Ranking Detroit Lions 2026 Free Agents

19.) EDGE Josh Paschal

The final year of Paschal’s rookie contract was a disappointing one, as he was unable to get back on the field and ultimately missed the entire season after a back injury. He provided some good contributions against the run in his first three seasons, but never had more than two sacks in a season and injuries ultimately limited the consistency with which he was able to be on the field. 

The Lions have been willing to give players with this profile a second chance, such as Emmanuel Moseley, Marcus Davenport and Levi Onwuzurike, but it’s hard to imagine the team giving him anything more than a one-year prove-it deal with low guarantees. 

18.) EDGE Marcus Davenport

The Lions have spoken very highly of Davenport and how his play style matches with Aidan Hutchinson over his two seasons with the organization, but durability has been his downfall. He has yet to play a full season since being drafted in 2018 by the Saints, and has played in nine total games over two years with the team entering Sunday. 

Detroit offered him another shot this past offseason on a one-year deal, but may not be inclined to do the same this year after it was a new shoulder injury that sent him to injured reserve early in the year. He has recorded one sack in seven appearances this year.

17.) WR Tom Kennedy

Detroit seems to always have a place for Kennedy, who has made it seven years with the organization between the practice squad and active roster. Always ready at seemingly a moment’s notice, he provided some real contributions when Kalif Raymond was sidelined in late-November as a return man.

Kennedy earned the kick return job even when Raymond returned, and did have a nice showing with four catches on Thanksgiving. The coaching staff trusts Kennedy, and as such another short-term commitment could be in the cards for the wideout with the potential for an extended look as a kick returner.

16.) EDGE Tyrus Wheat

A waiver claim from Dallas at the conclusion of roster cuts, Wheat was initially a healthy scratch then earned a small role early in the year. However, he has become one of the team’s core special teamers playing 52 percent of the snaps despite missing two games early in the year. 

Wheat has graded out favorably defensively as well, with an 85.4 pass-rush Pro Football Focus grade and a 13.2 percent pass-rush win rate. He’s a restricted free agent, and could wind up being a pleasant surprise if the Lions invest in his development over a full offseason.

15.) S Daniel Thomas

Thomas was signed by the Lions following final roster cuts and was primarily a special teams contributor. He played a heavy volume of snaps amidst a short injured reserve stint early in the year, and played with a club for a significant stretch while dealing with a broken hand. 

The level of commitment the Lions can have with Thomas likely depends on the overall health of the group, as Brian Branch’s torn Achilles could put his availability for camp in jeopardy while Kerby Joseph appears to be dealing with what could be a chronic knee injury. As a special teams ace, Thomas does have some value on a one-year deal.

14.) QB Kyle Allen

Allen won the backup quarterback job in a competition with Hendon Hooker that lasted the duration of training camp. A similar situation could be in store for him in 2026, as the organization appears to like his presence and could bring in a younger option to once again compete with him for the right of being Jared Goff’s understudy.

13.) DT Levi Onwuzurike

The Lions brought Onwuzurike back on a one-year deal after injuries limited him during his rookie deal, and unfortunately the injury bug once again reared its ugly head. Onwuzurike was ruled out for the season on the first day of training camp with an ACL injury, leaving his future uncertain.

When healthy, there’s a lot to like about Onwuzurike’s potential ability to contribute. He had a strong 2024 season, but has now missed two full seasons over five years and with the looming injury concerns, it may be best for the team to move on. 

12.) OT Dan Skipper

Skipper has become something of a cult hero in Detroit dating back to his role in the controversial ending against Dallas in 2023, but injuries caught up to him early in the year. He didn’t make the roster to begin the year due to a knee ailment, but has healed and reclaimed his spot as the team’s swing tackle. 

The Lions have demonstrated plenty of trust in Skipper over the last three seasons, and as a result he’d be valuable to retain. However, the team could target tackle depth in the draft, and Giovanni Manu is entering a big third NFL season as the team looks to find out what they have in the 2023 fourth-round pick. These factors could limit Skipper’s overall value. 

11.) DT DJ Reader

Reader’s value can’t just be measured in the box score, as he’s proven to be one of the NFL’s most charitable players over the course of his 10-year career. He has also been a proven stabilizer as a nose tackle, but his production took a bit of a downturn in 2025. 

His durability has been an asset during his time in Detroit, with Sunday set to mark his 32nd appearance out of 34 possible regular season games. However, a more telling stat regarding his production at this stage may be the fact that for the first time in his career, he currently does not have a single tackle for loss.

10.) LB Grant Stuard 

Stuard has some versatility that makes him valuable. While special teams has been his calling card throughout his career, the linebacker played a small defensive role and also spent some time as a kick returner early in the year.

He was one of the Lions’ highest-utilized special teams contributors over the course of the season, and while he was not able to earn a role in what is a deep linebacker room, he handled all of his assignments at a high level and is worthy of another look in 2026.

