Ranking the Biggest Offseason Decisions Facing the Detroit Lions in 2025

Unless the Detroit Lions make it to the Super Bowl in 2025, this past season will be lamented for what might have been.

Detroit won 15 games and claimed the NFC's No. 1 seed for the first time in franchise history. However, the Lions were besieged by injuries throughout the season, and with key defenders like Aidan Hutchinson, Carlton Davis and Alim McNeill sidelined, they fell to the Washington Commanders in the divisional round.

There are reasons to believe that the Lions can earn their first Super Bowl berth in 2025. If they can stay healthy, they will potentially be much stronger than they were at the end of 2024. With $55.0 million in projected cap space, they can afford to add fresh talent as well.

Of course, the offseason won't be as straightforward as signing players and gearing up for another run. Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn both departed to take head-coaching jobs with the Chicago Bears and New York Jets, respectively.

Getting further in the postseason will require offseason work, and head coach Dan Campbell and general manager Brad Holmes have some pivotal decisions in front of them. Here, we'll rank the biggest based on how they may impact free agency, the draft, the 2025 season and the near future.

The Lions are in a good spot financially, especially considering how talented their roster is. But before Detroit begins splurging in free agency, it must decide which players under contract are worthy of early extensions.

Holmes has made it a priority to lock up players early, which he did with centerpieces Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Penei Sewell last offseason. As Holmes noted last spring, it pays to know how positional markets may grow in the near future.

"We're aware of it, their camps are aware of it. What's moving? What's coming down the pipe?" Holmes told the Rich Eisen Show (h/t Christian Booher of SI.com).

The Lions have a few key contributors who play premium positions and who will be extension-eligible this offseason—specifically Hutchinson, wideout Jameson Williams and safety Kerby Joseph.

Detroit can exercise the fifth-year option on Hutchinson and Williams, though waiting to pay an elite pass-rusher and ascending receiver could end up costing more in the long term. Joseph, a 2022 third-round pick, is entering the final year of his rookie deal.

The Lions may also want to consider early deals for 2026 free agents like defensive tackle D.J. Reader and linebacker Alex Anzalone.

While extensions are a big part of the team-building process, these decisions rank low on our list because Detroit isn't at risk of losing these players this offseason. Still, it never hurts to plan ahead.

The Lions do have a few important players who could depart this offseason. Their list of impending free agents includes cornerback Carlton Davis, guard Kevin Zeitler, wide receiver Tim Patrick, defensive lineman Levi Onwuzurike, backup lineman Dan Skipper, linebacker Derrick Barnes, defensive back Ifeatu Melifonwu and running back/returner Craig Reynolds.

Players like Onwuzurike and Barnes are logical candidates to re-sign. Patrick, who emerged as a dependable third receiver this season, should also make for a relatively easy decision.

However, things aren't as clear-cut regarding some other players on this list.

For example, Davis was a reliable starter when healthy in 2024. However, the trade acquisition ended the year on injured reserve with a fractured jaw and is likely to command significant interest in free agency.

Zeitler was a 16-game starter and played exceptionally well this past season. Pro Football Focus graded him 25th overall among 135 guards. However, he'll turn 35 in March.

Reynolds is an excellent depth player and special teamer who filled in admirably when David Montgomery was sidelined by a knee injury. However, Detroit must decide how highly it's willing to value a third running back with both Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs on the roster.

Assessing impending free agents is a part of every team's offseason. Still, the Lions have to determine who they want to retain before they start thinking about who to add in free agency and the draft.

For the most part, the Lions are set on offense. However, they do need to decide how to improve a defense that ranked 20th in yards allowed last season.

At first blush, addressing the defensive line—specifically the interior—might not seem like a huge priority. Detroit's defensive front was stout when fully healthy this past season, and the Lions finished the year ranked fifth in rushing yards allowed.

However, Onwuzurike is an impending free agent, and Reader will turn 31 in July. Meanwhile, McNeill is coming off of a season-ending ACL tear that he suffered in mid-December. The 24-year-old is hoping to return quickly but won't rush the recovery process.

"I'm not gonna rush or anything but I'm gonna push myself for sure," McNeill said, per Tim Twentyman of the team's official website.

While the Lions managed to limit rushing yards over the course of the season, they weren't as effective against the run at the end of the year. The defense finished the season ranked 22nd in yards per carry allowed.

Considering McNeill's health, Reader's age and Onwuzurike's status, it would behoove the Lions to reload their defensive line. While the free-agent class isn't loaded with defensive tackles, Detroit could consider the likes of B.J. Hill, Jarran Reed and Sebastian Joseph-Day.

Defensive line prospects like Oregon's Derrick Harmon and Michigan's Kenneth Grant should also be on the Lions' radar early in the draft.

Most fans enjoy watching Detroit's offense because of playmakers like St. Brown, Gibbs and Goff. However, the Lions' powerful and versatile offensive line has long served as the catalyst of just about everything Johnson was able to scheme up as the offensive coordinator.

With Zeitler scheduled to hit free agency, the Lions need to decide on their options at right guard. Trey Smith of the Kansas City Chiefs—the second-ranked player on Bleacher Report's post-regular-season free-agent big board—would be a prime target if Zeitler departs.

