NFL free agency grades: How did each team do?

Detroit Lions

The Detroit Lions are taking the Buffalo Bills’ 2019 approach to free agency, which means they have been busy taking a “quantity over quality” approach to their signings. And as per usual, Matt Patricia is busy signing former New England Patriots players, perhaps to shroud the scathing criticisms he’s receiving from former players. Imagine having the gall to disrespect Darius Slay when you have no business even being a head coach in this league.

Aside from trading Darius Slay for nearly nothing to a potential Super Bowl contender, the Lions made some more head-scratching decisions. They will overpay good-but-not-great nose tackle Danny Shelton, traded a fifth-round pick for backup safety Duron Harmon, handed an aging Jamie Collins $10 million per year, and decided to give Chase Daniel more money to be a clipboard holder.

All was not bad, though. Shelton and Collins can help the defense, and Harmon is another useful defensive back. Desmond Trufant joins the team as a cheaper replacement for Slay, but he is both older and worse than the true shutdown corner.

The Lions will likely finish last in the NFC North again, but, on the bright side, they will probably finally fire Patricia. Then the next head coach will have to deal with all the bad contracts he’s given to former Patriots players.

Grade: F