Under-the-Radar Free Agents Lions Could Target
The Detroit Lions are set to be firmly in the action with free agency right around the corner.
General manager Brad Holmes currently has the eighth-most cap space available, with OverTheCap estimating the team having $46 million in effective cap space.
Because of this, the Lions can be "players" in free agency. While many eyes are on the top players available, there are also good players who will be available when free agency opens on March 13.
Here are four under-the-radar players who the Lions could target as free agency draws near.
DL Raekwon Davis
With Detroit's needs on the defensive line, adding a nose tackle might be the most beneficial move for the interior. Alim McNeill is more than capable of shifting around and playing different techniques, so plugging in a true nose tackle would be a good fit.
Davis fits that mold. He's a true run-stuffer, with just two career sacks in four NFL seasons. However, he would provide a solid anchor for the defensive line, after the team didn't have one a year ago.
His usage dipped a bit in 2023, as he went from playing 56 percent of defensive snaps to 45 percent in 2024. Still, he could fit on a short-term contract while Detroit discovers what it has in 2023 third-round pick Brodric Martin.
CB Sean Murphy-Bunting
The Lions have a clear need at the cornerback position, so it would be surprising to see the team not target an upgrade at the position. Among the more underrated potential additions is a Michigan native in Sean Murphy-Bunting.
In five NFL seasons, he has eight career interceptions. After four years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he was working primarily in the slot, he signed with Tennessee and spent more time on the boundary.
The results were mixed, as he had two interceptions and a 54.4 Pro Football Focus coverage grade. Quarterbacks had a passer rating of 91.9 on passes thrown his way. While he hasn't proven to be a shutdown corner, he's a logical option to provide competition if the Lions want to add a top prospect in the draft.
WR Noah Brown
Brown had a solid campaign with the Houston Texans, catching 33 passes for 567 yards and two touchdowns. It was his second consecutive season surpassing 500 yards, as he demonstrated a good connection as a secondary option behind Tank Dell and Nico Collins.
The Lions' current top two wideouts are Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams. With Josh Reynolds set to be a free agent, the franchise could bring in help in the form of a player like Brown.
The big-framed wideout has good hands, and is physical at the catch point. Also, he drastically improved his yards per catch in 2023, from 12.9 in 2022 to 17.2, further establishing his abilities as a deep threat.
DE Mike Danna
Danna is a more traditional defensive end as opposed to a pass-rusher. He can handle both pass-rush and run-stopping assignments, giving him a coveted layer of versatility.
Detroit has two incumbent options at this position in Josh Paschal and John Cominsky. Those two players were the team's primary options opposite Aidan Hutchinson. Each struggled to contribute as pass-rushers, with just three sacks combined.
With Danna, the Lions would bring in competition for both Paschal and Cominsky. He had 47 pressures last season and 6.5 sacks. He also has a winning pedigree, having won two Super Bowls in his first four seasons.
