3 underrated free agents the Detroit Lions should have signed

2. TE Gerald Everett

The Lions needed to bolster their depth at tight end behind T.J. Hockenson, or more precisely add some experience to the mix. They have made an addition, signing former Saints tight end Garrett Griffin. He is a former pupil of Lions head coach Dan Campbell, who was the tight ends coach in New Orleans under Sean Payton before getting the job in Detroit.

Griffin is a blocking tight end, with five career catches for 43 yards (four for 39 in 2021), which is fine for a backup tight end. But the Lions could have added an actual proven passing game weapon, to play behind and even share the field at times with Hockenson instead. And if Hockenson is ever injured, be a viable threat to opposing defenses on his own.

Everett spend his first four seasons with the Los Angeles Rams, sharing time with Tyler Higbee while topping 10 yards per catch in three of the four campaigns. He set career-highs across the board with the Seattle Seahawks last season, with 48 catches for 478 yards and four touchdowns over 15 games (12 starts, and a clear career-best 75 percent snap rate).

The Chargers landed Everett on a two-year, $12 million deal with $8 million guaranteed. The Lions could have made an offer along that line and not wrecked their plan, and maybe he would’ve come aboard a little cheaper to reunite with Jared Goff and Brad Holmes, who was the Rams’ director of college scouting for years.

Honorable mention tight end the Detroit Lions should’ve signed: Evan Engram (one-year, $9 million from the Jaguars)