NFL free agency starts up next week, and there are a ton of names out there that the Detroit Lions should be interested in, and there are a bunch of guys that they should not be interested in. Today, I want to talk about the eight guys they need to just say no to.

Edge Mike Danna

The Chiefs released the former Michigan Wolverine last week, and Lions fans were quick to wonder if he might want to come back and play in Detroit. Here’s the thing: he does not fit the Lions in more ways than one. For starters, he hasn’t had a run defense grade from Pro Football Focus higher than 57.6 in the last four years of his career. Stopping the run is a requirement for the Lions.

His pass-rush ability doesn’t make up for that. He had nine pressures and a sack in 2025. Part of that was due to injury, but his 2024 numbers of 31 pressures and 3.5 sacks aren’t much better. This is just not what Detroit is looking for.

Edge Bradley Chubb

Not long ago, Chubb was a Pro Bowler. Then he tore his ACL at the end of the 2023 season, missed the 2024 season, and struggled in 2025, arguably his worst season. If the 2023 Chubb were out there, he’d be perfect for the Lions. But unfortunately, he’s probably not.

Edge Marcus Davenport

This did not work out. In two seasons, Davenport played just 10 games, and he disappeared down the stretch of the 2025 season. The good news is that the Lions didn’t spend a lot of money on this experiment. But just because he could be cheap to bring back a third time does not mean the Lions need to do that.

C Lloyd Cushenberry

The Titans just released Cushenberry last week, and I know the Lions are on the lookout for a center, but this is not likely the way they go. The former third-round pick had a really solid season for the Broncos in 2023 and parlayed that into a big deal with the Titans. Unfortunatley he struggled while he was there, and 2025 was the worst of it. He allowed 25 pressures and six sacks.

OL James Daniels

Another player just released by the Dolphins. When Daniels played for the Bears, he was a solid guard. His last two years with the Steelers and Dolphins are ones he’d probably like to forget. He tore his Achilles tendon in 2024 and then tore his pectoral muscle in 2025.

Edge Joey Bosa

Bosa is no longer the guy he was for the Chargers. He had one of the highest missed tackle rates in the NFL in 2025. He’s struggled in run defense for a few seasons now. He only had one sack on third down in 2025, and he’s just not getting home like he used to.

CB Travon Diggs

Diggs was once an All-Pro cornerback. But he is not that player anymore, and it really showed during the 2025 season when he was released by the Cowboys. The Packers picked him up, but he only played two games for them before they also released him. He’s still 28 years old, and you can see a team taking a flier on him in 2026. I just don’t know if that’s the Lions.

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