The Detroit Lions, as generally expected, have had a quiet run through the early part of 2026 free agency. As things sit right now, as of this writing, there are four edge rushers on the roster if you count Tyler Lacy in that group. Of the three, just one, Aidan Hutchinson, is a proven commodity at all.
They most recently added free agent DJ Wonnum on a one-year deal, but that feels like more of a high-floor depth signing more than them actually landing a starter for the future next to Hutchinson.
With this signing being pretty lackluster, it's highly likely Holmes will mount another defense against the idea there's not enough effort being made to add someone capable opposite Hutchinson.
If the actual/perceived lack of effort to find a second capable edge rusher was something new to this offseason, it would be different. But it's not, and the excuses are getting lame.
A very capable veteran edge rusher is just waiting for the Lions to sign him
On the list of available free agent edge rushers, a few names stand out as potential fits for the Lions. But one seems to stand above the rest, and Al Karsten of Pride of Detroit has started to carry the baton.
Free agent edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney in 2025 (12th season, 7th team) recorded a 16.7% pass rush win rate, ranking 12th among 112 qualifying edge defenders (min. 150 pass rush snaps).
— Al Karsten (@FootballGuy_Al) March 16, 2026
That tied his career-high PRWR (also 2023) and marked the third straight season he finished…
Free agent Jadeveon Clowney’s 12 combined batted passes over the last three seasons are tied for the 5th most among all defenders.
— Al Karsten (@FootballGuy_Al) March 16, 2026
He’s recorded four in each of the last three seasons.
It's safe to declare Clowney has not had the NFL career it was envisioned he would have after being the first overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. He has also been something of a nomad, playing for six teams over the last seven seasons. But here he is, moving toward his his 13th NFL season while few have been paying attention.
As Karsten noted, Clowney has posted a top-20 pass rush win rate among edge rushers in each of the last three seasons. In two of those three seasons, he has had at least 8.5 sacks and last season with the Dallas Cowboys he posted the best Pro Football Focus pass rush grade of his career (80.6).
Clowney has also been a capable run defender, with the 16th-best grade among edge defenders last season and a run defense grade of 70.6 or better in three of the last four seasons. In four of the last five seasons, he has had at least nine tackles for loss.
READ MORE: Lions Free-Agency Tracker 2026: Signings, departures, cap space analysis, and more
Leaving aside the Carolina Panthers releasing him in May of 2025, which put him behind the eight-ball to find a new team and played a role in him not signing with the Cowboys until after Week 1 last season, Clowney has tended to sign with a new team later than normal.
In each of the four offseasons before last offseason, Clowney signed on March 27 or later. In three of those, 2021-2023, he signed on April 14 or later. So either he's willing to wait for the right fit, or the market for his services has been slower to take shape than he expected. In any case, he has lingered available for too long more often than not.
With more than $100 million in career earnings, Clowney is probably not chasing money at this point. But he also should have no trouble getting more than the $3.45 million he got from the Cowboys last season, and the Lions should be ready to give him a one-year deal along the lines of his $5.7 million projected market value.
It doesn't always have to be difficult to sign a capable veteran edge rusher after the first wave of free agency. Clowney is hypothetically waiting for a contending team to make him an offer he won't refuse. If the Lions fail to do it, there's absolutely no excuse.