9.) WR Kalif Raymond

Raymond was one of the first acquisitions of the Holmes and Campbell regime in 2021, and became both an explosive punt returner and a reliable receiving option. However, his snap count has diminished offensively with the emergence of rookie Isaac TeSlaa, and 2025 seventh-round pick Dominic Lovett fits a similar profile and could be next in line for Raymond’s role.

The veteran is averaging 7.2 yards per punt return, which is his lowest since the 2017 season. There’s value in his leadership, which has drawn rave reviews from coaches and other receivers, but it’s hard to say how much overall value there would be in making another commitment to the 31-year-old.

8.) S Avonte Maddox

Versatility has always been a part of Maddox’s game, and that showed itself plenty in 2025. There wasn’t a clear area for him to contribute at the beginning of the year, but injuries at the safety position ultimately opened a path to playing time. 

With the ability to play both on the boundary and in the slot as a corner, or deep as a safety as he did in 2025, there is value in extending him another opportunity to make the team in 2026. Branch’s Achilles injury could cause him to miss some time in camp and at the beginning of the year, so having veteran insurance wouldn’t hurt Detroit.

7.) LB Trevor Nowaske

The Lions clearly value Nowaske, whom they brought back prior to last season after losing him on waivers as a rookie. He has been the first sub in after the three starters at times this year, and continues to play a hefty percentage of special teams snaps.

Nowaske has shown some athleticism in his assignments as well, as he was part of a QB spy effort that neutralized Lamar Jackson in the team’s Week 3 win where he contributed a sack. There could still be even more growth coming, and as a restricted free agent the price tag may not be super high to retain him.

6.) LB Malcolm Rodriguez

A late-season ACL injury in 2024 bled into the start of the 2025 season, as Rodriguez didn’t debut this season until Week 12. In six games, the snap allotment had mostly been few and far between until Alex Anzalone went down in Week 17, after which Rodriguez stepped in.

He clearly understands the scheme implemented by Kelvin Sheppard, as evidenced by the fact that he earned a starting role as a rookie when Sheppard was leading the linebacker room in 2022. The Oklahoma State product was playing well in 2024 prior to his injury, and with a tough decision looming on Alex Anzalone, retaining Rodriguez would give the team a familiar option with starter upside alongside Jack Campbell.

5.) CB Rock Ya-Sin

Ya-Sin had been playing sparingly last year, and the Lions’ signing of him was a low-risk option meant to fortify depth. However, he wound up having a resurgent season and has become a dependable option in the secondary.

While he doesn’t have the prototypical size and may never have got a shot if not for injuries to D.J. Reed, Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw, he has had a strong season and is worthy of another opportunity to help the group, even if it is in just a special teams and depth role next year.

4.) CB Amik Robertson

Robertson fits the Lions’ defensive identity nicely, but hasn’t quite had the production to match in what has been an expanded role over most of the last two years. Entering last year as the team’s slot corner, he wound up having to play a large percentage of snaps on the boundary due to other injuries.

The undersized but tough corner has the potential to once again help as a nickel, but increased volume on the outside led to some struggles. There’s value in a reunion, but it’s difficult to discern if the Lions would be willing to offer a raise from his previous contract.

3.) DT Roy Lopez

Lopez has been a nice addition to the Lions’ defensive line rotation, with pass-rush and run-stuffing production across the board. He has a career-high two sacks heading into Week 18, and is two tackles for loss short of tying a career-high in that category.

Even with 2025 first-rounder Tyleik Williams projected to take on a bigger role and Alim McNeill returning, Lopez profiles as a nice rotational piece who has thrived in that role throughout the 2024 season.

2.) EDGE Al-Quadin Muhammad

Muhammad has been a very nice surprise in his first full season with the Lions. He is second on the team in sacks with a career-high 11 entering Week 18, and this contribution has been a big part of the Lions’ improved pass-rush production.

The question regarding Muhammad’s future will be based around his age, as he’ll be 31 next season. He doesn’t have a strong track record, but could be a late-bloomer who thrives in Detroit’s system. It will be very interesting to see his market based on the lack of comprehensive production, but if it is within the organization’s means he should absolutely be a priority to be brought back.

1.) LB Alex Anzalone

Anzalone was absent for the start of training camp practices and voiced his displeasure with the organization for not receiving a new deal. Though he ultimately returned to action and received a raise for the 2025 season, the contract remains unresolved heading into the final week of the year.

A multi-year defensive captain who was a part of the Lions’ first free agent class under Holmes and Campbell, he’s synonymous with the team’s rise to NFC North back-to-back championships. It’s clear he wants to remain in Detroit, but what’s not clear is whether the Lions can make the funds available to meet his demands.

The veteran has had a strong year, armed with a career-low missed tackle rate of 6.9 percent. Like Muhammad, age will be a factor in his market, and the Lions could allow him to test before ultimately making the decision of whether or not to retain him.