2025 Lions offseason

[Hongbit]

He’s accomplished everything you can as an individual.  He’s made $130M in career earnings. He’s going to be a hall of famer.  The one thing he doesn’t have is a ring.  I’d hope he’d be willing to take a lesser role to give himself a great shot at it.  

[Motown Bombers]

Crosby signed the largest non QB contract in history. We can put that option to rest. Hutchinson just got very expensive. 

[Motown Bombers]

 

[Hongbit]

On 2/18/2025 at 3:58 PM, Hongbit said:

**** The Bears!  

**** Cancer!

Andy passed away this morning.

Faturday Forever and FTB

[Mr.TaterSalad]

15 hours ago, Motown Bombers said:

Bosa is the type of player Holmes likes to sign. A very talented player who might come a bit cheaper due to past injury concerns. As much as I've wanted Trey Hendrickson, I've never really thought we'd be in on any of the top tier pass rushers, even if they were rushers, even if they were available for trades. I could possibly see a guy from the next tier, like Bosa, being looked at by Brad Holmes. 

[Shinzaki]

Bengals giving Hendrickson permission to seek a trade

[Sports_Freak]

I'm not sure if this is true or not or even the payroll hit. As well as the cost of the trade. But it would be nice to have him. And yes, the payroll is a concern, Brad needs to extend some key players...Kirby, Jaymo and Hutch. But having this massive player on our DL would be great;

 

[NYLion]

Payroll isn't a big concern. They can easily fit in his contract this offseason and any extension shouldn't be too enormous because of his age and if he does go elsewhere for the big contract, you get the 3rd round comp pick. The cost for him should be in the 2nd rounder+ range I'd think so I don't think the cost will be too prohibitive. This is much more realistic than the Crosby/Garrett stuff has been.

[Sports_Freak]

3 minutes ago, NYLion said:

Payroll isn't a big concern. They can easily fit in his contract this offseason and any extension shouldn't be too enormous because of his age and if he does go elsewhere for the big contract, you get the 3rd round comp pick. The cost for him should be in the 2nd rounder+ range I'd think so I don't think the cost will be too prohibitive. This is much more realistic than the Crosby/Garrett stuff has been.

Then do it, Brad  i understand not trading draft picks in the past while building a roster but we're really close to bringing a championship to the long suffering Detroit Lion fans. Just....do it! 😆😆

[Motown Bombers]

The reason he wants to leave the Bengals is because he wants a big contract. I'm not sure trading for him and not giving him a contract is ideal. The Lions have an elite pass rusher. They need a good #2. The also have Za'Darius Smith who at this point in his career is still a good rotational pass rusher. Someone like Bosa on a short term contract while they draft a pass rusher makes sense. 

[MichiganCardinal]

Didn’t Brad already kind of shoot down the idea of bringing in a big name at edge during his Combine interviews or presser?

[Mr.TaterSalad]

6 minutes ago, MichiganCardinal said:

Didn’t Brad already kind of shoot down the idea of bringing in a big name at edge during his Combine interviews or presser?

Yes, he did. I've been on the Hendrickson express for a year now and would love to get him. But I'm not building up my hopes that we're going to get him or make any major acquisition for a pass rusher. 

[NYLion]

31 minutes ago, MichiganCardinal said:

Didn’t Brad already kind of shoot down the idea of bringing in a big name at edge during his Combine interviews or presser?

Never take what a GM or coach says at face value. There's rumors that the Lions were reaching out to the Browns for Garrett even back during the season so Holmes definitely has at least some interest in taking a big swing.

With that said, it's unlikely that they trade for Hendrickson but it's a worthwhile conversation.

[Mr.TaterSalad]

I think when free agency is all said and done we'll look back on it and see that the theme was the Lions having brought back a lot of their own players. I think the other theme will be how healthy they are salary cap wise. How they maintained cap flexibility and are setup to be healthy when it comes to their cap.

They really value their own players that they've drafted and developed and really value cap flexibility. As well, they like the free agents they've already brought in. I think we'll see that as the main focal point of what they did versus going out and breaking the bank in free agency or making a splashy trade that involves giving up high round picks. 

I think we'll have a new contract for Hutch this offseason. As well, I think Levi, Paschal, Kerby, Rodrigo, and Iffy might all get new deals. Iffy is the only one I'm the least certain on given that he's a starter who might not get the chance to do so here and so he'll leave to get that chance elsewhere. I think the other big priority is to bring back Davis and get him locked up for the next 2-4 years.

I don't think this means we won't get any free agent signings of significance, I'm sure we will. I could see a Joey Bosa or Khalil Mack coming in to take over the Marcus Davenport role on the defensive line up front. Bosa offers them the value on a really talented player that they like. I could also see a starting Gaurd get signed up replace one of Glasgow or Zeitler's spots with Mahogany taking over another starting spot. I could see them signing someone like James Daniels from Pittsburgh or Mekhi Becton from the Eagles at Gaurd. 

All in all though, I think their splashy moves will be very much limited or nonexistent. They'll focus on bringing back their core of guys they've drafted plus a few other key free agents like Davis. They'll focus on retaining cap and financial flexibility over the long term. I'd love to be wrong here. I'd love to look back and see that Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell swung for the fences and brought in a game wrecker like Trey Hendrickson to pair up with Hutch. I don't see that happening though as that just isn't Brad's MO and has yet to be his approach to any offseason.

