Below is a complete list of the Detroit Lions free agents to be at the end of the NFL’s league year along with some analysis on the Lions willingness and likeliness to retain their services for the 2015 season and beyond. The list is sorted in decreasing order of 2014 cap hit.
DT Ndamukong Suh
- Age: 28
- 2014 Cap Hit: $22,412,500
- Re-Sign Priority: High
- Predicted Contract: 7-Years, $100 Million, $60 Million Guaranteed.
- Chance Lions Re-Sign: Low
The man is one of the games best defensive players, but because of large salary commitments to other offensive players the Lions may not be able to write as big of a check as another franchise for Ndamukong Suh’s services. If you put any truth behind the rumors that he wants to play in a bigger media market like Dallas, New York, or Chicago he’s going to be wearing another teams uniform no matter what the Lions offer. But if I’m the Lions brass, I find a way to keep Suh in Detroit, whether its with the franchise tag or getting him to agree to a long term extension.
LG Rob Sims
- Age: 31
- 2014 Cap Hit: $3,775,000
- Re-Sign Priority: Medium
- Predicted Contract: 2-Years, $6 Million, $4 Million Guaranteed.
- Chance Lions Re-Sign: Medium
Rob Sims has been a solid member of the Detroit Lions offensive line for the last several seasons. However, he took a major step backwards during the 2015 season that would lead me to believe that his career in the NFL is almost over. He still could be a valuable member of a NFL franchise, but his best days are past. The Lions don’t have an answer in house that would be better than throwing Rob Sims back out there for the 2015 season, but free agency and the draft haven’t occurred yet, so I wouldn’t put the chances that he’s rocking the Honolulu Blue and Silver at higher than 50 percent.
DT Nick Fairley
- Age: 27
- 2014 Cap Hit: $3,146,500
- Re-Sign Priority: Medium
- Predicted Contract: 5-Years, $45 Million, $20 Million Guaranteed.
- Chance Lions Re-Sign: Medium
There is no way that the Lions could afford to keep both Suh and Nick Fairley. However if the Lions decided to move forward with Fairley and C.J. Mosley as their defensive tackles and then drafted another in the middle rounds, I as a Lions fan would be a very happy camper. If Nick Fairley is healthy he does provide more bang for your buck than Suh. However, Ndamukong Suh is leaps and bounds a better player. I would like to see the Lions retain Suh, but if not Nick Fairley must be retained.
RT Corey Hilliard
- Age: 29
- 2014 Cap Hit: $1,900,000
- Re-Sign Priority: Low
- Predicted Contract: 1-Year, $1.5 Million
- Chance Lions Re-Sign: Medium
Hilliard has been a valuable member of the Lions offensive line as a reserve swing tackle for the past several seasons. He went down early in the year with a broken foot that he played almost a full game on because the Lions didn’t have any other players available. He still has some ball left in the tank, but reserve offensive tackles who are almost 30 grow on trees. He very well could be back in a Lions uniform, just don’t expect them to spend more than million bucks on him for one season.
OLB Ashlee Palmer
- Age: 28
- 2014 Cap Hit: $1,583,334
- Re-Sign Priority: Low
- Predicted Contract: 1-Year, $2 Million
- Chance Lions Re-Sign: Low
Despite being given tons and tons of playing time in the last two seasons, Ashlee Palmer wasn’t able to lock down a major role on the Lions defense. He’s still a valuable special teams player, but with your other financial commitments, you can’t afford to sign special teams players for more than league minimum.
DT C.J. Mosley
- Age: 31
- 2014 Cap Hit: $1,542,647
- Re-Sign Priority: Medium
- Predicted Contract: 2-Years, $7 Million, $3 Million Guaranteed.
- Chance Lions Re-Sign: Medium
C.J. Mosley was a solid 2nd/3rd defensive tackle before and during his tenure with the Lions and I would love to have him back. He doesn’t provide much pass rush, but does a very solid job against the run. Best of all, he’s never injured. He is getting up in age so a major extension isn’t in order, but a 2-year deal for between $5 million and $7 million isn’t a bad deal for both sides.
