6 Detroit Lions free agents who will not be back in 2024

6. CB/S Will Harris

After being pressed into a big role in the Lions' secondary for a few weeks, Harris went back in his rightful role as a core special teamer with 20 defensive snaps from Week 8 through the playoffs. Even with all the issues the team had at cornerback, he could not crack the rotation.

As training camp started last July, Dan Campbell lauded Harris for his professionalism, work ethic, versatility, etc.

But at a certain point, being a strong culture fit has to be met with a role and a talent level to back it up. Harris is a replaceable special teamer, and nothing more.

5. EDGE Charles Harris

Harris had a breakthrough campaign in his first season as a Lion in 2021, when he led the team with 7.5 sacks, But it's been all downhill for him since; coincidentally or not as the team has gotten better. An injury hampered him last season, and eventually landed him on IR. He started this season in a fairly large role again, but a downward trend in snaps led to him being a not-very surprising healthy scratch in Week 7. That turned out to be foreshadowing for how the rest of his 2023 season would go.

Harris was a healthy scratch three more times before the regular season ended, and he played a total of 11 defensive snaps in the last three regular season games he suited up for. For a team that struggled to find pass rush off the edge beyond Aidan Hutchinson all season, that lack of opportunity is striking (and incredibly telling, truly). He was also a healthy scratch in all three playoff games, which was not a surprise.

Harris is going to be a free agent, officially five days after the Super Bowl when his contract voids. He has not been up to anywhere near par for most of the last two seasons, and if any effort is made to re-sign him it would be a shock.