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1 free agent the Detroit Lions might miss, and 4 they won’t miss at all

By Brad Berreman

Nov 20, 2022; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Detroit Lions running back Jamaal Williams (30) warms up before the game against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 20, 2022; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Detroit Lions running back Jamaal Williams (30) warms up before the game against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports /
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After a nice run in 2023 free agency, here is one free agent the Detroit Lions might miss and four they won’t miss one bit.

The Detroit Lions sensed a hot iron (the NFC North being there to take) and clearly struck in free agency, completely reshaping their secondary (Cameron Sutton, Emmanuel Moseley, C.J. Gardner-Johnson) and pivoting quickly to replace Jamaal Williams (David Montgomery).

Now feels like an appropriate time to take some accounting of the Lions’ 2023 free agency run, in terms of gains, losses, players who will be missed and those who won’t, etc. In a broad sense the Lions didn’t lose anyone without immediately replacing them, or having an easy-to-see internal plan to fill the void that will be left behind. Upgrading the No. 2 quarterback spot remains a thing though, and the remaining veteran options aren’t that great.

The ‘A’ grades were all over the place for the Lions’ free agency haul. They were appropriate and well-founded.

Here’s one free agent the Lions might miss, and four they won’t miss at all.

One free agent the Detroit Lions might miss, and four they won’t miss one bit

Evan Brown, Detroit Lions, NFL Free Agency, Seattle Seahawks
Credit: Grant Halverson/Getty Images /

Free Agent Lions Might Miss: OL Evan Brown

Brown was an imporant, versatile piece for the Lions offensive line over the last two seasons, starting 12 games at center for an injured Frank Ragnow in 2021 and a total of 12 games (11 at right guard, one at center) last season.

Brown signed with the Seattle Seahawks in free agency, but the Lions very quickly agreed to a deal to bring back Graham Glasgow. Glasgow is similiarly versatile, able to play all three interior line spots, and he will compete with Halapoulivaati Vaitai for the starting job at right guard.

Pro Football Focus named Brown as the Lions’ biggest loss in free agency, and even with the signing of Glasgow it’s easy to make that case. If Glasgow is the starting right guard, then Brown’s versatility as a sheer backup (even though he was barely a backup the last two years) is indeed a loss.

That Brown, though he was quickly replaced on the surface, is the biggest free agent loss for the Lions says it all about their run in free agency this year.

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