Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell prioritize building through the draft but strategically add in free agency. This approach has shaped their offseason roster-building strategy.
“You don’t really know these players,” Holmes said last offseason about free agency. “You see what you see on film, but like I’ve told all of you, that’s the easy coherent part. Can a guy come off the football? OK. That’s easy. But you don’t really know them and that’s why you have to be real careful.”
So far, Holmes has signed veteran cornerback D.J. Reed, defensive tackle Roy Lopez, linebacker Grant Stuard, tight end Kenny Yeboah, and quarterback Kyle Allen from outside the organization. He specifically targeted these five as culture fits in addition to being productive veterans.
Reed was among the top free-agent cornerbacks, filling the void left by Carlton Davis III, who signed with New England. Lopez and Stuard bring toughness and add depth at defensive tackle and linebacker, two areas hit hard by injuries last season. Yeboah and Allen provide experienced depth at their positions.
Most of Holmes’ offseason work has focused on re-signing key players already familiar with Detroit’s system.
Lions fans should note that Holmes believes last year’s roster was championship-caliber if not for key defensive injuries.
“I just think that we just stay the course and just keep building like we’ve been,” Holmes said in January. “I do think that we’re very close. Obviously, I thought that we were very close this year, but nothing is going to alter what our approach has been in terms of trying to continue to improve and keep building.
“Obviously, felt really good about this season, but fell short. We’re going to stay committed and stay committed to the process.”
Contract extensions for Aidan Hutchinson and Kerby Joseph also factored into free agency. That’s in addition to the $541 million in extensions last year for Penei Sewell, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Alim McNeill, and Jared Goff.
Next offseason, Brian Branch, Sam LaPorta, Jack Campbell, and Jahmyr Gibbs will be eligible for extensions, with Jameson Williams potentially in the conversation as well.
Here’s a breakdown of Detroit’s free agency moves so far:
FREE AGENT SIGNINGS
CB D.J. Reed
Reed allowed 36 receptions on 63 targets with two touchdowns and an 87.1 opposing passer rating, giving up a 57.1 percent completion rate last season. He has never allowed more than three touchdowns in a season and has surrendered only two in each of the last three years.
DT Roy Lopez
Lopez started all 16 games he played last season, recording 28 tackles, 18 pressures (per Pro Football Focus), four tackles for loss, three quarterback hits, three passes defended, one sack, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery.
LB Grant Stuard
A four-core special teamer with defensive experience, Stuard played 17 games (five starts) and totaled 40 tackles (25 solo) and two tackles for loss. In Week 7 against Miami, he had 19 tackles while playing 64 defensive snaps, his highest of the season.
TE Kenny Yeboah
A strong blocking tight end and special teams contributor, Yeboah will compete for the No. 3 tight end spot. He played nine games last season with the Jets, catching five passes for 47 yards and a touchdown.
QB Kyle Allen
Allen has played for Pittsburgh (2024), Buffalo (2023), Houston (2022), Washington (2020-21), and Carolina (2018-19). In 31 career games (19 starts), he has completed 62.7 percent of his passes for 4,753 yards, 26 touchdowns, and 21 interceptions for an 82.3 passer rating.
RE-SIGNINGS
LB Derrick Barnes
Set to be Detroit’s starting SAM linebacker, Barnes recorded 10 tackles before a knee injury in Week 3 sidelined him for the season. He is expected to play a key role in 2025.
DL Levi Onwuzurike
Onwuzurike had 28 tackles, 13 quarterback hits, 1.5 sacks, and 47 total pressures, ranking in the NFL’s Top 15 among interior defensive linemen last season.
DE Marcus Davenport
Davenport had a half-sack and four quarterback hits in Detroit’s Week 1 overtime win over the Rams. After missing Week 2 with a groin injury, he tore his triceps in Week 3 and missed the rest of the season.
WR Tim Patrick
A solid fit in Detroit’s receiving corps, Patrick recorded 33 receptions for 394 yards and three touchdowns last season.
T Dan Skipper
A versatile swing tackle, Skipper played 17 games (five starts), allowing one sack and 12 total pressures in 2024. He also caught a touchdown in Week 15 vs. Buffalo.
LB Trevor Nowaske
A core special teamer who stepped up on defense due to injuries, Nowaske had 23 tackles (15 solo), two sacks, four quarterback hits, and two tackles for loss in 14 games (two starts).
LB Ezekiel Turner
A seven-year veteran with 90 career games, Turner played nine games for Detroit last season, recording 12 tackles, a half-sack, and three quarterback hits.
LB Anthony Pittman
One of the NFL’s top special teamers since 2019, Pittman also brings depth at linebacker with 56 career games.
DL Myles Adams
Adams split last season between Seattle and Detroit, recording seven tackles, one sack, one tackle for loss, and two quarterback hits as a rotational defensive lineman.
A developing pass rusher with excellent physical tools, Adams had three tackles and a forced fumble in four games last season.