Another year, another offseason spent talking about the Detroit Lions adding a defensive end.
This year, it’s pretty much a necessity. The two players that repped the most at the position opposite Aidan Hutchinson in 2025—Marcus Davenport and Al-Quadin Muhammad—are both potentially headed for free agency. And Detroit’s depth consists of a player coming off a torn ACL, a player that may be cut, and a high-energy 2025 sixth-round pick (and Tyler Lacy).
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The question isn’t if the Lions will invest in the edge defender position in free agency. The question is how much will they invest?
Previously:
Under contract:
Lions free agents:
The Lions have a pretty clear vacancy at the spot opposite Hutchinson. While Onwuzurike and Paschal’s return from injury could help, it sounds like the latter’s spot on the roster is not guaranteed based on some comments made by general manager Brad Holmes last week at the NFL Combine.
Detroit could opt to re-sign Muhammad—and I believe they should consider it—but they clearly only value him as a late-down player based on his usage last year despite the fact that the Lions were shorthanded. They need someone they can trust as a three-down player, and that isn’t Muhammad—and it shouldn’t be Davenport, either.
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So, to free agency we go…
Top free agent EDGE available:
Note: Estimated contract numbers are via PFF.
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EDGE Trey Hendrickson (estimated contract: 1 year, $21M)
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EDGE Jaelan Phillips (1 year, $15M)
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EDGE Odafe Oweh (4 years, $77M)
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EDGE Boye Mafe (3 years, $49M)
Hendrickson is a great schematic fit as a big, physical edge who has also produced crazy sack numbers (17.5 sacks in both 2023 and 2024) before his injury-shortened season. But that’s a lot of moolah for the Lions to spending in free agency when they appear to be in penny-pinching mode. Same goes for pretty much everyone else on this list here. But are the Lions penny pinching in some areas so they can spend at EDGE? We’ll see.
Best fits:
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EDGE Joey Bosa (1 year, $11M)
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EDGE Khalil Mack (1 year, $14M)
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EDGE Jadeveon Clowney (1 year, $10M)
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EDGE Cameron Jordan (1 year, $7.5M)
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EDGE Charles Omenihu (2 years, $11M)
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EDGE Al-Quadin Muhammad (no estimate)
There’s a lot of age to this year’s free agency class, and none of these options would really present as a three-down player. But Bosa, Mack, Clowney, and Jordan all fit the big, physical type of edge Detroit would trust on any down, even if their bodies likely can’t handle a full load of snaps anymore. I have to say, I’m very intrigued about a potential Cam Jordan reunion with Dan Campbell now that it’s been reported that Jordan still wants to play and isn’t likely to return to New Orleans for a 16th season. He may be turning 37 this year, but he’s coming of a 10.5-sack season and a stellar 82.1 PFF run defense grade on 589 snaps—nearly 35 per game.
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Of the others, I like Bosa’s fit best, and Clowney’s value best.
I like the overall strategy of adding a veteran here, because it gives the Lions a 2026 option while still leaving the possibility of taking an EDGE early in the draft. Plus, who wouldn’t love having a rookie step in and have a mentor like Mack or Jordan there waiting for them?
Omenihu has been on my wish list for a couple of years, though there’s admittedly some character questions there. He’s massive (6-foot-5, 280), coming off a strong run defense season, and has flashed some decent pass rush throughout his career (7.0 sacks in 2023, 62 PFF pressures in 2022).
Then there’s Muhammad. I’ve already made the case for and against re-signing Muhammad, and I ultimately believe Detroit would be wise to run it back with him, provided that the price is around the $4-6 million range.
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