Another late posting. Sorry about that. Posting this into 2 parts.
Detroit Lions 2023 free agency preview: Tough decisions loom in addressing defense
Justin Rogers
The Detroit News
This is the second in a two-part series assessing the Detroit Lions' position-by-position situation heading into free agency. After looking at the offense, today we'll take a look at the defense. Teams can begin negotiating with free agents on March 13. The signing period opens March 15 at 4 p.m.
Edge defender
▶ Under contract: Aidan Hutchinson, Romeo Okwara, Charles Harris, Josh Paschal, James Houston, Julian Okwara
▶ Lions free agents: John Cominsky, Austin Bryant
▶ Best available: Marcus Davenport, Jadeveon Clowney, Arden Key, Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, Charles Omenihu
Despite veterans (and 2020 and 2021 team sack leaders) Harris and Romeo Okwara missing most of the season with injuries, the Lions made notable strides along the defensive front last season. Led by rookies Hutchinson and Houston, the team experienced a 30% increase in sacks and leaped from 29th to ninth in pressure rate from the previous year.
Of course, there's still room for improvement. Even with the production increase, Detroit ranked in the bottom half of the league in sacks, while only the Chargers allowed more yards per carry. Much of those struggles can be directed at the interior, but the edge defenders played a role in the shortcomings, as well.
Admittedly, the entire unit is still young and improving. But losing Cominsky would be a blow. Only Hutchinson generated more pressure than the versatile lineman who was claimed off waivers from Atlanta last offseason. More impressively, Cominsky played at that high level despite having a club on his hand most of the season after breaking his thumb in Week 2.
The fate of Harris and Romeo Okwara is still to be determined. Both have shown the ability to be highly productive when healthy, but each offer the Lions an opportunity to free up significant cap space to address other areas of the roster, or to simply to reinvest in the line via a new deal for Cominsky.
Adding an outside veteran to this group seems unlikely, particularly with the depth of the draft lining up for the Lions to potentially add an edge with one of their two first-round selections.
Defensive tackle
▶ Under contract: Alim McNeill, Levi Onwuzurike, Benito Jones, Demetrius Taylor
▶ Lions free agents: Isaiah Buggs
▶ Best available: Javon Hargrave, Dalvin Tomlinson, David Onyemata, Zach Allen
Detroit got improved play from the interior last season, with McNeill nearly tripling his pressure total and Buggs chipping in another 20 hits and hurries, but there's arguably not a defensive position in greater need of an impact player.
One possibility, Washington's Daron Payne, received the franchise tag prior to hitting the market. Meanwhile, Hargrave, who turned 30 last month, carries less appeal because of his age, but there's no denying his ability to disrupt. He's tallied more than 60 pressures each of the past two seasons, including a combined 18.5 sacks.
Of course, that kind of resume carries a hefty price tag. Estimates for Hargrave's next contract range between $17-20 million per season. That type of offer would seem to run counter to the way general manager Brad Holmes has preferred to construct the roster.
Someone like Onyemata likely would cost half as much. The longtime Saints defender, who overlapped with Lions coach Dan Campbell and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn in New Orleans, has averaged 37 pressures and more than four sacks the past five seasons.
Beyond any potential outside pursuits, Buggs seems likely to be back. He proved to be a workhorse after signing days before training camp, and both sides seemed happy with the results of the late pairing.
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Detroit Lions 2023 free agency preview: Tough decisions loom in addressing defense
Justin Rogers
The Detroit News
This is the second in a two-part series assessing the Detroit Lions' position-by-position situation heading into free agency. After looking at the offense, today we'll take a look at the defense. Teams can begin negotiating with free agents on March 13. The signing period opens March 15 at 4 p.m.
Edge defender
▶ Under contract: Aidan Hutchinson, Romeo Okwara, Charles Harris, Josh Paschal, James Houston, Julian Okwara
▶ Lions free agents: John Cominsky, Austin Bryant
▶ Best available: Marcus Davenport, Jadeveon Clowney, Arden Key, Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, Charles Omenihu
Despite veterans (and 2020 and 2021 team sack leaders) Harris and Romeo Okwara missing most of the season with injuries, the Lions made notable strides along the defensive front last season. Led by rookies Hutchinson and Houston, the team experienced a 30% increase in sacks and leaped from 29th to ninth in pressure rate from the previous year.
Of course, there's still room for improvement. Even with the production increase, Detroit ranked in the bottom half of the league in sacks, while only the Chargers allowed more yards per carry. Much of those struggles can be directed at the interior, but the edge defenders played a role in the shortcomings, as well.
Admittedly, the entire unit is still young and improving. But losing Cominsky would be a blow. Only Hutchinson generated more pressure than the versatile lineman who was claimed off waivers from Atlanta last offseason. More impressively, Cominsky played at that high level despite having a club on his hand most of the season after breaking his thumb in Week 2.
The fate of Harris and Romeo Okwara is still to be determined. Both have shown the ability to be highly productive when healthy, but each offer the Lions an opportunity to free up significant cap space to address other areas of the roster, or to simply to reinvest in the line via a new deal for Cominsky.
Adding an outside veteran to this group seems unlikely, particularly with the depth of the draft lining up for the Lions to potentially add an edge with one of their two first-round selections.
Defensive tackle
▶ Under contract: Alim McNeill, Levi Onwuzurike, Benito Jones, Demetrius Taylor
▶ Lions free agents: Isaiah Buggs
▶ Best available: Javon Hargrave, Dalvin Tomlinson, David Onyemata, Zach Allen
Detroit got improved play from the interior last season, with McNeill nearly tripling his pressure total and Buggs chipping in another 20 hits and hurries, but there's arguably not a defensive position in greater need of an impact player.
One possibility, Washington's Daron Payne, received the franchise tag prior to hitting the market. Meanwhile, Hargrave, who turned 30 last month, carries less appeal because of his age, but there's no denying his ability to disrupt. He's tallied more than 60 pressures each of the past two seasons, including a combined 18.5 sacks.
Of course, that kind of resume carries a hefty price tag. Estimates for Hargrave's next contract range between $17-20 million per season. That type of offer would seem to run counter to the way general manager Brad Holmes has preferred to construct the roster.
Someone like Onyemata likely would cost half as much. The longtime Saints defender, who overlapped with Lions coach Dan Campbell and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn in New Orleans, has averaged 37 pressures and more than four sacks the past five seasons.
Beyond any potential outside pursuits, Buggs seems likely to be back. He proved to be a workhorse after signing days before training camp, and both sides seemed happy with the results of the late pairing.
continued..
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