The Detroit Lions shocked the vast majority of fans last season with their tough-nosed style of play and surprising level of efficiency on the field, as they registered their first winning season since 2017 with a record of 9-8.
Now, as they gear up for year three with head coach Dan Campbell leading the charge, general manager Brad Holmes and company are almost certainly looking to bolster the club's talent pool this offseason to position themselves for a chance to break their six-year-long playoff drought.
The Lions have already made a few splashy moves so far this offseason. The addition of running back David Montgomery will help fill the 6-foot hole created by the recently departed Jamaal Williams, while the key signing of cornerback Cameron Sutton will bolster their secondary unit.
That said, even with these transactions, there are still a few more holes that must be filled before the 2023 season gets underway. With this in mind, here are two currently available free agents that Detroit must strongly consider signing throughout the remainder of the offseason.
OL Evan Brown, Detroit Lions
It's safe to assume that the Detroit Lions will look to retain the majority of the offensive line that helped protect one of the least-sacked quarterbacks in Jared Goff last season, and also consistently opened running lanes for the league's 11th-best rushing attack. Their recent re-signing of backup offensive tackle Matt Nelson further strengthens this sentiment.
With this in mind, there's no doubt that the franchise is looking into ways in which they can bring back unrestricted free agent, Evan Brown, as well. An incredibly versatile offensive lineman, the 24-year-old has served as a trusted plug-and-play talent during his two-year stint in the Motor City. Since signing on with the team back in 2020, Brown has registered a combined 24 starts for Detroit.
This past season, he served as a key part of Detroit's starting front following veteran guard Halapoulivaati Vaitai’s season-ending injury back in early September. Should the Lions opt to move on from the 29-year-old, who holds a cap hit of $12.4 million for 2023, one of their main priorities moving forward should be to lock up Brown to a long-term deal.
DT Quinton Jefferson, Seattle Seahawks
Arguably the biggest area on the Detroit Lions' roster this offseason is their interior defensive line and, more specifically, their defensive tackle position. Allowing the fourth-most rushing yards and combining for a middling 39 sacks in 2022, it's evident that the team must look to bolster their defensive front for the 2023 campaign.
Though the majority of the top-billed interior linemen have already been snatched up, taking a low-cost swing on Quinton Jefferson may not be a bad course of action for the Lions.
The recently released lineman saw himself play in all 17 games for the Seattle Seahawks this past season, starting three along the way. He would find himself finishing the campaign with 5.5 sacks and six tackles for loss, both of which were career highs. Jefferson also racked up 29 combined tackles and two passes defended in his career year.
A former fifth-round selection in the 2016 NFL Draft, Jefferson has seven years of experience serving in a high-energy role for three separate franchises. The soon-to-be 30-year-old may not be that highly-coveted household name that Lions fans are likely hoping for, but on a low-cost contract, the former Maryland standout could add some much-needed juice to the middle of the club's defensive line, making him a player well-worth pursuing as free agency rolls forward.
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