With the NFL Draft now behind us, the Detroit Lions, along with the rest of the league, will start to put the finishing touches on their roster ahead of the summer camp season.
The Detroit Lions should look to the second phase of free agency to round out their roster in hopes of putting the right puzzle pieces together to make another serious run at contending not only for the NFC North title, but also a Super Bowl bid.
I am not going to go over the Lions' entire draft, but general manager Brad Holmes plugged the leaks in a couple of vital areas. Holmes and the Lions used premium picks to secure an offensive tackle in Blake Miller, who will virtually replace Taylor Decker. The Lions will slide star tackle Penei Sewell back to his natural position on the left side and insert Miller over on the right.
The Lions then addressed their next pressing need in the second round of the draft, trading up to land edge rusher Derrick Moore out of Michigan. Finally, the Lions have what they hope will grow into a bona fide bookend to Aidan Hutchinson on their defensive line.
Detroit then landed another Wolverine in the third round, picking linebacker Jimmy Rolder to help fill out their linebacker room, which, as it stood, was expected to see a significant drop off in ability and overall production after Jack Campbell, since Alex Anzalone was deemed expendable and signed elsewhere in free agency.
Five veteran free agents the Detroit Lions need to consider signing in phase two (post-draft) to fill out their roster.
Cameron Jordan – Edge
Jordan turns 37 this summer, and yes, he's long in the tooth and firmly in the twilight of his career, but that doesn't mean the impact is gone. The longtime New Orleans Saint is coming off another double-digit sack season after posting 10.5 sacks. Over 15 seasons in New Orleans, Jordan has compiled 763 tackles and 132 sacks, while also forcing 17 fumbles and recovering 12.
Again, Pro Football Focus (PFF) isn't the be-all and end-all, but it does provide another lens into a player's week-to-week consistency, and I will use it throughout this article. Jordan earned an overall grade of 76.0, which ranked 24th among 115 qualified edge defenders.
He also recorded 36 pressures, ranking 53rd. These numbers reflect a veteran who may no longer live in the top tier of volume disruption, but still offers dependable, above-average play with real finishing ability.
Jordan also isn't your prototypical speed rusher who wins only by turning the corner. He's a more complete package at defensive end: a big edge who can set a firm edge in the run game, collapse pockets with power, and still finish when he gets home.
Exactly what the Lions covet from a player opposite Hutchinson. He’d be the perfect role player to enter Detroit on a timeshare with rookie Moore. He’d not only help mentor the rookie but also help Hutchinson polish and shine his game.
 In the long term, the move doesn't block anyone in Detroit, and he’d pair perfectly with their draft investment. Jordan also crossed paths with head coach Dan Campbell while an offensive assistant under Sean Payton with the Saints, prior to accepting the Lions job.
Calais Campbell – Defensive Tackle
For many of the same reasons Jordan will fit with the Detroit Lions, the same is true for Calais Campbell. The veteran defensive tackle has performed very well late into his 30s, so maybe he’s still got a bit of juice at 40.
Campbell would be the perfect role player to play situationally inside on Detroit’s defensive line alongside Alim McNeill. The Lions struggled mightily not only to create a pass rush last season but, at times, couldn’t even stop a plastic bag blowing in the wind while trying to defend the run. Campbell becomes an invaluable, affordable answer.
In 2025, he posted a 72.2 overall Pro Football Focus (PFF) defensive grade, ranking 26th among 134 qualified interior defensive linemen. His pass-rush grade of 65.1 placed him 49th, while a run-defense mark of 69.2 was good for 16th at the position. Last season with the Arizona Cardinals, Campbell compiled 35 tackles, 6.5 sacks, and nine hits.
Just a year prior, Campbell’s 2024 season was nothing short of extraordinary. He earned an 82.3 overall PFF mark, seventh-best among qualified defensive tackles, along with a remarkable 85.9 run-defense grade, the top in his class.
Campbell brings stability to a somewhat unstable defensive line room. He’d not only aid McNeill but also help second-year tackle Tyleik Williams and even Levi Onwuzurike, who has vastly underachieved, reach their overall potential.
