In mere hours now, the "legal tampering period" for 2024 NFL free agency will start. There will be a frenzy of reported deals over the two-plus days before deals can be official on Wednesday afternoon.
How aggressive the Detroit Lions will be as the new league year starts, with cap space and a narrow list of needs, is the big question. General manager Brad Holmes openly said free agency is for needs during an appearance on 97.1 The Ticket the week of the NFL Combine.
"I think in free agency you can rely on more need. But in the draft, man, there’s only a subset of those true cornerstone players that you can identify and if you pass those players over because you’re trying to fill need, I think you get yourself in trouble."
So the results of free agency are unlikely to dramatically shift what the Lions do in April's draft. Evidence of that came just last year. In theory, running back was not a great need after the signing of David Montgomery. But Jahmyr Gibbs was taken 12th overall, and the backfield tandem worked out nicely.
We now know where all the Lions' 2024 draft picks will be, after compensatory picks were made official. They have seven selections as free agency looms.
Using Pro Football Network's simulator, here's a brand new pre-free agency mock draft for the Lions.