With what their approach has been, PFF’s free agency grade for the Detroit Lions is as expected.
Through the first week of free agency, the Detroit Lions have re-signed a bunch of guys with two outside signings in wide receiver DJ Chark and tight end Garrett Griffin. It’s not necessarily the wrong approach as general manager Brad Holmes builds the roster, it’s just not all that exciting.
The second week of free agency stands to bring some level of outside activity for the Lions to add depth or maybe even find a starter at one position, but there don’t seem to be any “wow” moves legitimately on the table for them. The biggest names who remain available will surely land somewhere else, to chase a ring, etc.
Detroit Lions free agency grade lands as expected
Sam Monson of Pro Football Focus has graded all 16 NFC teams through the first, and most meaningful, wave of free agency. Here’s how he assessed the Lions.
Detroit Lions: ABOVE AVERAGE
Additions:
Signed: WR D.J. Chark Jr. (one year, $10 million)
Signed: TE Garrett Griffin (TBD)
Re-signed: LB Alex Anzalone (one year, $2.25 million)
Re-signed: S Tracy Walker (three years, $25 million)
Re-signed: QB Tim Boyle (one year, $2 million)
Re-signed: EDGE Charles Harris (two years, $14 million)
Re-signed: LB Shaun Dion-Hamilton (one year, $1.035 million)
Re-signed: WR Kalif Raymond (two years, $9 million)
Re-signed: WR Josh Reynolds (two years, $6 million)
Re-signed: QB David Blough (TBD)Departures:
Departures:
Released: EDGE Trey Flowers
LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin: signed with HOU
Monson cited how the stage the Lions consider themselves to be in doesn’t involve spending big in free agency this offseason. A list of arrivals filled with re-signings, a blocking tight end and the shrewd signing of Chark shows that. It also says it all that Trey Flowers, who was released and not technically a free agent until he was cut, is one of two notable departures. Letting Reeves-Maybin leave for greener pastures looks like the right move.
Want your voice heard? Join the SideLion Report team!
It quickly became clear the Lions weren’t going to do anything earth-shattering in free agency. So an above average grade is just fine, and it certainly could’ve been worse (see Monson’s grades for the other NFC North teams).