Andrew Erickson of fantasy pros put together a FA/draft "needs" breakdown of all 32 teams. Here is the Lions writeup:
The Lions’ Achilles heel on defense showed up at the worst time in 2023, with their secondary getting shredded by opposing offenses. Kindle Vildor, Emmanuel Moseley and Will Harris are all free agents.
Cornerback is a MUST in this spot as they look to align their strong run defense in the backend. Hence, the Lions are listed with +175 odds to draft a CB first per DraftKings Sportsbook, followed by OL (+200), and then DL (+225).
And there’s no better way to accompany a struggling secondary than with a strong pass rusher opposite the up-and-coming superstar, Aidan Hutchinson.
On offense, the Lions look like sure-fire bets to add a WR. Josh Reynolds and Donovan Peoples-Jones are hitting free agency.
The Lions can’t risk going ALL-IN on Jameson Williams in Year 3. Williams has had a tumultuous two years in the NFL. His rookie year was lost because of a torn ACL, and 2023 started slow because of a suspension. When he’s been on the field, he’s teased big-play upside with a lot of inconsistencies and injuries. Entering Year 3, the former first-rounder will likely be viewed as a logical breakout candidate. After all, the WR2 job should be all his with Reynolds gone in free agency. But Jamo’s hardly without his warts, with just a 10% target share earned, 15% target rate per route run, and 6.4 fantasy points per game scored in 2023 (WR66, same as Reynolds).
Williams might be overrated heading into 2024 because of his draft capital. But everything he showed in his second season suggests he still has a long way to go, especially as the “at best” third or fourth receiving option on the Lions.
A WR name that I think could make a lot of sense for the Lions in free agency is Curtis Samuel. A trip to Motown would reunite him with Jim Hostler, a former Panthers WR coach and senior offensive assistant for the Commanders. Hostler is now a senior offensive assistant for the Lions as of 2024.
Detroit also may need to overhaul the interior OL, as they could lose two starters. Halapoulivaati Vaitai is a FA alongside the bigger name, Jonah Jackson. Dan Skipper is another IOL depth piece they could lose in FA.
Both of their starting tackles are also due for new contracts at the end of 2024, as is Amon-Ra St. Brown. Also, some of their DTs are in the final year of their contracts in 2024.
Given their positive salary cap status, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Lions keep all of their core guys intact while potentially making one or two splash FA signing in hopes of getting back to the NFC Championship Game. Detroit has gone from being a team that had to overpay for free agents to a franchise that FAs will WANT to play for. With Ben Johnson back as the OC, the Lions have a strong shot as any team to get back to the NFC Championship Game with a few key additions this offseason. In Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell, we trust.
One way or another, NFL teams are going to – or try to – plug the holes on their roster this offseason. Whether it be through free agency or the 2024 NFL Draft will depend on each organization’s discretion as … read more »
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