American Football

Lions free agency preview: 11 defensive tackle options

By

on

Tennessee Titans v Houston Texans
Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images

A look at 11 free agent defensive tackles who could help the Detroit Lions defense in 2024.

The Detroit Lions enter the 2024 offseason with a lot of questions at defensive tackle. Will Alim McNeill get a contract extension as he enters the final year of his rookie deal? Is 2023 third-round pick Brodric Martin ready to contribute? Do the Lions still have Levi Onwuzurike in their plans? And do the Lions view tweeners like Josh Paschal and John Cominsky as their answers to interior pass rush?

That makes predicting what the Lions will do with their interior defenders extremely difficult. But one thing is for certain: they could certainly use an upgrade or two at the position.

Here are 11 pending free agents who could help.

Previously:

Top options

(Note: ages listed reflect when the season begins)

Chiefs’ Chris Jones — 29 years old

Estimated contract:

Jones avoided the franchise tag, but some view that as a sign the Chiefs are confident they’ll be able to re-sign him. I tend to fall into that camp, but if the Lions feel like splurging in free agency, Jones is viewed as not only the top defensive tackle but arguably the best free agent in any position. Jones has posted 26 sacks in the past two seasons and was arguably the most impactful player in Kansas City’s Super Bowl win after producing six pressures and three defensive stops.

Dolphins’ Christian Wilkins — 28 years old

Estimated contract:

The former first-round pick is finally off his rookie contract, so he’ll be looking to cash in.

Next tier options

Seahawks’ Leonard Williams — 30 years old

A former first-round pick and Pro Bowler, Williams is entering his 10th season after being traded midway through the 2023 season to the Seattle Seahawks for a second and fifth-round pick. Those trade terms highlight just how valued Williams still is in this league. Of course, the Seahawks will likely make a play to keep him considering the draft capital they invested, but he’ll have a competitive market in free agency.

Williams is certainly not at his peak anymore—he hasn’t had 7.0 or more sacks since his breakout 11.5-sack season in 2020, but he still produced 54 pressure, which ranked 13th among all interior defenders last season, per PFF. He’s also a steady, reliable force in the run game.

Bengals’ D.J. Reader — 30 years old

If Detroit wants to focus a little more on run defense in free agency, Reader has been one of the best at that over all eight years of his career. Likely a nose tackle in Detroit’s scheme—he’s 6-foot-3, 335 pounds—he would make for a nice mentor for Brodric Martin. Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo sure doesn’t want to lose him:

It’s worth noting that Reader is coming off a torn quad that required surgery and ended his season three games early. Back in 2020, he tore his other quad. So there is a mild injury risk here.

Colts’ Grover Stewart — 30 years old

  • Three years, $33M ($21M guaranteed), per PFF

The Colts definitely want Stewart back, and it’s easy to see why. He’s been with Indy since 2017, and is coming off a largely successful three-year, $30.75 million deal signed in 2020. He was suspended six games last year for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing drugs policy, but upon his return, he reclaimed his title as the team’s best run defender. Last year, his 77.3 run defense grade ranked sixth among all defensive tackles.

Outside of his suspension, he hasn’t missed a game over the past five seasons, making him someone the Lions can rely upon. That said, if they’re looking for a disrupter in the passing game, that’s simply not what Stewart does best.

More value options

Texans’ Sheldon Rankins — 30 years old

Estimated contract:

I think these contract estimates are a bit high considering Rankins signed a one-year, $10.5 million deal with the Texans last year and arguably had a down year in 2023. Though he produced 6.0 sacks—the most in his career since 2018—he also produced a season-high 11 missed tackles and just a 39.1 run defense grade, per PFF.

Rankins would bring a little juice to the Lions’ pass rush, and his violent playstyle would certainly install some much-needed meanness into the defense.

Rankins obviously has a strong connection to the Lions from his time in New Orleans, which overlapped with Dan Campbell, defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, and linebacker Alex Anzalone.

Eagles’ Fletcher Cox — 33 years old

Estimated contract:

  • One year, $9M ($9M guaranteed), per PFF

Cox is a six-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro, but in the twilight of his career, he could be had at a relatively affordable price. Cox has spent his entire career in Philly, and there are strong rumors out there that Cox is leaning toward retirement.

But Cox still produced 5.0 sacks and 49 pressures (t-17th) last season. So if Dan Campbell could convince Cox to make one last Super Bowl run in Detroit, that could be a mutually beneficial decision.

Texans’ Teair Tart — 27 years old

Estimated contract:

  • Three years, $27M ($18.5M guaranteed), per PFF

On the surface, a reunion with new Lions defensive line coach Terrell Williams makes a lot of sense, but I am highly skeptical. Tart’s time with the Titans ended with an ugly divorce. Take this headline from ESPN:

“Titans’ Teair Tart cut after effort, attitude issues, source confirms”

Does that sound like a Dan Campbell guy?

Now, it’s possible that Tart just didn’t see eye-to-eye with Mike Vrabel and a change in scenery could help. In his best season (2022), he produced a 75.9 PFF pass rush grade, 26 pressures, and five tackles for loss. He even produced eight tackles for loss last year.

But I truly only included him in this list to dispel the notion that he may be a fit because his defensive line coach is now in Detroit. I don’t see this one happening.

Bargain bin

Bills’ DaQuan Jones — 32 years old

Estimated contract:

If you’re looking for a recommended player from new DL coach Williams, Jones makes a lot more sense. Williams coached him for three years (2018-2020) in Tennessee, and Jones started every single game over that stretch.

Jones has never been a superstar-level player, but he’s been a strong, capable starter who provides a strong base as a run defender and flashes of productivity as a pass rusher. He is coming off a season when he tore his pectoral, but he was able to return—and start—for the Bills’ postseason run in January.

Browns’ Maurice Hurst — 29 years old

Estimated contract:

  • One year, $1.75M ($1M guaranteed), per PFF

The former Michigan Wolverine has bounced around from the Raiders to 49ers to Browns since being drafted in the fifth round of the 2018 NFL Draft. His career got off to a promising start, tallying 7.5 sacks in his first two seasons. However, injuries have derailed his development. In San Francisco, he missed all but two games over two seasons with a calf injury and a torn bicep in 2022. He finally got on the field last year, only to suffer another pectoral injury, causing him to miss the final five games of the season.

But if he can stay healthy, Hurst can be a bit of a sparkplug as a pass rusher. He earned an overall 81.0 PFF grade last year in 12 game appearances and a 75.9 pass rush grade.

Giants’ A’Shawn Robinson — 29 years old

Estimated contract:

  • Two years, $6M ($8.5M guaranteed), per PFF

Robinson was not a happy camper when he left Detroit in 2019, but a lot has changed with the Lions since. As for Robinson, he’s made a nice little career with stops in Los Angeles and New York. When the injury bug hit the Giants last year, Robinson took on a pretty significant role and thrived. His 62 tackles were the second most of his career and six tackles for loss matched his career high set in his rookie season.

Robinson remains an effective run defender, though it’s fair to question whether he’s the right fit back in Detroit.

Related Items

You must be logged in to post a comment Login