4 remaining free agents for the Detroit Lions to consider

The Detroit Lions still have the time and resources to acquire talented players in free agency. These four players should be their targets.

• by
  
  Mike Payton
  

• on March 22, 2023 7:00 AM

The Detroit Lions have taken all kinds of ups and downs in free agency this month. They added three very good secondary snaps, some of the best on the market, and they even added a long snapper. They did all of this as well as bring back some key pieces from last year’s team.

What now? Is black over? Some of the things they’ve done recently show that they may still be in the market for gamers. On Monday, they renegotiated Romeo Okwara’s contract to unlock about $9 million in roof space. This comes after the contracts of Charles Harris, Tracy Walker and Jack Fox were also reinstated.

If the Lions are still planning on making some moves, here are four players that I think deserve to be making the moves:

WR DJ Shark

Let’s start by bringing home another lion. Chark has been flirting with the leopards a lot lately, but no moves have been made. These two are still just two friends who swear by each other. There is still time for the ex-lover to get back into the picture and win over Chark.

Romantic comedy aside, the Lions should really try to get Chark back for the 2023 season. He’s by far the best wide receiver available right now because of his youth and there really is a chemistry there with Jared Goff and the Lions offense as a whole. I know the common belief is that Jameson Williams is going to step up and take that place from Sharks, but we don’t really know what Williams is yet. Why not bring Chark back while you figure it out?

DT Bona Ford

The Lions need help in the inner areas of their defensive line. It’s a place he hasn’t touched since free agency began. Maybe because they feel comfortable with the group they already have. Maybe because they plan to attack this defensive line in a draft full of good defensive line.

If they are looking in the free agency section, Poona Ford is probably the best option left. The 27-year-old defensive tackle has been having a tough season with the team Seahawks last year. While he recorded a career-high three sacks, he posted low numbers everywhere else. His 35 total tackles were the lowest since 2019, and his PFF grade of 56.2 was the worst in his five-year career.

But last year seemed more like an exception than the rule. For the first four years of his career, Ford was one of the best indoor running backs in the game. Detroit’s defense has struggled for most of the 2022 season, and Ford’s addition will no doubt help.

Ford seemed poised for the kind of contract Lions loved to hand out during the Holmes regime: a proof-of-it deal. Ford needs to prove he can still do it at a high level, and the Lions need a dampener that can help as they likely prepare a rookie for the future. The two sides are perfect for each other.

S PJ Williams

The Lions have pulled in a lot of great secondary assists in free agency so far. Much like the fact that there’s no rule that a dog can’t play basketball, there’s no rule that says Lions have to stop adding talent in the secondary.

Like the recently added CJ Gardner-Johnson, Williams has ties to the Lions coaching staff. Williams has spent his entire career with the Saints. This, of course, means that he worked with Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn for much of his career. Williams is the guy who can help give the Lions depth in safety. Depth is something this team needs after losing DeShawn Elliott, and in the event Tracy Walker doesn’t get back to the player he was before his injury. Williams could be a short term addition to help solve this problem.

WR Miles Boykin

Can I take a swing here? listen to me. This is a bit of a project for lions. Miles Boykin is a 6-foot-4-inch wide receiver Lots of sportsbut he struggled to catch up with his career after the Ravens took him in the third round of 2019. NFL Draft. He’s dealt injuries and tackles that fail to use him properly. Sometimes it’s not so much about the player it’s about the bad conditions they’ve been through.

The Lions have a history of coaching players and helping them achieve the best path in their careers. Here is another opportunity to do so. The Lions’ future Legions may seem really fleshed out, but it’s not as deep as it might seem, especially if they end up losing DJ Chark to another team. Boykin could come at the very cheap end and possibly find himself a spot in the NFL. It’s certainly worth considering his size and athleticism alone.

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