We’re two days into NFL free agency. Which move by the Lions has surprised you the most?
Two days into free agency, we’re starting to get a clearer picture of how the Detroit Lions are addressing their uncertainties heading into 2025, and more importantly, the NFL Draft next month. The Lions are letting some cornerstones of their 2024 defense walk—Carlton Davis and Za’Darius Smith are both no longer Lions. Meanwhile, the Lions taking chances on guys who dealt with injuries in 2024, signing Derrick Barnes to a sizable extension and bringing back Marcus Davenport.
The Lions have made some bigger swings, too, like signing D.J. Reed to fill the now-vacant CB1 spot. You can track all of the Lions’ free agency news and rumors here . Which move has surprised you the most?
Question of the day: Which Lions free agency move has surprised you the most?
For me, there are two candidates. The first is re-signing Marcus Davenport. On the one hand, the Lions still have a barren cupboard when it comes to pass rush, especially following the departure of Za’Darius Smith. The last thing the Lions need is Aidan Hutchinson running another one-man show on the defensive line in 2025.
When the Lions signed Davenport in 2024, it was a bit of a surprise. Davenport has recently struggled in run defense compared to some other guys at his position. Add in the fact that he played just two games, and I didn’t think the Lions were going to bother giving that experiment another shot. Evidently, it’s very much a prove-it deal that favors the Lions , which makes a lot more sense.
The other candidate for my answer came in late Tuesday night, with the Lions signing nose tackle Roy Lopez from the Arizona Cardinals . At first glance, it’s a hefty price tag (just under $5 million) for a guy who will be your backup nose tackle behind DJ Reader. To me, there are two possible interpretations of this. One, it could an indication that the Lions are still hesitant about Brodric Martin’s development heading into year three. Two, it could be more of an indictment on Reader, who was very inconsistent in 2024 after the Lions signed him expecting him to anchor the defensive line. The price tag suggests more of the latter.
My answer: Ultimately I think I’m most surprised that the Lions are bringing back Marcus Davenport. Considering he’s not the typical EDGE archetype the Lions look for to begin with, giving him another shot given his injury history just wasn’t on my radar. However, the contract makes sense for both sides.
Which Lions free agency move has surprised you the most so far? Let us know in the comments.