What the Detroit Lions’ depth chart looks like after two weeks of free agency, it’s all starting to make sense
The vision for the Lions’s defensive is beginning to get more clear as the days go on
Two weeks have gone and the Detroit Lions have done a lot in free agency. It might not seem like a lot since they didn’t sign huge names, but the Lions signed 11 players. That’s the most they’ve added since 2021.
After the first wave of free agency, we did a look at the Lions’ depth chart, but then they got way more active than we thought they’d be in the second week. So with that in mind, we’re doing one more look at the depth chart, and then we’ll take another look after the draft. Let’s jump into it:
Offense
| LWR | Isaac TeSlaa | Jackson Meeks | ||
| RWR | Jameson Williams | Tom Kenndey | ||
| SWR | Amon-Ra St. Brown | Greg Dortch | Dominic Lovett | Mail Cunningham |
| LT | Larry Borom | Giovanni Manu | ||
| LG | Christian Mahogany | Miles Frazier | ||
| C | Cade Mays | Seth Mclaughlin | ||
| RG | Tate Ratledge | Juice Scruggs | Michael Niese | |
| RT | Penei Sewell | Devin Cochran | ||
| TE | Sam LaPorta | Tyler Conklin | Brock Wright | Zach Horton/Thomas Gordon |
| QB | Jared Goff | Teddy Bridgewater | ||
| RB | Jahmyr Gibbs | Isiah Pacheco | Sione Vaki | Jacob Saylors/Jabari Small |
Almost all of the Lions’ additions last week were on defense, but they did add Greg Dortch, and you should absolutley expect him to be the Lions’ next WR4 and return man. Dortch is kind of a luxury for the Lions at that fourth receiver spot. Most teams would probably love to have a receiving corps as deep as Detroit’s.
Still keeping Borom at left tackle until otherwise notified or until the Lions make their pick in the first round. Which is what we all expect them to do.
Defense
| LDE | Aidan Hutchinson | Ahmed Hassanein | |
| NT | Tyleik Williams | Myles Adams | Chris Smith |
| DT | Alim McNeill | Levi Onwuzurkie | Mekhi Wingo |
| RDE | D.J. Wonnum | Tyler Lacy | Payton Turner |
| WLB | Malcolm Rodriguez | Damone Clark | |
| MLB | Jack Campbell | ||
| SLB | Derrick Barnes | Trevor Nowaske | |
| LCB | Terrion Arnold | Rock Ya-Sin | Nick Whiteside |
| SS | Brian Branch | Christian Izien | Dan Jackson |
| FS | Kerby Joseph | Thomas Harper | Loren Strickland |
| RCB | D.J. Reed | Khalil Dorsey | |
| NB | Roger McCreary | Ennis Rakestraw |
Ok, here’s where you really start to see some of the finished product. Yes, I know they didn’t trade for Maxx Crosby or sign Trey Hendrickson, and those apparently were the only two successful options, but this defensive line doesn’t look half bad. But they still need one or two more guys. Preferably, at least one who can be a game changer. That guy is likely to be found in the draft. Don’t expect Wonnum to start here when the season begins.
The linebacker corps is coming together, but I expect the Lions to draft their next Will linebacker instead of having Malcolm Rodriguez there. Clark can absolutely push Rodriguez for a higher spot, too.
The secondary remains the only spot on the defense that doesn’t give a lot of concern. The Kerby Joseph stuff is blown out of proportion, and Branch will likely be back closer to the beginning of the season than the end of it. In the meantime, Harper and Izien are two pretty good safeties who can help.
The vision is starting to come together on defense. Stop the run and make teams one-dimensional. That is the plan, and if it pays off, they did it at a value. But they still need some extra pieces. This is not a finished product.
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Detroit Lions Free Agency Tracker: News and rumors on the Lions’ signings, trades, and losses
Tracking all of the Lions’ moves during free agency
