3 free agents the Lions must sign to win the Super Bowl next season

It was a tough night for the Detroit Lions on Saturday. The Lions injuries finally caught up with them on the defensive side of the ball. Jayden Daniels tore through the Detroit secondary, and the pass rush couldn't get home at a consistent enough clip. The Lions couldn't get a stop when they needed one, especially against a quarterback like Daniels, who despite being a rookie can beat opposing defenses in oh so many ways.

Dan Campbell took as much blame as he could, but the Lions were a victim of circumstance. Had they survived another week, there's a good chance Aidan Hutchinson could've returned for the NFC Championship Game in Motown. That's what makes Saturday's loss all the more painful. The Lions got this far shorthanded, only to have their season end just as they were getting healthy. It's tragic, really.

To make matters worse, the offseason ahead will not be easy. To go along with a laundry list of looming free agents, the Lions may also lose both of their highly-coveted coordinators, Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn, who returned this past year for one last run at a Super Bowl.

Even if they lose Johnson and Glenn, the Lions and Brad Holmes must look ahead. By signing the right free agents, Detroit could return to glory.

3. Lions must re-sign Carlton Davis soon

Carlton Davis is expected to be one of the top free-agent cornerbacks available in free agency, and if we learned anything about the Lions last night, it's that they depend on their secondary in one-on-one coverage more than most. When Detroit is forced to play a zone scheme, they struggle to get home fast enough, thus leaving their secondary vulnerable.

This is where Davis comes in, as he can do a little bit of everything. If Glenn wanted to dial up a cornerback biltz, he could use Davis. Heck, Davis is a solid enough cover corner on the outside he can be left one-on-one with some of the best wide receivers in the NFC North.

Re-signing Davis will be expensive, but extending him to pair with Terrion Arnold and Amik Robertson would provide the Lions with a strong foundation for any defensive coordinator who replaces Glenn.

2. Lions should steal Josh Sweat from the Philadelphia Eagles

Prior to their loss to the Commanders, the Lions primary competition in the NFC was thought to be the Philadelphia Eagles, who won the NFC East. The Eagles arguably have the best offensive and defensive line depth in the NFL, and their team is built to win the line of scrimmage each and every week. Picking a player from that type of culture could benefit the Lions, as Campbell has routinely reiterated how important winning the line of scrimmage can be for Detroit.

On defense, the Lions failed to provide much of a pass rush since Hutchinson went down early in the season. Sweat has eight sacks on the season, and in a more prominent role with the Lions pass rush, he could be even better. The Eagles are talented enough up front to let Sweat walk, should they choose, and invest that money elsewhere.

Losing a player like Sweat to a fellow NFC contender would be a tough pill to swallow for the Eagles, but it's a risk the Lions should take if Philly allows him to reach free agency.

1. James Daniels is an ideal addition for the Lions offensive line

The Lions need offensive line depth. As talented as their starting guards and tackles may be, Detroit is lacking behind the likes of Kevin Zeitler, who is a free agent this offseason. Graham Glasgow is getting up there in age as well. Basically, Detroit has to get younger at the guard positions, and would value flexibility there as well.

Offensive line depth is never exciting for the fanbase – Lions fans won't be lining up outside James Daniels home, or making social media pitches to him. However, signing Daniels is necessary for a team that went through so many injuries up front in 2024-25. While it's unlikely they'll suffer as many issues next season, players coming back from injury are just as risk-averse.

Daniels played just four games with the Steelers this season due to an injury of his own, but the more bodies the better. Prior to that injury, Daniels was considered one of the top guards on Pittsburgh's roster, which is just as run-centric as the Lions at their best.