Roundtable: Sleeper Draft Prospects Lions Could Target
1.) Who do you think the Lions realistically land in free agency?
Christian Booher: I think the Lions have a strong chance to come out of free agency with a legitimate defensive playmaker. With Brad Holmes’ abundance of salary cap space, the Lions should be able to make competitive offers for a number of the top free agents available.
In terms of specific players, I think Detroit has a very good chance at landing a player like Stephon Gilmore. Holmes & Co. have the connection with Gilmore’s brother, Steven, on the roster already, and Stephon would be an ideal, short-term commitment that could also allow them to develop a young corner.
Vito Chirco: I'm going to go with cornerback Stephon Gilmore. I think Brad Holmes & Co. are hell-bent on acquiring a shutdown-level corner this offseason. And, Gilmore, as a free agent, will be easier to attain than Kansas City star corner L'Jarius Sneed, who was recently franchise-tagged by the Chiefs. In my opinion, Detroit would rather sign Gilmore to a free-agent deal than part with valuable draft capital to obtain Sneed.
2.) Will Ceedy Duce be a part of the Lions in 2024?
Booher: I think Ceedy Duce will not be a part of the Lions in 2024. His track record is worthy of a big contract, but his year in Detroit got cut short by an injury. With his injury, though, players like Brian Branch and Ifeatu Melifonwu were able to blossom and show their talents.
With those young players in tow, the Lions can afford to part ways with a talented player like Duce. However, if his market isn’t what he hopes it will be, I could certainly see him returning for another opportunity in Detroit.
Chirco: I'm going to say no. I believe that Detroit is now committed to building around its young safeties, Ifeatu Melifonwu and Kerby Joseph. Plus, I wouldn't be surprised if Holmes & Co. grab a veteran safety not named Gardner-Johnson – i.e. Quandre Diggs – in free agency this offseason.
If I were a betting man, I'd say that Ceedy Duce ends up back in Philadelphia, where he recorded a career-best six interceptions in 2022.
3.) Should the Lions pursue Eagles DE Josh Sweat?
Booher: I think the Lions should be in on all of the top EDGE rushers. Holmes has one solid option already on roster in Aidan Hutchinson, so the organization shouldn’t pay too much to add another, when Hutchinson will need to be extended in the future.
As a result, Sweat on an expiring contract would be an ideal fit. The issue would be the fact that Detroit would likely have to part with coveted draft capital. For the right price, I think the Lions should certainly make a move for Sweat.
Chirco: The Lions certainly need to upgrade their pass-rushing department, and I love what Sweat has done in Philadelphia, with a total of 35 sacks and 81 quarterback hits since 2019. However, the 26-year-old is set to be under contract for another season in Philadelphia, and I believe that Detroit would rather acquire a player in this year’s free-agent class (e.g. Danielle Hunter) and/or draft an EDGE this April.
Presently, I believe there's a good chance that Holmes uses the Lions’ first-rounder (No. 29 overall) to address the EDGE position, with Penn State's Chop Robinson and Missouri's Darius Robinson as likely targets. Subsequently, I believe that Detroit will stay out of the Sweat sweepstakes.
And, if Holmes & Co. were to make a big trade this offseason, I think it would be for Sneed before anybody else.
4.) Who gets their extension first: Goff or St. Brown?
Booher: With all the buzz surrounding Amon-Ra St. Brown’s potential extension, I think he’s the first of the two to get a deal done. He’s deserving of the price tag that has been floated around for him, which has been rumored to be between $26 and $28 million.
The quarterback market will be interesting, with Kirk Cousins likely hitting free agency. As a result, I think Goff’s extension may not be as imminent.
Chirco: NFL teams revolve around having a franchise quarterback, and I'm steadfast in my belief that Holmes and Dan Campbell wholeheartedly believe that Goff is the Lions’ future under center, both in the short term and the long term. Also, I believe that the duo realizes Detroit has no true alternative solution.
Hendon Hooker, after rehabbing a torn ACL for much of his rookie season, is in no way ready to take the reins from the veteran passer, and there is no other quarterback on the present roster with enough experience to even compete with Goff for the job.
Because of all the above, I truly believe that the Lions will get an extension done with Goff this offseason, plus prior to getting one done with the team's star receiver, Amon-Ra St. Brown.
Sure, the organization loves its All-Pro wideout. But, it's going to place a bigger emphasis on hammering out an extension with Goff, its franchise passer, than St. Brown.
5.) Who is a draft prospect you are watching film on and scouting that not many people are talking about?
Booher: I’ve been really intrigued by what I’ve seen from Houston Christian’s Jalyx Hunt. He’s an interesting prospect at the FCS level, and one that I think will continue to generate buzz ahead of the draft.
There’s a premium placed on EDGE rushers, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see Hunt go earlier than currently expected. He’s also a developmental prospect with plenty of athletic ability, as he’s a converted safety.
Chirco: I've recently become enamored with Northern Iowa interior defensive lineman Khristian Boyd. Impressively, he showcased the ability to be both an impact run-defender and pass-rusher at the FCS school. In fact, among all interior defensive linemen in the 2024 draft class, he's been Pro Football Focus’ highest-graded run defender since 2022 (92.1). Plus, among all interior linemen in this year's class, he ranks as PFF's sixth-best pass-rusher since 2022 (83.1).
Boyd, with some proper seasoning from Detroit's coaching staff, could grow into a perfect counterpart for fellow defensive tackle Alim McNeill on the interior of the Lions’ line. And, I said in my piece on Boyd this week, he'd be a solid Day 3 target for Detroit's front office.
