As the 2022 NFL draft has passed us by, and the early stages of free agency are in the rearview mirror, remaining free agents will be awaiting calls from a slew of teams, now that they don’t account into the 2023 compensatory pick formula, post-draft.
The Detroit Lions had a sneaky excellent offseason that should make them a much-improved team in 2022. Take a look at the additions the Detroit Lions made through the NFL Draft and Free Agency (excluding UDFAs)
2022 Additions: DJ Chark, Aidan Hutchinson, Jameson Williams, DeShon Elliot, Mike Huges, Garrett Griffin, Chris Board, Joshua Paschal, Kerby Joseph, James Mitchell, Malcolm Rodriguez, James Houston, and Chase Lucas
But with all of this behind us, there are still some talented veteran free agents on the market. Here’s a look at some of the better fits for this roster, and why they just make too much sense. Detroit still struggles to attract big-name free agents, but in 2022, with this improved roster, we may finally see people wanting to become a part of One Pride.
Akiem Hicks, DL, Bears (Age: 32)
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Although he isn’t quite the same, he still provides some much-needed interior defensive line depth and has played in the league for quite some time now which could be an excellent culture fit in Detroit. Hicks has had some issues with injuries over the last few seasons and is well past his peak, but he could be a great pickup for the Lions’ front seven.
Joe Schobert, LB, Steelers (Age: 28)
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Schobert is a very underappreciated, off-ball linebacker that could fit really well in Detroit. The former 2017 Pro Bowler has been very reliable throughout his career, only missing four total games since 2016. He has logged over 661 tackles in his career, with 11 sacks, and 10 forced fumbles. When you’re a team in need of linebackers, and a 28-year-old is still out there, you take a chance on…