Five Upcoming Free Agents The Detroit Lions Should Sign

It’s about that time. The NFL’s new league year is almost upon us. With the annual free agency feeding frenzy set to begin next week, now is the perfect time to make a shopping list for the Lions. Hundreds of players are set to hit the market. I have picked the five upcoming free agents the Detroit Lions should sign.

How The New League Year Works 

Beginning on Monday, March 9, at noon (ET), the league’s “legal tampering” period will begin. Teams can begin negotiating with this year’s crop of free agents. New contracts for players switching teams cannot be signed, however, until 4 pm (ET) on Wednesday, March 11, when the new league year officially starts.

The NFL recently set its salary cap for the upcoming season at $301.2 million, around $22 million more than last season. That figure represents approximately an 8% increase and a total five-year cap increase of about 40%. Needless to say, plenty of players are about to get their bag.

How Much Cap Space Do The Lions Have?

It’s complicated. According to Spotrac, the Lions currently have about $5 million in available cap space. Not even enough to sign their incoming draft class. It could have been worse, but Detroit can carry over around $19 million in unused cap space from 2025 into this year. Due to trades and automatic void years for some of their pending free agents, the Lions have over $26 million in dead money attached to their 2026 salary cap.

Of course, none of that really matters. The Lions, like most teams, will be making plenty of moves in the near future to create enough cap space to bring several new faces to Detroit. In fact, the Lions can create $128 million in new cap space just by executing a few “simple restructures”. Players with high cap hits, like Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and a few others, can expect to see their salaries converted into a signing bonus, allowing that cap hit to be spread over multiple years.

Detroit Has Already Begun Creating Cap Space

If any of you have slept this past week, you probably missed a breaking news story regarding the Lions. Taylor Decker announced he will be returning for 2026. Terrion Arnold is involved in a serious legal situation in Florida. Detroit traded RB David Montgomery to Houston. Decker then asked for his release, which was granted, after the two sides could not agree on a pay cut.

Those transactions have affected Detroit’s salary cap. Releasing Decker freed up $11.6 million (with about $9.4 million in dead cap). Trading D-Mo created $3.5 million ($4.9 mil dead). The Lions also parted ways with starting center Graham Glasgow, saving them $5.6 million ($2.9 mil dead). 

Assuming more cap casualties are forthcoming, and at least a couple of contracts will be restructured, the Lions will have the freedom to be active when free agency begins (if they choose to be). That said, here are five free agents from other teams I think GM Brad Holmes should aggressively pursue once the tampering period begins:

1. Tyler Linderbaum, Center, Baltimore Ravens

Detroit signing Tyler Linderbaum would be a franchise-altering move. The regression of the Lions’ offensive line in 2025 was the main catalyst in the team missing the playoffs. After Frank Ragnow retired, Detroit turned to Glasgow at center, and he had a subpar season. Now Glasgow is gone, and center is arguably the Lions’ biggest need.

Linderbaum can immediately bring Detroit’s offensive line back to its dominant ways. Players of his caliber are rarely available. Shockingly, Baltimore is allowing him to hit the market. Inking the 25-year-old, three-time Pro-Bowler will be expensive. Linderbaum is expected to reset the market for centers with a deal that could reach $25 million in AAV. In my opinion, Linderbaum is worth every dollar. With Linderbaum and Penei Sewell, the Lions would have two of the best linemen in the league. Securing the top overall free agent could propel Detroit to the top of the NFC.

2. Trey Hendrickson, Edge, Cincinnati Bengals

The Lions have been linked to Trey Hendrickson for quite some time, with nothing ever materializing. It is time for that to change. The 4-time Pro-Bowler and 2024 First-Team All-Pro, whose relationship with the Bengals has deteriorated over contract issues, is finally free. The Lions should not hesitate to pounce.

Hendrickson is projected to land a deal paying him north of $30 million per year. That’s a big commitment to give a player already in his thirties, but the Lions are built to win now. Lining up Hendrickson opposite Aidan Hutchinson is a mouth-watering scenario for Lions’ fans. With 81 career sacks, including 17.5 in both 2023 and 2024, Detroit would be adding a game-wrecker. Hendrickson’s addition would make the Lions’ defensive line downright scary.

If Brad Holmes was serious about trading for Maxx Crosby, he should be laying out the red carpet for Hendrickson. With Crosby being dealt to Baltimore, the Lions pivoting to Hendrickson is the next best thing. It is time for Holmes to go big-game hunting with Trey Hendrickson squarely in his sights.

3. Riq Woolen, Cornerback, Seattle Seahawks