C Dominic Raiola
- Age: 36
- 2014 Cap Hit: $1,500,000
- Re-Sign Priority: None
- Predicted Contract: Retriement
- Chance Lions Re-Sign: None
The Lions have already publicly stated that Dominic Raiola would not be pursued in free agency. Raiola had been a member of the organization for the last 14 seasons but it is time for both sides to move on. He might catch on with another organization as a backup/veteran mentor but that isn’t likely because of his recent on field issues. Enjoy retirement Dom and thank you for your service.
FB Jed Collins
- Age: 28
- 2014 Cap Hit: $710,000
- Re-Sign Priority: Low
- Predicted Contract: 1-Year, $750k
- Chance Lions Re-Sign: Low
He’s a league average fullback. They literally grow on trees. I wouldn’t spend much effort in re-signing him unless he was above average at his position. He doesn’t reach that mark so don’t be surprised to see a different fullback in the organization next season.
S Isa Abdul-Quddus
- Age: 26
- 2014 Cap Hit: $695,000
- Re-Sign Priority: Medium
- Predicted Contract: 2-Year, $3 Million, $1.5 Million Guaranteed.
- Chance Lions Re-Sign: Medium
Abdul-Quddus played very well in a reserve role in 2015. He’s nothing special in run or pass defense but is a very good special teams player. I wouldn’t re-sign him with the intention of using him aside Glover Quin as a starting safety, but I wouldn’t mind having him back as a role player. I definitely am not spending more than $1.5 million a year on him.
QB Dan Orlovsky
- Age: 31
- 2014 Cap Hit: $635,000
- Re-Sign Priority: Low
- Predicted Contract: 1-Year, $600k
- Chance Lions Re-Sign: Low
Thank God he didn’t have to play a single snap this past season, because it would have shown how dumb the Lions front office was by giving him a roster spot. After an awful pre-season, he made the club and held a clipboard. The Lions can do much better than him as a backup QB.
LS Don Muhlbach
- Age: 33
- 2014 Cap Hit: $635,000
- Re-Sign Priority: Medium
- Predicted Contract: 1-Year, $650k
- Chance Lions Re-Sign: High
Don Muhlbach is not my first phone call to my own free agents if I’m the Lions general manager, but I’m definitely interested in keeping him around. He’s extremely consistent and has a rapport with the guys he has to snap the ball to so I’m not going to break up that relationship.
CB Rashean Mathis
- Age: 34
- 2014 Cap Hit: $635,000
- Re-Sign Priority: Medium
- Predicted Contract: 1-Year, $2 Million
- Chance Lions Re-Sign: Medium
Mathis played very well for an old fart in 2014. I wouldn’t mind keeping him around as a third cornerback on a low salary, but I’m not going to cry when another team thinks he can still start signs him away. I wouldn’t count on him to be back, but if both sides can come to terms, I won’t blast the deal assuming his salary is less than $2 million.
QB Kellen Moore
- Age: 25
- 2014 Cap Hit: $576,668
- Re-Sign Priority: Low
- Predicted Contract: 1-Year, $635k
- Chance Lions Re-Sign: Medium
About the only thing he has going for him is that he knows the offense and he’s cheap. He’s never played a snap in his 4 year career, but if Matt Stafford likes working with him, then he will be back holding a clipboard in a track suit for 16 games a year.
CB Cassius Vaughn
- Age: 27
- 2014 Cap Hit: $570,000
- Re-Sign Priority: Low
- Predicted Contract: 1-Year, $635k
- Chance Lions Re-Sign: Low
I’m not going to sugar coat it. Vaughn was dreadful in 2014. The only reason he was still on the roster at the end of the season was because of the gross amount of injuries to the cornerback corps. I don’t want any part of him next season.
DE Darryl Tapp
- Age: 30
- 2014 Cap Hit: $570,000
- Re-Sign Priority: Low
- Predicted Contract: 1-Year, $630k
Assuming you don’t make Jason Jones a cap casualty this offseason, I would tell you to pick either Tapp or George Johnson to resign. Tapp is older but has a more impressive track record, but Johnson had a better 2014 season. Bottom line, I’m not bending over backwards for either guy.
