With the Detroit Lions season winding down, let’s take a look at the current Lion players who are scheduled to become free agents in 2018.
Once again, the Detroit Lions are on the edge of postseason relevance. With four games to go this season, another loss could sink the Lions’ playoff hopes and turn their focus to next offseason.
Following some critical injuries in 2017, one of the biggest areas the Lions need to address is overall roster depth. And though general manager Bob Quinn and company will undoubtedly attempt use free agency and the upcoming NFL draft to fix those issues, which players they elect to re-sign, and who they allow to leave will be the first thing to determine.
Below is a list of all the Detroit Lions who are scheduled to become free agents at season’s end.
Unrestricted Free Agents (UFA)
Haloti Ngata, DT
Ezekiel Ansah, DE
Tahir Whitehead, OLB
D.J. Hayden, CB
Paul Worrilow, OLB
Don Carey, SS
Kasim Edebali, OLB
Tavon Wilson, SS
Don Muhlbach, LS
Darren Fells, TE
Dwight Freeney, DE
Jordan Hill, DT
Nick Bellore, ILB
Don Barclay, RT
Mike James, RB
Travis Swanson , C
Nevin Lawson, CB
Restricted Free Agents (RFA)
Brandon Copeland, DE
T.J. Jones, WR
Zac Kerin, C
Bradley Marquez, WR
Zach Zenner, RB
Exclusive Rights Free Agents (ERFA)
Emmett Cleary, RT
Kerry Hyder, DE
Christian Ringo , DT
Rolan Milligan, S
Jake Rudock, QB
Kasey Redfern, P
Dontez Ford, WR
Obviously some of the bigger names that this Lions’ front office will need to address are all on the defensive side of the ball with Ngata, Ansah, Whitehead and Wilson all scheduled to become unrestricted free agents in 2018.
A 33-year old Haloti Ngata may elect to retire this offseason following a season-ending bicep injury. If not, the Lions have certainly missed his inside presence. Ziggy Ansah could be a candidate for the franchise tag, although his poor production the past couple seasons might mean he can be re-signed at a discount … or maybe even let go entirely.
Next: Detroit Lions - Playoff chances are drastically diminishing
Linebacker Tahir Whitehead has arguably been the Lions’ most reliable defender that past two seasons. But the drafting of Jarrad Davis in the first round of this year’s draft might have sealed his fate. And whether Tavon Wilson returns will likely be determined by the play of young safety Miles Killebrew in Detroit’s final four games of the regular season.