The Detroit Lions are laughingstocks no more. Instead, after a second-half surge, they’re poised to take over the NFC North in 2023. Credit Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes for having a plan and executing it at a high level. But the hardest part remains ahead of them: Making the jump from good to great.
Can they do it? We explore it all — including the club’s free agents, cut candidates and team needs — in our Detroit Lions offseason preview.
Detroit Lions Offseason Preview: Ready To Roar
Thank you Les Snead!
If the Lions hoist the Lombardi Trophy in the next few years, that should be Campbell’s podium speech. The Rams’ decision to trade for Matthew Stafford certainly gave LA what it wanted — a Super Bowl title. But it worked out great for the Lions, too.
The cap relief, haul of draft picks, and quarterback Detroit got in return (a still-capable Jared Goff) helped set Detroit up for some really good times.
The Lions will pick in the top 10 this year despite having their best season since 2017 — a result of a terrible year in LA. Logic suggests they make a play for one of the draft’s best quarterbacks — potentially packaging their two first-round picks to move up.
But they could also trade out of that pick, roll with Goff for another year, and build up a defense that was arguably the league’s worst in 2022.
Lions’ 2023 Salary Cap Space
According to Spotrac, the Lions had $28.5 million in 2023 salary cap space as of early January, 10th-most in the NFL.
That figure includes less than $1 million in dead cap and $3.4 million in rollover space. It is based on an estimated $225 million NFL salary cap in 2023.
The exact cap figure will not be known until the NFL announces it in early March.
Lions Free Agents 2023
The following Lions players are set to hit free agency. (Restricted free agents are noted with the abbreviation RFA, exclusive rights free agents by ERFA.)
- ILB Alex Anzalone
- WR Trinity Benson (RFA)
- LB Chris Board
- G Evan Brown
- DE Austin Bryant
- DE Isaiah Buggs
- WR DJ Chark
- DE John Cominsky
- LS Scott Daly (ERFA)
- LB Jarrad Davis
- S Deshon Elliott
- S Will Harris
- CB Mike Hughes
- RB Justin Jackson
- DT Benito Jones (ERFA)
- WR Tom Kennedy (ERFA)
- G Tommy Kraemer (ERFA)
- OT Matt Nelson (RFA)
- CB Amani Oruwariye
- LB Anthony Pittman (ERFA)
- S Bobby Price (RFA)
- OT Dan Skipper (RFA)
- QB Nate Sudfeld
- RB Jamaal Williams
- LB Josh Woods
- TE Brock Wright (ERFA)
Guard Evan Brown
Spotrac’s calculated market value: Three years, $32.7 million ($10.9 million AAV)
Overview: Excellent trench play powered the Lions’ huge leap forward in 2022. Detroit was among the league’s most-efficient offenses thanks to an offensive line that opened huge holes on the ground game and kept Jared Goff upright in the pass game. Brown should be a man in demand.
Running Back Jamaal Williams
Spotrac’s calculated market value: Two years, $8.4 million ($4.2 million AAV)
Overview: If you’re a team that struggled in goal-to-go situations (we’re looking at you, Green Bay Packers, Washington Commanders, Chicago Bears, and New England Patriots), you should start working on Williams’ agent now. No player was better inside the 5-yard line, and as a result, was an unexpected fantasy god.
Potential Cut Candidates
- DT Michael Brockers ($10 million in savings)
- EDGE Romeo Okwara ($7.5 million)
- G Halapoulivaati Vaitai ($6.5 million)
- DE Charles Harris ($4 million)
Lions’ Team Needs Heading Into 2023 Offseason
- Quarterback
- Cornerback
- Defensive Tackle
- Guard
- Safety