Potential Lions free agent target now off the board

This potential free agent would have been a great addition to the Detroit Lions

With the final game of the season approaching, it’s time for the Detroit Lions to look forward to a big turnover for next year. They are in need of a new coaching staff and general manager before anything else but they will also need to add talent to their roster through free agency, the draft and perhaps some trades.

On the offensive front, the Lions will need to address their wide receiver corps as only Quintez Cephus and Geronimo Allison are under contract at their position for the team next season. The Lions are sure to attempt to bring back wide receiver Kenny Golladay and while both sides have stated they are in for a reunion, it’s not a full fledged guarantee.

The new regime will also have to make a decision about the future of quarterback Matthew Stafford with the organization. There have been tons of chatter about potentially trading him to start fresh and rebuild.

While that’s just the offense, the defense is what needs a major overhaul. The Lions defense this season has been terrible at both stopping the run and pass attack. The Lions rank third last in average pass yards per game with 278.3 yards and fourth last in average rush yards per game with 135.5.

Those stats show that the Lions need new defensive pieces all over to improve the defense as a whole. One player the Lions could have targeted in free agency is New York Giants safety/cornerback Logan Ryan.

Last offseason, Ryan had to wait quite a while for a contract despite having a very good 2019 season with the Tennessee Titans. In 2019 playing as a cornerback, he recorded a career-high 113 tackles (73 solo) with 18 passes defended, 4.5 sacks, four interceptions and four forced fumbles along with eight quarterback hits.

Just nine days before the 2020 season started, he landed a one year, $7.5 million deal with the Giants to play safety and has done well for the team this season. Heading into Week 17, he has 91 tackles (66 solo), an interception, nine passes defended, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and a sack.

Ryan was set to hit free agency again until the Giants just came at him with a contract extension of three years and $31 million with $20 million guaranteed which he accepted.

As he was set to become a free agent again before he accepted the extension, he would have been a great fit for the Lions secondary due to the fact that he puts up good numbers and he’s versatile. Unfortunately, the Lions will have to look elsewhere.