Joel Bitonio -Offensive Guard
This one is a bit complicated, but it would be an absolute home run for the Detroit Lions. The long-time star Cleveland Browns guard is currently an unrestricted free agent and is also mulling over retirement. Bitonio is a two-time first-team All-Pro selection and a seven-time Pro Bowler.
According to Pro Football Focus, Bitonio earned a 70.7 overall PFF grade in the 2025 season, 23rd among 81 qualified offensive guards. He played 1,081 offensive snaps on the season.
His PFF pass-blocking grade of 75.7 ranked 8th among 81 qualified offensive guards. His run-blocking grade of 64.4 ranked 38th at the position.
He allowed 31 total pressures in pass protection. That total included 2 sacks and 1 hits allowed to opposing pass rushers. He was flagged for 1 penalties over the course of the season.
As it stands, the Lions' revamped offensive line appears to be a strength again, but I still have questions and concerns about their left guard. Right now, Christian Mahogany appears to be the front-runner for the starting job, but I wouldn’t discount Matt Frazier or Ben Bartch unseating him.
That notion only highlights my concern about the position, and adding Bitonio would give the Lions a top option there for a season and really complete their unit heading into next season.
READ MORE: Full details of Lions' Za'Darius Smith trade are finally finalized
Deebo Samuel – Wide Receiver
I know, what? A receiver? Isn’t that already a strength led by Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams? Yes, yes it is. But you can’t have too many playmaking options. Samuel has a lot of hard miles on his body, similar to my 1992 Pontiac Sunbird when I purchased it around 2004.
I just needed to get a year out of the old thing until I could scrounge up enough money for something a bit more reliable. Well, it’s the same for Samuel and the Lions.
The Lions could use a third/fourth option at the position to pair with the aforementioned St. Brown and Williams, and someone reliable enough to take some of the pressure off Isaac TeSlaa.
I’d expect TeSlaa to be a lot more involved in Detroit’s offense this year, but without Kaliff Raymond, the Lions would benefit from adding someone with return capability, such as Samuel, and someone you can hand the ball off to on those jet sweeps and end arounds.
Samuel isn’t a deep ball threat, but he would really help the Lions' intermediate passing game when Williams and TeSlaa stretch the field. Samuel can still beat one-on-one coverage and be a nice complement to St. Brown, though on a much smaller scale than he was earlier in his career.
Samuel is coming off a 72-catch season in which he gained 727 yards and five receiving touchdowns for Washington. He also added 75 rushing yards and a score on 17 totes. He also returned 15 kicks for 452 yards, with a long of 69.
Trevon Diggs – Corner
Like Samuel, this is more of a ‘let’s see what he’s got left in the tank’ situation. The Detroit Lions have a ton of questions at the corner position, and adding a veteran like Diggs (28) is a risk I’d be worth taking.
It’s a Lions group currently led by veteran D.J. Reed, who struggled last year, his first season in Detroit. He’s followed by Terrion Arnold, who has yet to grow into a top-two corner. Then it is veteran newcomer Roger McCreary, who was brought in as a free agent from the Rams.
He’s followed by Ennis Rakestraw, who hasn’t been able to stay on the field since being drafted by the organization. Detroit recently drafted Keith Abney II, and then we’ve got special teamer Khalil Dorsey to round out the group.
In an era where you can’t have enough corners, adding Diggs at the right price is worth a shot. Diggs played a season with the Green Bay Packers and, according to PFF,  earned a 59.8 overall PFF defensive grade in the 2025 season, 68th among 114 qualified cornerbacks.
His PFF coverage grade of 65.9 ranked 45th among 114 qualified cornerbacks. His run-defense grade of 44.5 ranked 99th at the position. He allowed a 157.2 passer rating when targeted by opposing quarterbacks and surrendered 16 receptions in coverage. He recorded 25 solo tackles. So, all of this data is, well, not good.
I am betting that Diggs still has some fat left on the bone at 28 years old, and perhaps last season was more about just getting back to work after a couple of injury-riddled years. Again, is he a top corner? No. But he could add some much-needed depth to a fairly lean room. But there is also a risk that this won't work at all, and there is no tread left on these tires.
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