Ranking Lions' Top 5 Impending Free Agents
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The Lions' disastrous 2020 season, which saw both head coach Matt Patricia and general manager Bob Quinn lose their jobs, concludes Sunday afternoon with a Week 17 tilt against the Minnesota Vikings.
The next Detroit regime will have plenty of important decisions to make this offseason, including whether to re-sign some notable players.
Without further ado, here are the organization's top five impending free agents.
5.) DE Everson Griffen
Griffen has proven to be a nice midseason acquisition.
The 33-year-old has suited up for six games in Honolulu Blue, since being acquired from the Dallas Cowboys leading into this year's NFL trade deadline.
The four-time Pro Bowler has made the most of his time in Detroit, with eight QB hits, three tackles for loss and three passes defensed.
Griffen's no longer in his prime, so he should be had for a reasonable price this offseason.
If such is the case, re-signing him on a short-term deal could prove to be a worthwhile investment.
4.) LB Reggie Ragland
Ragland was a sneaky-good, under-the-radar acquisition made by Quinn last offseason.
As primarily a backup in 2020 (five starts in 15 games), the 27-year-old has racked up 48 total tackles, four tackles for loss, three QB hits, a sack and a forced fumble.
He and Jamie Collins have by far been the organization's most consistently productive linebackers this season.
While Ragland understandably won't be at the top of the new regime's priority list, there definitely should be consideration given to re-signing the fourth-year pro this offseason.
3.) WR Marvin Jones Jr.
Jones has undoubtedly been Detroit's most productive receiver in 2020.
One of the best free-agent acquisitions of the Quinn era, the 30-year-old has caught a career-high 68 balls for a team-leading 798 yards -- his most reception yards since recording a career-best 1,101 yards in 2017 -- and a team-high seven touchdowns in 15 games this season.
There's no guarantee that he wants to be back in Motown next season, especially with the franchise expected to enter a major rebuild.
But, if the next regime finds out there's even a remote possibility that he does, I'd strongly recommend re-signing the veteran wideout.
Christopher Hanewinckel, USA TODAY Sports
2.) WR Kenny Golladay
Coming off a Pro Bowl campaign in 2019, expectations were high for the 27-year-old coming into this season.
But, instead of building upon his highly productive '19 season, he was unable to stay healthy in 2020.
The fourth-year wideout -- who's been ruled out for Sunday's contest with the Vikings -- suited up for just five games due to a lingering hip injury, and in those games, recorded 20 catches for 338 yards and two touchdowns.
Now, he's set for a big payday this offseason.
According to Spotrac, his calculated market value is approximately $19 million per season.
For that price tag, I think the next Lions general manager will let the former third-round draft pick walk in free agency.
And, Detroit can then allocate the money it saves from not re-signing Golladay to areas of bigger need, such as on the defensive side of the ball (i.e. the pass-rushing department).
This is the approach I would take, and I believe it will be the one taken by the team's new regime, too.
1.) DE Romeo Okwara
He's easily the Lions' defensive MVP of 2020 and the club's biggest impending free agent it has to make a decision on this offseason.
Re-signing the 25-year-old EDGE rusher should be near the very top of the next regime's to-do list.
Going into Detroit's final contest of the '20 season, the fifth-year pro has produced career-high marks in the following: Sacks (nine), total tackles (43), tackles for loss (10), QB hits (16) and forced fumbles (three).
High-end pass-rushers, like Okwara, don't just grow off of trees, which, unfortunately, the Lions know far too well. Detroit has amassed just 21 total sacks on the season, which is good for an average of only 1.4 per game -- 27th-best in the NFL.
If he doesn't get paid by the Lions, you know he'll get compensated handsomely by someone else this offseason.
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