Year one may have looked like a major failure on paper for Brad Holmes & Dan Campbell, but when you take a closer look there's a lot to like about how the Lions new GM and HC did they're job, especially Brad Holmes, who showed how good he is at seeing talent in the early and latter rounds, especially with Undrafted Free Agents and Released players throughout the season, guys like Jerry Jacobs, Josh Reynolds, Craig Reynolds, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Riley Patterson, Charles Harris, and Derrick Barnes, were a big help to the Lions roster. The 2022 NFL draft is right around the corner and Detroit has a ton of draft capital this season after trading franchise QB' Matthew Stafford to the Rams in exchange for Jared Goff, two 1st round picks and a 3rd round pick that resulted in Holmes pick DT' Alim McNeil. The Lions' have three of the first 34 selections of the draft (2, 32, 34.) giving Brad Holmes the opportunity to build a solid roster, but the Lions could be serious buyers in the Free Agency marker this season, so with so many needs to help make this Lions team contend for wins weekly they will need to add some much needed help. Here is the best and most likely free agent at each position for the Detroit Lions...
QUARTERBACK: Tyrod Taylor
The Lions had one of the worst Quartback rooms in all of the NFL in 2021. Jared Goff is a good player and still needs some weapons around him before he can contend with Detroit, but he wasn't the reason I said the Lions had a terrible Quarterback room. The Lions' back up situation was awful. Tim Boyle didn't live up to the hype that he received from NFL analyst when he had to replace an injuried Jared Goff multiple times in the '21 NFL season. The only other real option for Detroit was David Blough, who sort of made a name for himself a couple years ago when he had to replace Matthew Stafford for a decent period of time. Tim Boyle will be a free agent this off-season and I'd say the Lions probably won't be bringing him back. Boyle threw 6 interceptions and had just 3 touchdowns in 5 games played with Detroit in the '21 season. The Lions lost in all of his starts... Tyrod Taylor is 33 years old, a Veteran of the sport, who has had some terrible luck the last couple years. He was set to be the starter for the Las Angeles Chargers in the 2020 season, but a team doctor injuried Taylor while trying to give him a pain killer shot for his ribs, forcing rookie Quarterback, Justin Herbert to take center stage. By the time Taylor was healthy again Herbert was rewarded the starting role for the Chargers'. Fast forward one year later and he signed with the Houston Texans. Taylor started for Houston in the first game of the season, and played very well, but was injuried later in the game. He would end up sharing starts with Rookie Davis Mills because of the injury. The Texans played much better with Taylor on the field in 2021 than they did with Mills. In 6 games played Taylor threw for 966 yards, 5 TD's, and 5 INT's. He rushed for 151 yards, and 3 TD's as well. He could be the Veteran piece the Lions need to hold a steady QB room in the NFL...
RUNNING BACK: Cordarrel Patterson
This is probably unlikely because Jaamal Williams is still under contract in 2022 and the Lions already have D'Andre Swift who is an excellent Running Back who happens to also be an amazing recieving back. Not to mention the Lions will have Craig "Netflix" Reynolds back for the 22' season. Cordarrel Patterson is just to good of a player not to put on the list. He was a superstar for the Atlanta Falcons last season, and a true playmaker on offense. His explosive speed and history as a Wide Receiver gives all 32 teams a reason to want him on their team. He is Undoubtedly one of, if not the best Special Teams player in the NFL. You may know him best for his memorable 100+ Touchdown returns. He could be a true game changer for the Lions if they somehow land Patterson in Free Agency and for that reason I had to include him on this list...
Wide Receiver: Allen Robinson
This was a tough decision between Robinson and Chris Godwin. At the end of the day Allen Robinson is a better fit. An experienced NFL WR', Robinson made a big impact on the division rival Chicago Bears after spending some time in Jacksonville to start his career. Maybe coming as a surprise for some, Robinson is entering his 9th season in the NFL. Through his first 8 season Allen Robinson has scored 40 TD's, recorded 6,409 yards, on 495 career receptions in exactly 100 career games played in the NFL. Robinson is from Detroit and would bring that "Detroit vs Everybody" mentality with him if Brad Holmes can strike a deal to bring him back home...
TIGHT END: Zach Ertz
The Detroit Lions have a very good Tight End, TJ Hockenson, but giving the lack of good TE's on the roster behind him and Dan Campbell liking to line up with two TE's while play calling, I think it's fair to say that a Tight End could be high on Brad Holmes FA' wishlist. Look no further than Veteran and former Pro Bowler Zach Ertz. The 2018 Superbowl champion Zach Ertz was very good after being traded to the Arizona Cardinals near the deadline last season. He played very well in an offense led by Kyler Murray. In just 11 games with Arizona, Ertz put together 56 receptions, for 574 yards, and 3 TD's. Ertz is a 3-Time Pro Bowler and would be a great addition to the Lions' roster...
