ALLEN PARK, Mich. – As the legal tampering period begins within the NFL on Monday and teams can finally start to make more concrete plans to be on their roster, the turnover churn that will be the Detroit Lions can take some shape.
The Lions are not expected to be massive players in free agency due to a multitude of factors, including cap space, the reality of a rebuild and new general manager Brad Holmes’ stated plan he would prefer to build within the draft.
But Detroit does need players – the team, in reality, has either starting or depth questions at every position other than punter – and some of those solves will come from free agency. The Lions’ own free agents may take up some of those moves, as the team has already re-signed cornerback Michael Ford, and they’ve been active in the cut-player market, signing receiver Tyrell Williams.
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Ashley Landis/Associated Press
The NFL offseason kicked into high gear with the start of Monday s legal tampering period.
Really, organizations and the representation for pending free agents have been talking for weeks. Monday is just the starting point of actually reaching deals before they become official at the start of the new league year Wednesday.
Over the last couple of weeks, numerous squads scrambled to reset thanks to the league s lowered salary cap ($182.5 million) after a pandemic-stricken season. A slew of cuts and contract restructures were the direct result of each team losing over $15 million in salary-cap flexibility.
Detroit Lions free agency preview: More than a couple of new faces needed at linebacker
Updated Mar 14, 2021;
Posted Mar 14, 2021
Los Angeles Chargers middle linebacker Denzel Perryman warms up before an NFL football game against the Oakland Raiders Sunday, Dec. 22, 2019, in Carson, Calif. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)
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Expiring contracts: Reggie Ragland, Jarrad Davis, Jalen Reeves-Maybin, Christian Jones (released)
Best available: Shaquil Barrett (Bucs),
K.J. Wright (Seahawks), Jayon Brown (Titans), Eric Wilson (Vikings), Kyle Van Noy (Dolphins)
Other names to watch: Samson Ebukam (Rams), Alex Anzalone (Saints), Denzel Perryman (Chargers), Leonard Floyd (Rams), Bud Dupree (Steelers), Haason Reddick (Cardinals), Matthew Judon (Ravens), Nick Vigil (Chargers), Neville Hewitt (Jets), Kwon Alexander (Saints), De’Vondre Campbell (Cardinals), Avery Williamson (Steelers), B.J. Goodson (Browns)