Despite a defeat to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship game, the short tenure of Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell continues to be an overwhelming success. He took the team from just three wins in 2021 to a few plays away from the Super Bowl this season.
As this squad enters the offseason, the outlook for the 2024 season is positive. The team has significant cap space and is not facing any notable departures in free agency. With another positive building block in place for the Detroit Lions, here are five free agents the franchise should look to re-sign this offseason.
C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Safety
A torn pectoral muscle kept him out from Week 3 until Week 18, but C.J. Gardner-Johnson is the type of playmaker the Detroit Lions need on defense. The veteran safety led the NFL with six picks as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles last season and demonstrated versatility as a hybrid safety/linebacker during his time with the New Orleans Saints.
The Lions finished 27th in passing yards allowed per game in 2023. A full season with C.J. Gardner-Johnson will improve that number.
Josh Reynolds, Wide Receiver
Facing a fourth-and-2 at the 49ers 28-yard line on their first possession of the second half, Lions head coach did what he had done all season and kept his offense on the field. Jared Goff flipped the ball to an open Josh Reynolds, who was unable to secure the catch. From there, the 49ers went on to score 24 straight points and claim the NFC Championship.
Despite that drop, Reynolds is coming off the most productive season of his career. Reynolds had 608 receiving yards and five touchdowns — both good for third on the team. Goff defended his number-two wideout after the game, saying: “Josh is a stud. He made a mistake. We had plenty of mistakes out there. I missed throws. I took sacks. He made a mistake, and it happens.”
The Lions could look to bring in a number two receiver and Jameson Williams will most likely get more opportunities, but Josh Reynolds is at least a very good number-three wideout who is also a solid second option.
Jonah Jackson, Guard
A Pro Bowler in 2021, Jonah Jackson has given up just two sacks since the start of 2022 while establishing himself as a solid starter on this Detroit offensive line. With guard Halapoulivaati Vaitai — a talented player who missed much of the last two seasons with injury — also entering free agency, Jonah Jackson seems like a good bet to be back in Detroit next season.
Jalen Reeves-Maybin, Linebacker/Special Teams
Special-teamers are one of the most difficult positions in football to evaluate, but Jalen Reeves-Maybin earned Second-Team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors this season as a special teams player for the Lions. That recognition will raise his price in the free agent market, but Reeves-Maybin is one of the important squad players that Detroit must re-sign for 2024.
Teddy Bridgewater, Quarterback
The 2023 season highlighted the importance of backup quarterbacks, as second-stringers like Jake Browning, Gardner Minshew, and Mason Rudolph helped save their teams' seasons — with Rudolph even guiding the Pittsburgh Steelers to the playoffs.
Teddy Bridgewater has been around the block a few times, earning Pro Bowl honors in 2015 and was a Comeback Player of the Year nominee in 2019. The veteran has a career passer rating of 90.5 and a record of above .500 as a starting QB. For a backup quarterback, you can't get a much better resume than that. And at age 31, Bridgewater still has plenty of life left — making him the ideal insurance plan for Detroit should something happen to Jared Goff.
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