During his press conference at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis on Tuesday, which grabbed attention for other reasons, Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes casually mentioned free agency plans while discussing the team\u2019s defensive line.<\/p>\n
“I was looking at our game at Arizona in Week 3. We’re looking at a free agent on the offensive side of the ball,” Holmes noted.<\/p>\n
At first glance, the Cardinals don\u2019t appear to have many standout free agents. However, this remark could be worth a deeper dive to understand who Holmes may have had in mind.
\nHere are three Arizona Cardinals offensive free agents who could be on Holmes\u2019 radar.<\/p>\n
3. WR Greg Dortch<\/strong><\/p>\n With Tim Patrick a free agent and Kalif Raymond potentially being a cap casualty, the Lions might seek a wide receiver.<\/p>\n Looking at Cardinals\u2019 free agent receivers Holmes could have evaluated in that Week 3 game, Dortch stands out (Zay Jones didn\u2019t play, and Zach Pascal only saw one offensive snap). For the Lions, he\u2019s a cheaper alternative to Raymond, a small, gadget receiver, and return specialist. While Dortch is a restricted free agent, the Cardinals might not tender him at the projected cost of over $3.2 million. If he becomes available, he could be a cost-effective replacement for Raymond.<\/p>\n 2. OG Will Hernandez<\/strong><\/p>\n Hernandez could be an option if the Lions lose Kevin Zeitler. After missing the last 12 games of last season due to a knee injury, Hernandez posted his best career grades from Pro Football Focus, including a 69.3 overall and a 66.0 as a run blocker. In his first two seasons with the Cardinals, PFF ranked him among the top-30 guards.<\/p>\n Christian Mahogany could be a strong candidate to start at right guard if Zeitler leaves, but Hernandez would provide an affordable veteran backup if Mahogany isn\u2019t ready. Hernandez has experience starting at both guard spots in his career.<\/p>\n 1. C\/OG Evan Brown<\/strong><\/p>\n Brown originally joined the Lions in 2020 and played two full seasons in Detroit, most notably stepping in at center when Frank Ragnow suffered a turf toe injury in 2021, performing admirably.<\/p>\n After signing with the Seahawks in 2023, Brown started all 16 games for them at center. He then joined the Cardinals and started all 17 games at left guard, earning the 30th-best overall grade at the position from PFF, with the 15th-best pass blocking grade.<\/p>\n Brown is a familiar option and versatile, able to play all three interior offensive line positions. If free agency falls a certain way, a return to Detroit could be possible.<\/p>\n Two offensive linemen and a small, gadget receiver\u2014though not necessarily exciting options among Cardinals\u2019 offensive free agents for 2025. Still, Holmes had access to an entire game\u2019s worth of film to evaluate these players, and what seemed like a casual comment could have significant implications when free agency begins in a few weeks.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" During his press conference at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis on Tuesday, which grabbed attention for other reasons, Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes casually mentioned free agency plans while discussing the team\u2019s defensive line. “I was looking at our game at Arizona in Week 3. We’re looking at a free agent on the offensive […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":26986,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[378],"tags":[2729,2731,2730],"class_list":["post-26985","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-detroit-lions","tag-christian-mahogany","tag-greg-dortch","tag-will-hernandez"],"yoast_head":"\n
\nDortch has shown flashes of productivity when given a chance in the Cardinals\u2019 offense, though those chances have been rare in recent seasons.<\/p>\n