Any team that wins three games in a season needs some serious work in the offseason, and the Detroit Lions are obviously no exception.
It was a long year for rookie head coach Dan Campbell, but this Detroit team certainly had some bright spots throughout the year. The Lions have a decent amount of cap space available to them, and some will be spent retaining incumbent players who exceeded expectations. Here are the three players Detroit must re-sign this offseason.
Lions 2022 NFL Free Agency
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3. Charles Harris
Former first-round pick Charles Harris finally made a name for himself in Detroit. After several years of poor production, Harris managed to put together the best year of his career with the Lions, notching 7.5 sacks, 10 tackles for loss and 16 quarterback hits. He was the best pass-rusher on this Detroit team, making him an obvious candidate to be re-signed.
Despite his great year, Harris shouldn't demand a huge contract. This season was his only year of real production in the NFL, which should keep his contract relatively cheap. The Lions desperately need effective edge defenders, as their mega-deal with defensive end Trey Flowers is working out horribly. Other names at the position include Julian Okwara and Austin Bryant, neither of which have produced at a high level. Pairing Harris with a defensive end from the 2022 draft class could give the Lions a scary pass-rushing duo in a single offseason.
2. Josh Reynolds
Picking up wide receiver Josh Reynolds in the middle of the season proved to be a great move by the Lions. Reynolds immediately made an impact in the passing game, stepping in as the second-best pass-catcher on the team. His statistics weren't great, but he was also playing in an abysmal Detroit offense. His rapport with quarterback Jared Goff was obvious and he fit well with the Lions' system. There's no reason to let Reynolds walk after he did everything Detroit asked of him in 2021.
Re-signing Reynolds looks even more appealing after a quick glance at the other receivers the Lions will have on the roster heading into 2022. Fellow receivers Kalif Raymond and KhaDarel Hodge will both be hitting the open market, leaving Reynolds, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Trinity Benson as the potential starters if others aren't brought in. That alone is a great case for bringing Reynolds back on a small contract.
1. Tracy Walker
While the Lions were terrible on defense in 2021, it wasn't because of safety Tracy Walker. Walker consistently played well, finishing with 108 tackles, one interception and one sack. Another factor in this decision is Walker's age. Despite his impressive stat line, he's still only 26, meaning that Walker is one of Detroit's best young building blocks. Letting young talent walk is a sure way to make a rebuild even more difficult, so it's essential the Lions get Walker back in the building.
Unsurprisingly, Detroit is incredibly thin at safety without Walker. Fellow starter Dean Marlowe will likely leave the team in the offseason, which leaves a couple uninspiring options. Will Harris is really the only viable potential replacement left, as safety CJ Moore is also an unrestricted free agent. Letting Walker leave in free agency would certainly mean a huge downgrade for Detroit's secondary.
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