The Detroit Lions are preparing for the start of free agency in just over a week's time, and as they do that, rumors are beginning to swirl about how active they will be when the market opens.
Despite the fact that the Lions don't need many major upgrades, the opportunity does exist to make a bigger move that could help them dramatically in 2026. One of the biggest positions they need is center, and the biggest fish on the market is Tyler Linderbaum from the Baltimore Ravens.
Linderbaum has been rumored to be in play for plenty of teams, but until now, he had not been directly mentioned with Detroit. Sports Illustrated writer Albert Breer has put him firmly in the mix for the Lions heading towards free agency.
In a piece, Breer contends that he wouldn't rule out the Lions making a bigger play for a player such as Linderbaum as they look to reconstruct their struggling offensive line on the fly.
"As for the Lions, I’d expect the acquisition of (Juice) Scruggs to be the first one in a little bit of an offensive line reworking. Detroit’s identity was built through that position group through Dan Campbell’s first four years, and fell off a bit last year. To get it back to where it was, I wouldn’t rule out a big swing by Detroit, maybe on someone such as Ravens free-agent center Tyler Linderbaum."
Scruggs is quality depth project for Detroit, and likely will take the place of the recently released Graham Glasgow in terms of a swing piece that can play either guard or center. Adding a bonafide center would help the Lions pursue an upgrade at tackle in the draft, and potentially sign another veteran guard to compete up front.
Adding Linderbaum would be arguably the best bigger move the Lions could make in free agency, and would shore up the team's biggest weakness from the 2025 season with one stroke of the pen.
Uncertainty still hovers over Lions' offseason planning for free agency
In spite of Breer's reporting, the Lions also may not choose to be big spenders in free agency. There is conflicting reports as to the extent of their activity, and some still contend that the team is set to have their usually quiet free agency period when the dollars start flying.
Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press crowdsourced some intelligence at the NFL combine and found that their approach might be consistent with what it has been in the past. Moreover, one source thinks Tate Ratledge is set to make a major position change for next season.
"Multiple agents who met with the Lions at the NFL combine do not expect the team to be major players in free agency, and one who spoke with the team believes they will move Tate Ratledge to center and open competition at the guard spots."
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Moving Ratledge to center could certainly save the Lions some significant money, but the fact is, he was fantastic at guard as a rookie. If the Lions chose, they could simply add a top line center, more depth at guard, draft their tackle of the future and be ready to contend with certainty next season.
It's also safe to remember that spending money doesn't guarantee improvement. Last March, the Lions spent bigger on cornerback D.J. Reed, who struggled most of the year. Brad Holmes has had bigger success with short-term contracts, betting on veteran players with something to prove who have been cast off from their previous locations.
No matter what happens, the rumor mill is beginning to churn in earnest ahead of free agency. It's clear the Lions will be a team to watch either way once things open up and the tampering period finally begins.