The free agent period begins soon in the NFL. While it officially doesn’t fire up until mid-March, the NFL Scouting Combine typically marks when teams and agents really begin earnestly courting one another in free agency, too.
The Detroit Lions figure to be net spenders in free agency once again. That’s as much of a function of not being scheduled to lose any critical or high-priced free agents of their own, but also banking on GM Brad Holmes being a man of his word on adding more talent to the Lions.
In his year-ending press conference, Holmes talked about being smart in free agency. Being prudent in finding value in free agency will be an emphasis, and that means finding players who fit the Lions well but might not necessarily carry the league-wide demand or big-name appeal to drive the price tag up.
Holmes and the Lions have done a good job finding players like this, including OL Graham Glasgow (now a free agent himself), WR Kalif Raymond, RB David Montgomery, DL John Cominsky, LB Alex Anzalone and more.
Here are four names who could fit that value bill for the Lions and Holmes in the upcoming free agent period in 2024.
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Smith gets surprisingly little attention for a guy with 15.5 sacks in the last two seasons. Maybe it’s because only 5.5 of those came in 2023, and he did that in Cleveland while playing opposite Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett.
Smith, now 33, is no longer the Pro Bowler from the Packers a few years ago that Lions fans might recall. However, he’s still an effective outside-in pass rusher who can finish in the backfield and plays with positional discipline.
With the Lions overhauling the EDGE position —Julian Okwara is already in Philadelphia, and both his brother Romeo and Charles Harris are free agents — the Lions could be in the market for a more productive veteran looking for one last shot at a Super Bowl. That’s Smith.
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Maulet is coming off his best overall NFL season, playing primarily as a slot corner for the Ravens.
The 30-year-old journeyman began his NFL career in New Orleans under Aaron Glenn’s tutelage. He bounced around a few teams before finding his stride in the last three years as an aggressive slot/box DB who can play in either man or zone coverage. Maulet is only 5-10 but does have some experience playing outside CB, too.
In Baltimore and Pittsburgh, Maulet proved to be a valuable…
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