WR Jeremy Ross
- Age: 26
- 2014 Cap Hit: $570,000
- Re-Sign Priority: Low
- Predicted Contract: 1 Year $630k
- Chance Lions Re-Sign: Low
Jeremy Ross had an awful 2014 as a return man. He had maybe three splash plays in the return game the whole season. With that being said he is an below average wide out, so I don’t want him back in the organization.
DE George Johnson
- Age: 27
- 2014 Cap Hit: $570,000
- Re-Sign Priority: Medium
- Predicted Contract: 2-Years, $3.5 Million, $1.5 Million Guaranteed.
- Chance Lions Re-Sign: Medium
George Johnson was a surprise for me in 2014. He wasn’t even expected to make the team out of training camp but responded with six sacks in a part time role. I’m still not convinced he is a big time player because he doesn’t do well against the run. Would I keep him on the roster as a backup defensive end, absolutely. Would I spend low end starter type money to do so, probably not.
OG Garrett Reynolds
- Age: 27
- 2014 Cap Hit: $536,470
- Re-Sign Priority: Low
- Predicted Contract: 1-Year, $635k
- Chance Lions Re-Sign: Low
He’s not athletic enough to play tackle and not strong enough to play guard. So what is he good for, not much. I have no interest in bringing back Reynolds in any capacity.
ILB Josh Bynes
- Age: 25
- 2014 Cap Hit: $469,412
- Re-Sign Priority: Medium
- Predicted Contract: 2-Years, $4 Million, $1.75 Million Guaranteed.
- Chance Lions Re-Sign: Medium
Bynes is an interesting case. He was signed off the Baltimore Raven’s practice squad in the middle of the year and got a significant amount of playing time on the defense. He was also a good contributor to the Lions special teams units. He essentially played in a platoon role with Tahir Whitehead and together, they became a good combo at middle linebacker. I’d be interested in retaining Bynes, but I’m hanging up the phone on his agent if there is a bidding war.
K Matt Prater
- Age: 30
- 2014 Cap Hit: $402,353
- Re-Sign Priority: High
- Predicted Contract: 3-Years, $7 Million, $4 Million Guaranteed.
- Chance Lions Re-Sign: Medium
I would love to see Matt Prater back in a Lions uniform in 2015 to provide stability to the Lions kicking game. Yes, he only made just under 81% of his kicks in 2015, which is right about league average, He’s still got a cannon for a leg so I’m interested in retaining him on a “long term deal” which for a kicker is to the tune of three years.
DT Andre Fluellen
- Age: 29
- 2014 Cap Hit: $268,235
- Re-Sign Priority: Medium
- Predicted Contract: 1-Year, $635k
- Chance Lions Re-Sign: Low
Andre Fluellen is an interesting commodity. He’s bounced around the league but always ends up back with the Lions by seasons end. He’s not an every down player, yet an adequate reserve. He can play defensive end, but isn’t quick enough to do much other than stop the run. He can play defensive tackle, but isn’t strong enough to be a run stuffer, but is fairly quick off the line and provides value as an interior pass rusher. I’d bring him back but at only slightly above league minimum to be your 8th or 9th defensive lineman.
TE Kellen Davis
- Age: 29
- 2014 Cap Hit: $100,588
- Re-Sign Priority: Low
- Predicted Contract: 1-Year, $650k
- Chance Lions Re-Sign: Low
He can’t block anyone and seems to be afraid of the ball being throw to him. His lower half is incredibly stiff. The Lions are likely his final run at it, but I wouldn’t be interested in bringing him back into the fold.
CB Joshua Thomas
- Age: 25
- 2014 Cap Hit: $75,882
- Re-Sign Priority: Low
- Predicted Contract: 1-Year, $650k
- Chance Lions Re-Sign: Low
He’s young and only appeared in one game for the Lions in 2014 and didn’t record a statistical entry. However, the Lions were his third team in that single season. He’s young, so bringing him back on a 1 year, non-guaranteed deal isn’t out of the question. I’d just pursue other options before coming back to Thomas.
