The Detroit Lions have had a solid run in 2024 free agency, addressing needs in a focused way with outside acquisitions while also not spending exorbitant money. The secondary waves of free agency may provide some opportunities to add pieces, and they surely have cap space to do something if it fits, but that's to be determined.
As the Lions' rebuild has moved forward and the talent level on the roster has been naturally bolstered, rather quickly too, players have departed one way or another for new teams.
A couple notable departures have happened for the Lions in this year's free agency (Jonah Jackson, C.J. Gardner-Johnson), and there's one more that seems likely to come before long (Josh Reynolds). But those departures don't seem likely to negatively impact the team next season, or further in the future, and that speaks volumes about the work Brad Holmes has done.
With that, a deeper dive is required within a premise of former Lions who won't live up to the new contracts they got this offseason. We have to go back beyond this offseason to make a list that's full enough and worth doing, with teams former Lions have played for since leaving Detroit. That is another testament to what's being done by Holmes and company, with savvy decision-making.
Even if some of these weren't mistakes the Lions have avoided this offseason specifically, these former Lions players stand out as ultimately not being able to live up to the new contracts the got in 2024 free agency.