5 2024 free agents on Super Bowl LVIII teams who should interest the Detroit Lions

4. 49ers defensive end Clelin Ferrell

The fourth overall pick by the Raiders in the 2019 draft, Ferrell is easily tabbed as a draft bust and it's not wrong. But he found a home with the 49ers this year, starting all 17 regular season games with 3.5 sacks, six tackles for loss and 13 quarterback hits over 471 snaps (a 43 percent snap share).

Ferrell is not a headliner on a talent-laden 49ers' defensive front, but Grant Cohn of SI.com/All 49ers had some praise for him upon news he'd miss time due to an unfortunate knee injury early in a meaningless regular season finale. The injury landed him on IR.

"Ferrell is one of the 49ers' best run defenders. He arguably is their best edge-setter -- better than Nick Bosa and Chase Young, who both think pass rush before run defense."
-Grant Cohn, SI.com

The 49ers have been run on pretty easily in the playoffs, including by the Lions. That's been a general weakness of their defense this season, on a per-play basis, but their run defense has been notably worse in two playoff games (5.6 yards per carry allowed). Ferrell's absence clearly hasn't helped, and he won't play in the Super Bowl.

The details of Ferrell's knee injury haven't been reported as a worst-case, like a torn ACL or more. It seems that with the playoffs being a short window to play, he was put on IR since he wouldn't be ready. So on the idea he'll be healthy in plenty of time before the start of the season, and as a cheap depth addition to the edge rusher mix, the Lions should have interest in the former top-five overall pick.