Reassessing market for Lions' biggest need: Estimating cost and evaluating fits of remaining free-agent edge defenders
Allen Park — The Detroit Lions need edge defenders, plural. This is not breaking news. There’s also almost no way the team doesn’t add one, or more, to the roster ahead of next month’s draft.
Here’s what we know: The Lions have two edges on the roster. There’s All-Pro Aidan Hutchinson and 2025 sixth-round pick Ahmed Hassanein, a developmental project who spent half of his rookie season rehabbing an injury and the other half on the practice squad. Additionally, Detroit has two interior options with outside experience in Levi Onwuzurike and Tyler Lacy.
If you’re not moved by those pieces beyond Hutchinson, no one could blame you. But fear not, reinforcements should soon be on the way. They almost have to be. The Lions went into training camp with eight edge rushers on the roster last year. A safe bet would be two veteran signings and two rookies, whether selected in the draft or signed among the pool of undrafted prospects.
Now, Detroit was always unlikely to be involved in the pursuit of top-of-the-market free agents at the position when the signing period opened last week. That included Trey Hendrickson, Odafe Oweh and Jaelan Phillips, who all landed four-year contracts averaging at least $25 million per season.
Even the next tier down, Boye Mafe (three years, $60 million), Khalil Mack (one year, $18 million) and Bradley Chubb (three years, $54 million) were out of Detroit’s budget.
Still, the market isn’t completely picked over. Let’s look at more than a dozen edge defenders still available, gauge whether they’d be a fit for the Lions, and what it might cost for general manager Brad Holmes to bring them aboard.