Five Affordable Free Agents Lions Could Target

The Detroit Lions have officially learned the salary cap number for the 2025 season, and will now begin preparations for the upcoming free agency process.

Though the Lions are one of the top contending teams and as a result could be enticing to big name free agents, the team could elect to make a series of smaller deals to address needs rather than chase after the top names.

General manager Brad Holmes has followed this process for his entire tenure with the Lions, and as a result it's worth looking to see what bargains the Lions could land in 2025 free agency.

Here are five affordable free agents the Lions could target in free agency when it begins in March.

OLB/EDGE Azeez Ojulari

Mostly a designated pass-rusher for the Giants for the past four seasons, Ojulari was a player who the Lions reportedly had interest in at the trade deadline. He does have pass-rush juice, with seven sacks on only 22 pressures.

He is coming off a ruptured ligament in his toe in Week 12, which ended his season but is not expected to impact his 2025 campaign. He would help the Lions' pass-rush working from the edge, and could wind up being a bargain addition to operate opposite Aidan Hutchinson.

WR Josh Palmer

Palmer is an intriguing fit for the Lions as a 26-year-old receiver in search of a second contract. He had modest production for the Los Angeles Chargers, as he had at least 500 receiving yards in all four seasons.

The Tennessee product has a big frame at 6-foot-2 and has extremely sure hands with only four drops on 63 targets. With Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams in place, the Lions could use a young and physical wide receiver. Though Tim Patrick was solid, Palmer provides more upside and could fit the Lions' WR3 role nicely.

OLB Dennis Gardeck

A veteran player with consistent pass-rush production, Gardeck's status for the start of the season is uncertain due to a torn ACL suffered midway through the 2024 season. However, when active he remains a difference-making defender working off the edge with three sacks, 22 total tackles and one interception.

That interception came against the Lions in Week 3. Gardeck is an undrafted free agent out of Sioux Falls College who is versatile and productive. If Derrick Barnes departs in free agency, Gardeck is a very good veteran fit who could seamlessly work into Kelvin Sheppard's defensive scheme.

OL Will Hernandez

Hernandez could be an ideal replacement for Kevin Zeitler if Detroit is looking for a veteran to step in an fill the potential void. By all accounts, he was having a solid season in 2024 before it unfortunately ended due to an ACL injury.

The veteran lineman has played seven seasons, four with the New York Giants and three with the Arizona Cardinals, and has continued to improve throughout that time.

Brad Holmes has never shied away from taking a chance on a player coming off injury, and Hernandez was playing the best ball of his career before it happened. There could be more room to grow for him, even as he enters his eighth season.

CB Jonathan Jones

If the Lions don't bring back Carlton Davis, they stand to be very young at the cornerback position. As a result, an experienced veteran like Jones could make perfect sense. He's been a part of two Super Bowl championship teams in New England, and could offer valuable veteran leadership for young players like Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw.

Jones struggled in 2024, as he allowed an opposing passer rating of 146.3 across 17 games with four starts. However, he is expected to be affordable and would serve as competition for the Lions' young players at the position. Signing him could be a low-risk, low-cost move that winds up helping players like Arnold and Rakestraw.

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