Smith was Pro Football Focus' ninth-ranked guard in 2024, and he'll turn only 26 in June. He's likely to command a massive contract if he reaches the open market, but he's worthy of a long-term investment.

If the Lions bring back Zeitler on a one- or two-year deal, they should decide on a long-term succession plan. That would likely involve dipping into the 2025 draft, which has some intriguing prospects at the position.

A prospect like Alabama's Tyler Booker could be an ideal fit for Detroit's long-term plan.

"Booker is a stout run blocker with excellent square power to deliver jolt at the point of attack with his best work coming as the drive man on double-teams, down, pin and base blocks," Brandon Thorn of the B/R Scouting Department wrote.

The line has been a critical piece of Detroit's offense over the last few years. Keeping it a team strength must be a priority.

Even if the Lions retain Davis and Melifonwu—and/or impending free agent cornerbacks Khalil Dorsey, Emmanuel Moseley and Kindle Vildor—they could use additional talent at the position.

Detroit's depth was tested significantly in 2024, and pass defense wasn't exactly the team's biggest strength. The Lions finished the season ranked 23rd in net yards per pass attempt allowed and 30th in passing yards allowed.

The good news is that a number of talented cornerbacks are scheduled to be available in free agency. The list includes Charvarius Ward, D.J. Reed, Rasul Douglas, Asante Samuel Jr., Mike Hilton and Donte Jackson.

The Lions might be able to find a cornerback on the trade market, too. For example, the Cleveland Browns might be willing to part with one of their starting cornerbacks. They have been willing trade partners with Detroit in the past—they sent pass-rusher Za'Darius Smith to the Lions at the 2024 deadline.

ESPN's Ben Solak recently predicted that Cleveland will trade Denzel Ward or Greg Newsome II this offseason.

The Lions may also be able to find cornerback help early in the draft. They won't have a shot at Colorado product and potential No. 1 pick Travis Hunter, but cornerbacks Will Johnson of Michigan, Jahdae Barron of Texas and Benjamin Morrison of Notre Dame were also ranked inside the top 25 on the Bleacher Report Scouting Department's latest draft board.

A top corner could fall to the Lions at pick No. 28.

Hutchinson was limited to five games in 2024 because of a broken leg. That's part of the reason why the Lions made the move for Smith at the trade deadline. While Smith is under contract for another season and Hutchinson should be healthy in 2025, Detroit could use another top-tier pass-rusher.

The Lions haven't had an elite complement on the edge since drafting Hutchinson with the No. 2 overall pick in 2022. The Michigan product has racked up 28.5 sacks in 39 career games, but he could be even more productive if he wasn't the only sack artist concerning opposing offenses.

To find a long-term complement to Hutchinson, Detroit essentially has two options. It could target a younger pass-rusher like Azeez Ojulari or Malcolm Koonce in free agency, or it could try to land a top prospect in the draft.

Koonce missed the entire 2024 season with a knee injury, while Ojulari finished the year on injured reserve with a toe injury. However, neither player will be older than 27 at the start of next season.

If the Lions go the draft route, they will have options. The B/R Scouting Department paired Detroit with Mississippi edge Princely Umanmielen in its post-regular season mock draft.

"Umanmielen has a wide array of pass-rush moves to provide just what the team needs. Conversely, Detroit provides a good situation where he wouldn't have to start right away," Matt Holder of the B/R Scouting Department said.

Edge prospects like Ohio State's JT Tuimoloau, Texas A&M's Shemar Stewart and Georgia's Mykel Williams should also interest Detroit early in the draft.

If the Lions can manage the cap and successfully navigate free agency and the draft, they'll have a chance to be even more talented in 2025. However, talent alone doesn't guarantee success. Adapting to the departures of Johnson and Glenn will be a massive part of the puzzle.

We've seen teams struggle to replace coordinators before. For example, the Philadelphia Eagles lost offensive coordinator Shane Steichen and defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon in 2023 after their run to Super Bowl LVII. They went from being a Super Bowl team to being ousted in the Wild Card Round.

Of course, the Eagles got back to the Super Bowl this year after hiring new offensive and defensive coordinators this past offseason.

The Lions hired former Denver Broncos passing game coordinator John Morton to replace Johnson and promoted linebackers coach Kelvin Sheppard to defensive coordinator. The good news is that both coaches will bring some familiarity and continuity to the proceedings.

Sheppard has been with Detroit since Campbell was hired in 2021. Morton spent the 2022 season as a senior offensive assistant for the Lions before joining Sean Payton's staff in Denver.

That doesn't mean that replacing Johnson and Glenn will be easy, though. Glenn held Detroit's defense together through a cascade of injuries in 2024. Johnson's creative blocking schemes and novel play concepts made the Lions' offense one of the NFL's most dynamic.

The Lions have forged an identity as a tough, determined and resilient team under Campbell. However, it remains to be seen how they'll operate with two new coordinators. Campbell must decide where the strengths of Sheppard and Morton lie and how to best utilize them moving forward.

*Cap information via Spotrac.