2025 Lions offseason

[1984Echoes]

Just now, Motown Bombers said:

Gibbs, Laporta and Branch are probably guys I would pay to stay. I think Williams could be the odd man out. Even with Williams, the Lions could use another receiver. Tim Patrick is their number three. I could see them drafting a receiver relatively high and trading Williams next year. 

"Yessir!!!"

[Motown Bombers]

1 minute ago, 1984Echoes said:

I don't think that's true for the positions you mentioned. We could use a 3rd safety, we could use a 3rd developmental TE (who may not even threaten LaPorta but every other TE on the team) and a drafted RB could just as easily pressure Montgomery's roster spot in a couple years as Gibbs'... I'll throw another position out there... QB. If they draft a mid-round QB it's no reflection on Goff... but Hooker better start worrying about his spot.

I think on the D-Line you would absolutely be true. O-Line. LB'er and WR... Those all have veterans who could be moved on with youth, or a WR (Jamo) that the team is uncertain about.

Jamo cut off his link to the Lions social media... I'm guessing Holmes told him "No, we are not going to offer you an extension". So that's already indicating to me they'll pick up his 5th year option and trade him next year or... just move on after this season.

Just my 2 cents.

Vaki is the Montgomery replacement. Both are similar size, same measurable, and both are skilled tackle breakers. 

[1984Echoes]

Just now, Motown Bombers said:

Vaki is the Montgomery replacement. Both are similar size, same measurable, and both are skilled tackle breakers. 

They've looked at several RB's though, I think with either "30" or local visits. And at least one (I didn't look at all of them) also is in the same mode... shorter (Cam Skattebo) but built like a tank.

[Motown Bombers]

3 minutes ago, 1984Echoes said:

They've looked at several RB's though, I think with either "30" or local visits. And at least one (I didn't look at all of them) also is in the same mode... shorter (Cam Skattebo) but built like a tank.

I could see them drafting a back late, but I think Vaki is being built for the Montgomery replacement.

Speaking of Montgomery, that's going to be an interesting contract discussion. He did get the extension, but he's starting to get to that age where RBs start to breakdown and he's coming off a knee injury. I could see him gone within two years. 

[AlaskanTigersFan]

8 minutes ago, Motown Bombers said:

Gibbs, Laporta and Branch are probably guys I would pay to stay. I think Williams could be the odd man out. Even with Williams, the Lions could use another receiver. Tim Patrick is their number three. I could see them drafting a receiver relatively high and trading Williams next year. 

Maybe the front office loves Jamo as a player but are tired with all the off field crap that keeps coming up..... Campbell and Holmes don't seem to be the guys that like seeing their players get DUI's, gun charges and assault charges.... I think the last three guys that the Lions had with problems (except for Jamo) are off the team.....

[NYLion]

33 minutes ago, Gozer said:

Gibbs is a unique weapon(IMO) and I can't imagine he doesn't get a second contract at top of market.  Assuming he hasn't even entered his prime...his prime could/would be ridiculous.  LaPorta still gives me 'just happy to be here' vibes and seems like the type that could take a little less to stay.  Branch is a no brainer...pay him!!!

Jamo is as good as gone in a year or two IMO and out of the Gibbs, Branch, LaPorta and Campbell quartet, I could see LaPorta being the odd man out. One or two of these guys are getting moved or just let go, we should come to terms with that. Just keep drafting well and the Lions will be fine. 

My biggest concern is that they had two golden opportunities the last two seasons to win a Superbowl or at least get there. Up 24-7 against the Niners in the NFCG and 15-2 last year while they had cap flexibility with a bunch of key players on rookie deal. This is Year 3 of the Superbowl window IMO and the last year with cap flexibility depending on how they stagger the new contracts so the clock is ticking because the cap crunch is coming and the Lions are going to have to pay the piper eventually. Teams that don't have elite of the elite QBs have relatively brief SB windows, the Lions need to cash in on that the next few years (this year in particular) because it's only going to get tougher. Looking at the schedule this year? Yikes, the Lions are going to have to REALLY earn it this year. It has to be one of the toughest schedules in the league. There will be no 15-2 this year.

Edited 13 hours ago by NYLion

[4hzglory]

5 minutes ago, NYLion said:

Yikes, the Lions are going to have to REALLY earn it this year. It has to be one of the toughest schedules in the league. There will be no 15-2 this year.

Similar was said heading into last season.  Almost everyone was projecting the team to be better, but have a worse record than 2023 due to the difficult schedule.

 

Now 15-2 is extremely, extremely, unlikely so you are almost guaranteed to be correct that they won't be 15-2, but I expect them to be competing for the best record in the conference.

[NYLion]

6 minutes ago, 4hzglory said:

Similar was said heading into last season.  Almost everyone was projecting the team to be better, but have a worse record than 2023 due to the difficult schedule.

 

Now 15-2 is extremely, extremely, unlikely so you are almost guaranteed to be correct that they won't be 15-2, but I expect them to be competing for the best record in the conference.

True but this schedule is certainly tougher. They play all of The Final 4 from last years playoffs on the road all of whom that are considered Super Bowl contenders again this season depending on what one thinks of Washington, the Rams, Bengals who should be much better one would think and of course the brutal NFC North which it's hard to imagine that they'd sweep on the road again. Brutal schedule. I could see them going 5-4 or 4-5 on the road.

The home schedule is way easier and they're going to likely need to sweep it to compete for the division title.

I have a lot of faith in the team but that's a gauntlet of a schedule.

Edited 13 hours ago by NYLion

[Motown Bombers]

The Lions are in a good cap situation because they don't give out bad contracts to aging veterans like Trey Hendrickson. The Lions have been really disciplined in this regard. Brad Holmes has mentioned he didn't spend a lot because he has a lot of players coming up for new contracts. This shows they are thinking ahead and they have a plan. They have this mapped out for several years. Some of the players they signed to big deals, they left flexibility. Goff is going to have an enormous cap hit next year, but they didn't tack on void years so they have the ability to clear some ridiculous cap space like $40 million just from his contract. That is by design. They just have to stay disciplined and not chase the shiny objects every year. 

[Motown Bombers]

The Lions set up their contracts for basically a cap armageddon in 2026. Goff, Sewell, and St Brown will all have significant increases in their cap number in 2026. Goff's cap number goes up $37 million in 2026, St Brown $20 million, and Sewell $19 million. This has to be by design. The Lions can restructure these contracts and create enormous amounts of cap space. Not sure why they put it to 2026 but there has to be a reason. 

[Sports_Freak]

1 hour ago, AlaskanTigersFan said:

Maybe the front office loves Jamo as a player but are tired with all the off field crap that keeps coming up..... Campbell and Holmes don't seem to be the guys that like seeing their players get DUI's, gun charges and assault charges.... I think the last three guys that the Lions had with problems (except for Jamo) are off the team.....

Gambling and illegal substance suspensions but did he also get a DUI? I don't remember that one. He did get pretty lucky on not getting charged for a concealed gun.

[Sports_Freak]

Brad better not find any pro bowl caliber players in this draft. We can't afford them...🤣🤣

[StrangeBird]

I don’t think who they draft will say much if anything about their plans for contract extensions moving forward. Brad has made pretty clear that they don’t draft based on position need. Maybe position need is one factor, but they want the best players for their system, regardless of position. If they think the best player at 28 (or whatever number they trade up to) is a WR, CB, or S (e.g. Golden, W. Johnson, Starks), I would not be surprised to see them go that route tonight, even though arguably the defensive line is a greater need at the moment.