OFFENSIVE LINE: Laken Tomlinson
Ring a bell Lions fans?... That's probably because Tomlinson was drafted in the first round of the 2015 draft by Detroit where he would play his first two seasons in the NFL. He went on to play 5 seasons with the San Francisco 49ers where he was a big contributor on the offensive line. He's a Veteran of 7 seasons in the NFL, he'll enter his 8th this season. With the injury's the talented Lions offensive line has faced a reunion with Laken Tomlinson wouldn't surprise me at all...
I've concluded the offensive portion of the article with Tyrod Taylor, Cordarrel Patterson, Allen Robinson, Zach Ertz, and Laken Tomlinson. Now we head into the defensive portion where the Lions needs are even fierce...
DEFENSIVE TACKLE: Ndamukong Suh
DT' isn't a position of need for the Lions in 2022, but I need to put one on the list so why not go big or go home. Lions fans know exactly who Suh is. He spent 5 seasons from 2010 to 2014 with Detroit where he became a superstar, he recorded 10 sacks, 1 FF, 1 FR, and an INT in his rookie year. He has 36 career sacks in a Lions uniform. In 2015 he moved on to join the Miami Dolphins where he played 3 seasons where he put together 15.5 sacks. In 2018 he joined the Las Angeles Rams and helped lead them to a Superbowl appearance with then teammate and now Lions QB Jared Goff. He's spent the last 3 seasons as a Buccaneer' winning a Superbowl in 2020 with Tom Brady. He's a free agent now and it would be quite the headline if he found himself back in the place that started it all, and hey... Crazier things have happened, like Brady leaving the Pats, nobody could see that one coming in 2020...
EDGE RUSHER: Charles Harris
This is the first player that I have the Lions needing to resign on this list. Charles Harris had an incredible breakout season with the Lions in the '21 season and he became a much needed player after Romeo Okwara's injury early in the season. Harris is a former 1st round pick by the Miami Dolphins. He spent his first three season's in a Miami uniform. After that his next destination was the Atlanta Falcons in 2020 where he had a then career high 3 sacks. He joined the Lions in 2021 on a one year deal and he recorded 4.5 more sacks in a single season in his career with 7.5, infact he had more sacks in 2021 than his entire career previously combined. He was a huge factor in the Lions late season success and should be brought back even if it's to add depth...
LINEBACKER: Alex Anzalone
Didn't think I'd be saying this after the first few games of the season, but the Lions should bring back Alex Anzalone. He picked himself up and played really well after his first few weeks with the Lions and continued to play well until a late injury kept him out of the last few games of the year. Dan Campbell is really high on Anzalone and he seems to be a good leader to the young defense. I think it'd be a good move for Detroit....
SAFTEY: Tyrann Mathieu
Who isn't a fan of the Honey badger?. A very impactful piece of the Cheifs' dynasty the last few season. He has through the roof talent and he has plenty of experience. It was reported that he wants to test out free agency this off-season and with secondary blisters and Tracie Walker being a question mark because he's a free agent the Lions' could really use a talented Saftey and Mathieu would be a great fit. As he enters his 10th season he has racked up an impressive 26 career Interceptions, 3 pick six's, 4 FF, and 5 FR, with 10 sacks...
CORNERBACK: Casey Heyward Jr.
Corner isn't a huge need for Detroit anymore because of Amani Oruwariye, Jerry Jacobs, and Jeff Okudah, but it's important to remember they all spent time injuried last year and at one point none of them were on the field. Jacobs & Okudah suffered major injuries in the '21 season. So why not bring on a Veteran like Casey Heyward Jr to provide much needed depth for Detroit. This will be Heyward Jr's 11th season and you wouldn't need to pay much. A one year deal will get Heyward Jr on board and ready to go...
Well that almost about does it. A kicker is all that is left to add to the article (Punter won't be included because Detroit already has one of the best in the league, Jack Fox)
KICKER: Riley Patterson
Detroit has major issues finding a kicker last season going through Randy Bullock, Zane Gonzalez, Ryan Santoso, before signing Riley Patterson off of the Patriots practice squad. He turned out to be really good and there really isn't any reason for them not to bring him back...
Thanks for the read
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