Edited Thursday at 11:13 PM by Mr.TaterSalad

[buddha]

they dpnt have the space to sign hendrickson to the huge deal he wants.

unless you want to be the chargers in two years and have to cut a bunch of guys to get under the cap.  or be the saints and be in cap hell forever and have zero depth because of it.

let brad cook in the draft.  sign a reasonably priced end on the other side.  hendrickson is too pricey.

[Motown Bombers]

 

[MichiganCardinal]

5 minutes ago, Motown Bombers said:

 

Not knowing the difference between ‘who’ and ‘whom’ is the biggest crime in this tweet.

[Motown Bombers]

12 minutes ago, buddha said:

they dpnt have the space to sign hendrickson to the huge deal he wants.

unless you want to be the chargers in two years and have to cut a bunch of guys to get under the cap.  or be the saints and be in cap hell forever and have zero depth because of it.

let brad cook in the draft.  sign a reasonably priced end on the other side.  hendrickson is too pricey.

Look at Jacksonville. It's a bloodbath right now. It seems like we are going through this every year. This Lions staff has built a team that has progressed every year from 3 wins to 15. They had a team that was on the verge of doing something historic before injuries caught up with them. There is no need to chase shiny objects. 

[Motown Bombers]

Another player the Lions should target is Calais Campbell. I know he's old, but he's still productive and could fill in while we wait for McNeil to get healthy. 

[Sports_Freak]

1 hour ago, Motown Bombers said:

Look at Jacksonville. It's a bloodbath right now. It seems like we are going through this every year. This Lions staff has built a team that has progressed every year from 3 wins to 15. They had a team that was on the verge of doing something historic before injuries caught up with them. There is no need to chase shiny objects. 

They need a #3 type receiver;

https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/news/former-lions-wr-josh-reynolds-released-jaguars

[Sports_Freak]

2 hours ago, Mr.TaterSalad said:

I think when free agency is all said and done we'll look back on it and see that the theme was the Lions having brought back a lot of their own players. I think the other theme will be how healthy they are salary cap wise. How they maintained cap flexibility and are setup to be healthy when it comes to their cap.

They really value their own players that they've drafted and developed and really value cap flexibility. As well, they like the free agents they've already brought in. I think we'll see that as the main focal point of what they did versus going out and breaking the bank in free agency or making a splashy trade that involves giving up high round picks. 

I think we'll have a new contract for Hutch this offseason. As well, I think Levi, Paschal, Kerby, Rodrigo, and Iffy might all get new deals. Iffy is the only one I'm the least certain on given that he's a starter who might not get the chance to do so here and so he'll leave to get that chance elsewhere. I think the other big priority is to bring back Davis and get him locked up for the next 2-4 years.

I don't think this means we won't get any free agent signings of significance, I'm sure we will. I could see a Joey Bosa or Khalil Mack coming in to take over the Marcus Davenport role on the defensive line up front. Bosa offers them the value on a really talented player that they like. I could also see a starting Gaurd get signed up replace one of Glasgow or Zeitler's spots with Mahogany taking over another starting spot. I could see them signing someone like James Daniels from Pittsburgh or Mekhi Becton from the Eagles at Gaurd. 

All in all though, I think their splashy moves will be very much limited or nonexistent. They'll focus on bringing back their core of guys they've drafted plus a few other key free agents like Davis. They'll focus on retaining cap and financial flexibility over the long term. I'd love to be wrong here. I'd love to look back and see that Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell swung for the fences and brought in a game wrecker like Trey Hendrickson to pair up with Hutch. I don't see that happening though as that just isn't Brad's MO and has yet to be his approach to any offseason.

Yeah, it hasn't been Brad's MO but he also hasn't been in the position of being so close to the promised land. He had to build a roster first and now he has a team that is so very close. I agree he probably won't bring in a big name, I would be happy with signing/drafting some quality depth players. Getting McNeill back in November or so will be a big help.

[1984Echoes]

Cheap(er) FA's I'm looking for (might still be some bank but less expensive than the top tier guys):

X-Receiver (I still want Patrick back, I think he'll be inexpensive): Darius Slayton, Josh Reynolds (on a 1-year now that he's been released), Cooper Kupp (ONLY after he's released.. I don't want to trade for him...). Get him cheap and I think Goff would LOVE to have him...

CB: Carlton Davis, except I think he's going to try and break the bank... so NOT him. Same with Charvarious Ward although I would love to sign him. But no... I'll go with Paulson Adebo.

DE: I want Za'Darius Smith back at DE. And either a draft pick for the future of the position or sign Dayo Adeyingbo. Or both.

I have no interest in Hendrickson...

Myles Garrett on the other hand...

 

 

 

Edited Friday at 03:27 AM by 1984Echoes

[Motown Bombers]

 

[MichiganCardinal]

50 minutes ago, Motown Bombers said:

 

Feels like a lot for a player that struggles to get home on a roster where’s he’s behind both Anzalone and Campbell, but what do I know.

[Motown Bombers]

3 minutes ago, MichiganCardinal said:

Feels like a lot for a player that struggles to get home on a roster where’s he’s behind both Anzalone and Campbell, but what do I know.

he's a good run defender and Anzalone isn't getting younger. They also released Reeves-Maybin and I'm not sure when Rodriguez will be back, so they needed depth. It's more than I expected but I'm not upset.