Which NFL soon-to-be free agent are you hoping the Detroit Lions sign in 2024?
The NFL’s “legal tampering” portion of the offseason—where impending free agents are allowed to negotiate with other teams via their agents—is just two weeks away. The offseason is moving fast, Detroit Lions fans, seeing as the team entered the offseason a month later than usual.
And while this week will largely be about the NFL Combine and the NFL Draft, this is also an opportunity for teams to talk to each other behind the scenes. And with the media down in Indianapolis too, the free agency rumors will likely be flying.
So let’s stick with free agency on this Monday Question of the Day. Today’s Question is:
Which external free agent would you like the Lions to sign the most?
My answer: In my opinion, cornerback is the team’s biggest need, and it isn’t particularly close. With the position being so important and the top talent being so scarce, it’s rare that a young, talented cornerback ever even hits the market.
So that’s why Chicago Bears Jaylon Johnson is my ideal signing for the Lions offseason.
He’s going to be expensive, and I couldn’t tell you if he qualifies for the Lions’ strict definition of a culture fit. But I know this: he’s talented, he’s young (he’ll be 25 in April), and he fills Detroit’s biggest need. He’s made a Pro Bowl, he was named second-team All Pro last year, and he had the best PFF coverage grade (91.0) of any cornerback in the league in 2023.
Do I think the Lions heavily pursue him? I don’t know. I have my doubts. General manager Brad Holmes’ strategy seems to be ever evolving, but the one thing we haven’t seen him do yet is go for literally the top free agent option. The closest he’s gotten in a second-tier free agent like Cameron Sutton last season. Is he willing to likely overpay for Johnson—the clear best free agent corner on the market? I’m not sure.
It’s also a fair question to wonder if Johnson will ever even make it to free agency. With the unexpectedly high increase in salary cap, it’s quite possible the Bears opt to use their franchise tag on him or get a long-term deal done.
But since it’s not my money and I can’t tell the future, I’m going to dream of the Lions landing a top-tier cornerback in free agency.
Who are you hoping the Lions can grab this March?
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