The Lions are of course in a rebuild and could possibly address anywhere but Brad Holmes did say that they will be looking for more skill positions with Campbell saying the same thing during the senior bowl but did add a comment of o line depth. To figure out which groups need to be addressed first we need to see the value of positions using The Blitzalytic site article about which positions are the most important. https://www.blitzalytics.com/post/most-valuable-positions-in-the-nfl we learn the top 10 order is QB, EDGE, CB, Offensive Tackle, Linebacker, Interior offensive line, safety, Wide Receiver and running back are in the top 10. The next step is to see what the Lions already have and can cross off in this list the Lions already have 2 franchise tackles in their offensive line with Taylor Decker and all-rookie RT Penei Sewell the interior o line for the most part is complete with LG Jonah Jackson and Frank Ragnow who was voted the best center in football https://lionswire.usatoday.com/2021/07/11/lions-frank-ragnow-ranked-the-nfls-best-center-top-5-overall-interior-ol/ the only question mark is Big V who was a fine RG the next season none of the o lines is in dire need to be addressed. The Lions also believe they are set at running back with Holmes praising the RB room https://www.mlive.com/lions/2022/01/brad-holmes-calls-trench-play-and-running-back-room-strengths-for-the-detroit-lions-after-year-1.html The Lions will most likely not address the running back position. The rest of the list are all needs with a question mark at QB in Jared Goff but there are some things that make the quarterback position a question mark to even address first off the Lions have expressed confidence in JG https://sidelionreport.com/2022/02/03/lions-general-manager-brad-holmes-keeps-stating-obvious-jared-goff/ and the Lions do have him under contract. The Lions are at odds as well with the 2022 NFL QB draft class being considered a weak class with Malik Willis and Matt Corral leading the group Willis is the only QB with a high ceiling but is extremely raw and played small school teams with Corral being more a strong-armed Alex Smith. The Lions could go QB and sit Willis or Corral and then let Goff go in 2023 due to the out the Lions have per OvertheCap. Odds are the Lions will stick with Goff the coach and the GM seem to like him and he flashed in the late season with Dan Campbell as his play-caller having stats that would have led to the nearly 4,000-yard season with 36 TDs and 7 ints had he played that way the entire season odds are the Lions stick with Goff and see if he keeps up that flash and build for a QB in 2023 such as Bryce Young or CJ Stroud. The next spot is EDGE which with Romeo coming off a major injury and Charles Harris as a FA along with only Harris getting any real pressure with Julian Okwara having the 2nd most pressures with 18 EDGE is a need. The Lions could resign Charles Harris who had a breakout year for Detroit or they could opt not to resign him and just draft an EDGE in the draft or they could resign him or sign some big-time EDGE. The most logical option seems to be not resigning Harris and just drafting an EDGE the Lions can get a rookie EDGE with a 5th-year option such as Aidan Hutchinson EDGE from Michigan or Kayvon Thibodeaux from Oregon at pick no 2 or later EDGE guys suck as Myjaj Sanders Sam Williams and Boye Mafe.
(Charles Harris in a game for the Detroit Lions picture captured by the Detroit Lions https://www.detroitlions.com/team/players-roster/charles-harris/)
After EDGE is the cornerback position the Lions have a major need for a slot corner with AJ Parker falling apart as the season went along https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/P/ParkAJ00/gamelog/2021/advanced/ They also have a question mark at the corner with Jeff Okudah the no 3 overall picks of the 2020 NFL draft being around but looked awful in his sample size and Amani who had a good season but did have a hard time to start the season. https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/O/OruwAm00/gamelog/2021/advanced/ The Lions also have 3rd round draft pick Ifeatu Melifonwu who had some good reps for the Lions but is raw and didn't play much as a good rookie. Obviously, the Lions have some question marks with CB1 and slot CB but free agency seems to be the way for Detroit to address these issues the Lions could sign a respectable vet with guys like Joe Haden Casey Heyward, and Xavier Rhodes on the market for CB1 but Casey will most likely be the cheapest of the bunch. The Lions also have a couple of guys for the slot CB position with Desmond King Ahkello Witherspoon and Mackenzie Alexander King would be the cheapest option since Witherspoon had a career year and shutdown players and King is coming off a 3.5 1 year deal. The draft has Mykael Wright and Decobie Grant and Tariq Castro Fields who can all play slot CB.
(Amani O focused on catching the ball in Washington)
The next position is Linebacker more accurately inside linebacker. The Lions have not resigned Alex Anzalone yet and Derrick Barnes did not have a good rookie year nor is JRM who is also a FA even if the Lions resign JRM or Alex they still have a heavy need at linebacker with none of their linebackers being good at more than one thing Barnes wasn't productive at anything https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BarnDe02.htm JRM the same besides for coverage and is ok at the run game. https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/ReevJa00.htm The Lions have some options Dont'a Hightower Jayron Brown and De'Vondre Campbell all of them are all expensive but Brown. The draft also has some options, Chad Muma, from Wyoming Damone Clark from LSU who is also best buds with the Detroit Lions OLB coach https://lionswire.usatoday.com/2022/02/04/lions-lb-coach-kelvin-sheppard-lsu-tigers-damone-clark-little-brother-senior-bowl-coverage/ along with Christian Harris from Alabama.
