4 free agents the Lions can try out at camp
I know I say it a lot, but with every passing day, we're getting closer and closer to the start of training camp. The first preseason game is 56 days away. If you're reading this on Saturday, it's 55 days away. Time is fun. Teams are fully set at this point and there's a lot […]
I know I say it a lot, but with every passing day, we're getting closer and closer to the start of training camp. The first preseason game is 56 days away. If you're reading this on Saturday, it's 55 days away. Time is fun.
Teams are fully set at this point and there's a lot of free agents still swimming in the free agent pool. Now is the time to take a good hard look at who's out there and bring them into camp to take another good hard look. This time the looking is at whether or not a guy they brought in can carve out a roster spot for himself.
These are not the top of the line free agents. I'm not talking about Dalvin Cook or Deandre Hopkins. I'm talking under the radar a guys and veterans. Here's four guys I think the Lions should take a look at during camp.
N'Keal Harry
Things have not gone too great for the former first round pick since he's been in the league. He never quite got it going when he was with the Patriots. There were a lot of stops and starts with injuries. He didn't do much with the Bears in 2022, but then again, no receiver on that team really did.
I'm sure you're sitting there and saying "Mike, why even bother? The receiving corps is pretty set right now." While I agree that it looks set on paper, I have a lot of questions about this corps. One is what are they going to in the first six games of the season and the other is what are they going to do after the season when a majority of this group hits free agency?
Harry is by no means a solid to fix to that in his current condition. He's not meant to come here and be a starter. What he can be, at just 25 years old, is a guy that can help out as being part of the guys. Maybe he can bring something like this to the table.
Harrison Hand
I'm a little surprised that no team has taken on Hand yet. You might recognize Hand's name. He's played for both the Bears and Vikings. He's mostly been a practice squad player during his career, but when he gets chance to get on the field, he's looked decent.
In 2022 he played four games for the Bears and started one of them. In that action he got graded out at 73.1. That's not bad. The thing that makes me notice him is that despite the Bears getting drubbed by the Lions in Week 17, Hand actually had his best game as a pro in that game. He played 40 snaps and graded out at 80.7 for that game. That's pretty solid.
Hand is project. He's not a day one starter. None of these guys on this list are. He's the type of guy that is just looking for a chance in the NFL. Maybe this is the NFC North team that can help the 24 year old get that chance.
Ronald Darby
The Lions went out and spent a ton of money on the secondary this offseason. Cameron Sutton and Emmanuel Moseley are going to be two great starters for this team. After them is Will Harris and Jerry Jacobs. Then there's a bit of a hole there. Why not fill it with this vet?
Darby just turned 29 years old in January. he's coming off a pretty decent season. PFF graded him out at 71.1 for his work with the Broncos in 2022.The Broncos did decide to move on from him in a cost cutting move in March, but he's a guy that should draw interest form teams. Especially teams that could use a guy that's been around the block in their cornerback room.
Darby is coming off a torn ACL that he suffered in October, but he should be ready to go by camp per NFL insider Matt Lombardo.
Chris Wormley
The last guy is vet and he's sort of a long shot. All you Michigan fans out there probably have fond memories of when Wormley was playing for your Wolverines. Well, what if he came back home?
It's actually a bit surprising that the 29 year old hasn't been picked up by anyone yet. The Lions may be the perfect team for him. This is a team that, for the most part, neglected the defensive tackle spot all offseason outside of drafting Brodric Martin in the third round of the draft. Wormley is a run stopping specialist. Pro Football Focus graded him out at 77.9 against the run in 2022. The Lions biggest weakness is against the run. It's just fits.
It wasn't just last season, his grades have been in the good to elite category his entire career except for one year. That being his rookie season. This just makes too much sense to ignore. There's one big issue. Wormley us coming off a torn ACL that he suffered in December. He's had the surgery, but there's a chance he might not be ready for camp.
It's not impossible, but there might be a better chance that Wormley is a guy that signs somewhere near the end of camp instead of at the beginning. He's just too good to miss out on playing somewhere in 2023.
Feature image by Mike Dinovo-USA TODAY Sports
