Lions sign two of their young standout free agents to new contracts
The Lions ensure they retain three exclusive-rights free agents.
On Monday, we put out the full list of 34 free agents that the Detroit Lions have going into the offseason.
A few hours later, the Lions got three of them signed to new deals. Two of them had standout performances this season. All three were Exclusive Rights Free agents, so these are cheap short-term deals. Here are the guys sticking around:
RB Jacob Saylors
The former All-UFL running back joined the Lions halfway through camp and immediately made a name for himself. He made the Lions’ 53-man roster, took over the kick-return role, and showed he could handle it well.
The hope is that the Lions give him more time to develop there, and he can start breaking longer runs for touchdowns in 2026. Still, the Lions had the fifth-best average starting field position in the league this year because of Saylors.
CB Nick Whiteside
It was an absolutely huge night for him against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday Night Football. There’s something for the former UFL cornerback to grow upon with the Lions. There’s a ton of upside for him, and he can be a massive part of the Lions’ secondary depth if he realizes that upside.
OL Michael Niese
We haven’t seen a lot of Niese, but the Lions seem to like his upside, too. 2026 will be his third season with the Lions. They’ve worked him just about everywhere on the offensive line, and the hope is that he can be a strong depth lineman who can fill in anywhere the Lions need him to.
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