The first—and arguably second—waves of free agency are basically done by this point. It may have only been a week since free agency opened up, but the NFL moves quickly. Most of the big name players are off the board, and teams have filled up a big part of their 90-man rosters.
But just because the top targets are gone doesn’t mean teams can’t upgrade their personnel. Whether it’s depth players or the few remaining starting-capable talents out there, some of the best bargains can be had in the second, third, and fourth weeks of free agency. And for a team like the Detroit Lions, that tends to take things slow and steady in free agency, they are almost certainly not done. I wouldn’t be surprised if they still have a handful of roster moves they make over the next few weeks.
So today’s Question of the Day is:
What is the one remaining roster move the Lions need to make?
My answer: Okay, “need” is a strong word. I think everyone could use a reminder that any perceived “holes” on the roster are fairly nitpicky. Most teams have glaring needs at this point at multiple starting positions. Most of Detroit’s needs are depth or rotational roles.
That said, I would really like to see them fill out their interior offensive line room. As of right now, that room has only suffered losses, no gains. Kevin Zeitler is off to the Titans, while Kayode Awosika is out there as a free agent. That’s two out of five interior offensive linemen the Lions carried on their 53-man roster for the entire season.
I understand the Lions have players capable of stepping into both of those roles on their roster already. Christian Mahogany may be ready to take over Zeitler’s starting role in 2025, and by the end of 2024 Awosika had already lost his backup role. Netane Muti returns from injury this year and could serve as the primary backup, or maybe the liked the progress that Michael Niese and Kingsley Eguakun made last year.
Or maybe the Lions’ plan is to draft a guard. But general manager Brad Holmes doesn’t typically operate in free agency under the assumption that he’ll draft a specific position. Holmes likes to grab players he likes in the draft, not positions.
But this is the Lions offensive line we’re talking about—an essential key to their success. Detroit shouldn’t go into 2025 just assuming all of these young players can stay healthy and take on bigger roles. Detroit should do their part to make sure their offensive line is as impervious to injuries as possible, and bring in a starting level talent who can not only serve as depth, but push Mahogany and Graham Glasgow for a starting role.
Luckily, there are still a few options out there. Most notably, 33-year-old Brandon Scherff and 29-year-old Will Hernandez are at the top of my wish list. Scherff is a five-time Pro Bowler who is certainly past his prime but is still a reliable player. Hernandez is more of a risk—his career has been up and down and he’s coming off a torn ACL—but he was playing some of his best ball before the injury.
Either way, the Lions would be wise to ensure their offensive line doesn’t take a step back in 2025, and I think adding one more veteran to the group would help.
What move do you want the Lions to make in free agency? Scroll down to the comment section and let us know!