(Damone Clark celebrates after making a play for LSU picture is from Clark's Twitter)
Safety is the next position the Will Harris at SS experiment is over https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HarrWi02.htm he has never produced a good season in coverage and played better at cornerback than SS the only stat that he improved was his tackle numbers and Tracy Walker the Lions stud FS is also a free agent while Tracy has said he wants to come back to the Detroit with Detroit also wanting him back there is hope he comes back but as of right now he is not resigned with the team. https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WalkTr01.htm Tracy was a valuable player for Detroit in the run game and the passing game has two seasons with over 100+ tackles and a 62% completion percentage and 2 TDs allowed and a rating of 97 and one interception. The Lions have been pinged to Marcus Williams the safety hybrid from New Orleans https://heavy.com/sports/detroit-lions/2022-free-agency-marcus-williams-saints/ Marcus has also been a great player for NO having 2 great seasons in coverage tallying up 15 career ints 3 FF and has been a viable run defender but has not amounted a 100 tackle season like Walker has. https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WillMa06.htm Williams also has one advantage as well that could get him signed compared to other FA safety he has connections to both the head coach and Aaron Glenn with Glenn being his secondary coach in NO and Dan Campbell being the Assistant Head Coach and TE coach in NO. Marcus Maye from the Jets is another option who can also play the hybrid role and has also produced a solid or great season in his time with the Jets https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/M/MayeMa00.htm The Lions could go after a SS more than a hybrid like Quandre Diggs who could have a reunion in Detroit and is one of the better SS in football Keanu Neal a former first-rounder but he did move to linebacker with the Cowboys he is a solid player either way but that could be a concern to move him away from linebacker after having a good season there. https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/N/NealKe01.htm The Lions have a lot of options at this position in FA but really only one player is going to be cheap and that player is Neal but he is an obvious downgrade from Walker and plays quite limited to a linebacker/box role. They could also go for options in the draft with guys like Kyle Hamilton Kerby Joseph Lewis Cine Jalen Pitre and Jaquan Brisker are all in this draft and could produce for the Lions.
(Marcus Williams holding the ball with the Saints picture taken by James Gilbert https://whodatdish.com/2022/02/20/saints-free-agent-marcus-williams-lions/)
The last spot is Wide Receiver which is arguably their biggest need. The Lions have only 2 viable WRs in their roster under contract in Quintez Cephus and Amon Ra St Brown with Trinity Benson being the 3rd WR on the roster but we all know how that went. Cephus is a solid WR had he not gotten hurt he was on pace for a 680 yard season and 7 touchdowns St Brown on the other hand was in a way the Jared Goff for the WR core after not doing anything for most of the season St Brown exploded in the final half of the season ending the season with 912 yards and 5 receiving touchdowns and 1 rushing touchdown and set franchise records https://www.detroitlions.com/news/notebook-st-brown-sets-franchise-record-for-rookie-receiving-yards https://twitter.com/FieldYates/status/1480183075149594628 (Note St Brown ended up break the other record as well) https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/StxxAm00/gamelog/2021/advanced/ in total the Lions have one really good WR they are in need of a true number 1 WR and a deep threat and a WR 2 since St Brown is a slot WR. The Lions have the option of resigning Josh Reynolds who played quite well for Detroit where he had a 306 yard 16.1 yard per catches and 2 touchdown season with them and had he played the full 17 games with the Lions he would have been on pace for 867 yards and 5 touchdowns that is a good season for a number 2 WR and he has good chemistry with Jared Goff and he should come cheaper than most WRs and is a solid deep threat but doesn't fill in that category much. https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/ReynJo00/gamelog/2021/advanced/ For non-Lions free agents The Lions can go after Mike Williams from LA DJ Chark from the Jags. Williams is a really productive WR for the Chargers having good size being 6'4 and weighing in at 218 pounds but did only run a 4.5 40 time in his pro day he also only had 6 games where he didn't have 60 yards or more he is a reliable guy for your passing attack and fits the number 1 WR role but isn't too much an of a scary deep threat but is still a force to reckoned with in the deep passing game. https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/gamelog/_/id/3045138/mike-williams
DJ Chark is a player that has really fun upside and has been productive Chark is 6'4 198 pounds and a ran a 4.34 40 time and was a productive player for the Jags in the 2020 and 2019 seasons. https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/stats/_/id/3115394/dj-chark-jr He does have an injury issue which could make him risky having only played 13 games in 2020 and playing 4 games in 2021 but this could be beneficial for the Lions because it could make him cheaper due to injury risk and Chark only having one really great season if you want more information on Chark read my off-season article. There is of course Chris Godwin but I feel these three players I mentioned are most likely to be Detroit Lions or at least make sense with the Lions.
There are draft WRs as well such as David Bell WR from Purdue Romeo Doubs from Nevada Christian Watson WR from NDSU and Jalen Tolbert WR from South Alabama.
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