffs.
Then it all went sideways. Detroit hosted the upstart Washington Commanders in the divisional round, and owned a 14-10 second-quarter lead. The club was outscored a combined 35-17 the rest of the way and fell, 45-31.
Since then, Campbell has lost both his offensive (Ben Johnson) and defensive (Aaron Glenn) coordinators to head-coaching jobs with the Bears and Jets, respectively. There could be some other changes ahead as the club has 20 veterans who could become unrestricted free agents.
General manager Brad Holmes has some room to play with in terms of the salary cap. Here are three potential unrestricted free agents that could not only help Cambell’s team win a third straight NFC North title, but help the franchise reached the Super Bowl for the first time in its long history.
Free-agent additions that would boost the Lions’ roster
3. DE Chase Young
The Lions managed to finish 15-2 this past season, tied for the best record in the NFL despite the fact that their defense wound up being a liability by season’s end. In past years, it was a lack of talent. In 2024, a slew of injuries was a major factor. Arguably, there was none bigger than the loss of defensive end Aidan Hutchinson. He went down at Dallas in the fifth game of Detroit’s season with a broken leg.
The second overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft was off to an impressive start. He totaled 19 tackles, 7.5 sacks and a forced fumble during the team’s 4-1 start. In early November, the Lions obtained Za’Darius Smith from the Cleveland Browns. Nonetheless, despite missing the final 12 games of the season (as well as the playoffs), Hutchinson wound up leading the team with those aforementioned 7.5 sacks.
There are some intriguing names that could hit the open market very soon. It’s also worth mentioning that the Buffalo Bills just released veteran Von Miller. Holmes may be able to ink one-time NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Chase Young as an insurance policy and at a very reasonable price. He played in all 17 games for the Saints in 2024, finishing with 31 tackles, 5.5 sacks, and a forced fumble.
2. G James Daniels
The dependability of veteran guard Kevin Zeitler can’t be underestimated. He was a first-round draft choice by the Cincinnati Bengals in 2012, and in 13 seasons has played for five different organizations. His most recent stop came in 2024 in the Motor City, where he missed just one game. Zeitler has appeared in a combined 198 regular-season contests and made 197 starts. In case you’re concerned that the 2023 Pro Bowler has slipped a bit, he’s currently Pro Football Focus’ third-ranked guard behind Atlanta’s Chris Lindstrom and Denver’s Quinn Meinerz.
Speaking of PFF, it was hardly a surprise that only the offensive lines of the Philadelphia Eagles, Denver Broncos, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers were ranked higher than Campbell’s unit in 2024. However, if Zeitler does move on, how much of a loss would that be to the team’s formidable blocking contingent?
In case the Lions opt to look for a veteran replacement, seven-year pro James Daniels could be available. A 2018 second-round draft choice of the Chicago Bears, his third season with the Steelers was cut short after four games via an Achilles injury. Meanwhile, 2024 fourth-round draft choice Mason McCormick appears to be the future at right guard for Mike Tomlin’s club.
1. CB Charvarius Ward
Despite adding some solid players on the defensive side of the ball in recent seasons, the Lions have had their share of struggles in this area for too many years. As previously mentioned, Glenn’s unit was hit hard by an absurd numbers of injuries in 2024 and it showed down the stretch—especially in the divisional round home loss to the upstart Commanders.
Here is a very disturbing note when it comes to Detroit’s annual struggles against enemy aerial attacks. All told, Campbell’s club gave up the third-most passing yards in the league in 2024. Amazingly, it marked the sixth straight year that the Lions ranked 24th or lower in the NFL in this category, and the fourth time over that span that the Lions finished 30th or worse.
The San Francisco 49ers are coming off a disastrous 6-11 season. It’s the second time during the Kyle Shanahan Era that the club has followed up a Super Bowl appearance with a losing campaign. There could be many changes to a roster that has its share of veterans who could test the open market. Cornerback Charvarius Ward enjoyed a Pro Bowl campaign in 2023, starting in every game and coming up with a career-high five picks (1 for a touchdown). He was limited to 12 contests in 2024, and the Lions have the salary-cap room to make a big offer.
