Lions free agency preview: 10 starting edge rushers Detroit could sign
Looking at free agent options for one of the Lions most pressing offseason needs
Lions’ Sam LaPorta breaks several rookie tight end records – Pride Of Detroit
As the offseason bulldozes forward, the edge rusher position outside of Aidan Hutchinson remains a major focal point for the Detroit Lions. Hutchinson is expected to be at full strength by mandatory minicamp, Josh Paschal enters Year 4 as a reliable edge-setter, and the team faces a decision on Za’Darius Smith’s contract. Beyond that, the only other edge rushers currently on the roster are practice squad members Isaac Ukwu and Nate Lynn. Several players from last year’s front, including Levi Onwuzurike, Derrick Barnes, Marcus Davenport, and Al-Quadin Muhammad, are currently set to hit free agency.
Lions’ Sam LaPorta breaks several rookie tight end records – Pride Of Detroit
In other words, the Lions have some work to do in free agency.
The players I’m highlighting fit the mold of what the Lions may seek in a base defensive end—many of them capable of kicking inside on passing downs. Given the depth of this free-agent class, I’ll be breaking this series into two parts. Below, I’ll examine the first 10 veteran edge defenders who could be potential targets for the Lions in free agency.
Lions’ Sam LaPorta breaks several rookie tight end records – Pride Of Detroit
Lions free agency preview: Edge defenders, part 1
Under contract: Aidan Hutchinson, Josh Paschal, Za’Darius Smith, Isaac Ukwu (futures), Nate Lynn
Free agents: Marcus Davenport (profile), John Cominsky, Al-Quadin Muhammad (profile), Mitchel Agude (ERFA), Jonah Williams
Lions’ Sam LaPorta breaks several rookie tight end records – Pride Of Detroit
Khalil Mack, Los Angeles Chargers, Age 34 (6-foot-3, 269 pounds)
When it comes to Khalil Mack, you have to imagine Brad Holmes feels the same way about him as Tim Robinson does about Dan Flashes: “That’s my exact style.”
Lions’ Sam LaPorta breaks several rookie tight end records – Pride Of Detroit
Mack will still take the lunch money from offensive tackles and tight ends in the run game and remains a crafty, overpowering pass rusher. His forceful burst and pass rush plan remain ageless. Described by Chargers coaches as “the Alpha,” he’s not only a dominant force on the field but also a respected leader and a relentless worker in the weight room.
Lions’ Sam LaPorta breaks several rookie tight end records – Pride Of Detroit
Despite his age, the future Hall of Famer has been remarkably durable, missing just one game in three seasons with the Chargers (and only 13 games in his entire career). He played a slightly reduced role in 2024—dropping from 54.5 snaps per game in 2022-23 to 40.8 last season—to stay fresh. Even with the lighter workload, Mack remains one of the NFL’s most productive edge rushers, tying for eighth in combined sacks over the past two seasons (23.0), including a career-high 17.0 in 2023. He’s proven to be the most dependable of the Bolts edge rushers.
