Detroit Lions Mailbag: How much action does Isiah Pacheco see in 2026? Who is the best free agent to sign right now?
We answer questions about Isiah Pacheco, free agency, did the Lions do enough in the trenches, and more
Who is ready to enter the dead zone? We’ve got 80-plus days until the Detroit Lions’ first preseason game. Let’s answer some questions.
What free agent would I sign if I were the Lions?
If I were the Lions, I would either wait a few weeks to see who hits the market as post-June 1st releases or I would go sign Jadeveon Clowney. You can’t have too many good edge rushers, and while I think the Lions are just fine with what they have planned with Derrick Moore and D.J. Wonnum, they could use one more proven player who can rush the passer. Clowney has shown that he can still very much do that.
Am I satisfied with the offseason moves in the trenches?
Yeah, I think the Lions took this very seriously this offseason. On offense, they walked out with a starting center and right tackle and surrounded them with solid depth at guard and swing tackle.
On defense, they found the perfect balance with Wonnum being the edge setter in the run game and Moore being the pass rush specialist. They also added some intriguing options like Payton Turner, who has potential if he stays healthy.
The only area of concern is the interior of the defensive line. They have guys there, I just wonder if they could benefit from one more run-stuffing nose tackle type. This is what I ultimately expect them to keep an eye out for when it comes to those post-June 1st cuts.
Favorite Lions game I’ve attended
I’ll give you two. One where I was working and one where I was just three as a football fan.
The first one is a work one; the Wild Card game against the Rams in 2023 was one of the most unreal environments I’ve ever been in. Ford Field was shaking all night. I was getting health notifications on my iPhone about hearing safety because it was so loud. Plus, you could just feel the emotion that everyone in the building felt that night.
It was incredible and one of the highlights of my career. Except for the part where I had to walk back to the parking garage at 2 AM in the freezing cold because the shuttles that pick us up stopped running. Worth it though.
As a fan, the 2013 game against the Cowboys, where Calvin Johnson put up 329 yards, and the Lions won on the infamous Stafford sneak. What a game.
Rank the Lions’ options at left guard
At this early point how would you rank the LG candidates?
— hegemonysnicket.bsky.social (@hegemonysnicket.bsky.social) May 18, 2026 at 9:30 PM
Ok, here’s what I got.
- Christian Mahogany
- Miles Frazier
- Juice Scruggs
- Ben Bartch
- Michael Niese
How much action will Isiah Pacheco see?
How much work does Pacheco see compared to to what Montgomery saw?
— UDJG Life (@udjg.life) May 18, 2026 at 5:49 PM
Earlier this week, ESPN’s Mike Clay did his annual stat predictions. He had Pacheco with 158 carries, which is what David Montgomery had last year in a season where we can all agree, he played a lot less. I think Pacheco gets somewhere in that ballpark. The only thing I wonder about is how much the Lions want to give Sione Vaki. They’re not just giving up on that plan.
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