The Detroit Lions have had a busy week, making multiple roster moves that have shaken up their plans for free agency.

On Monday, the team traded veteran running back David Montgomery to the Houston Texans for offensive lineman Juice Scruggs and two draft picks, then released center Graham Glasgow. As a result, the team has added some cap space and could be more active in free agency.

While there are conflicting reports about how exactly general manager Brad Holmes plans to attack free agency, the Lions could certainly benefit from adding experienced talent in areas of need prior to the NFL draft.

While the team may not be in position to make a massive move, there are certainly marginal mid-tier players who could have big roles on the team’s 2026 roster.

Here are six potential free agent targets for the Lions when free agency begins next week, ranked by potential impact in 2026 and beyond.

6. S Jalen Thompson

The Lions have some uncertainty at the safety position due to injuries, as Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph are both nursing significant injuries. While both could wind up returning to form, at this stage of the offseason there’s no guarantee that they’ll be ready to go by the start of the regular season.

As a result, the Lions should be proactive and go get a veteran capable of starting in the back-half of their defense. Thompson is a seven-year veteran who has spent the duration of his career in Arizona, and has notched nine interceptions in that span. A willing run defender, Thompson would be an effective veteran addition who could provide insurance on a short-term deal.

5. OT Braxton Jones

Having already made an external addition to their interior offensive line by acquiring Scruggs, but could also be looking to add veteran help at tackle. Swing tackle Dan Skipper retired and joined the team’s coaching staff, and this could be a role the Lions look to a veteran to fill.

Enter Jones, who has starter upside but at the very least will be a serviceable depth piece behind Taylor Decker and Penei Sewell. With Decker being hampered by injuries last year, it would be a good investment by Detroit to add a veteran who has 44 starts under their belt like Jones.

4. CB Kader Kohou

Kohou may be a forgotten name amongst fan circles, as he missed all of last season with a knee injury. However, the Lions have pursued players with similar profiles over Holmes’ tenure as head coach, and the Lions have a need for secondary depth.

Amik Robertson, who has been the team’s slot corner for the better part of the last two years, is set to be a free agent. As a result, any addition the team could make would likely need to have some versatility. Kohou’s background is in the slot, as he had predominately played nickel for the Dolphins.

In an ideal world, the Lions are able to get the best out of Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw along with a strong year from D.J. Reed. However, Kohou has some upside at age 27 and could be a nice addition to the mostly young secondary.

3. RB Brian Robinson Jr.

The trade of Montgomery shakes up the Lions’ backfield, and breaks up what had been one of the league’s most prolific duos. As a result, the Lions could be in the market for another back to pair with the dynamic Jahmyr Gibbs.

Robinson is a big-bodied back who has fit nicely in a tandem throughout his career. He was a feature back at times for the Commanders, but was most recently a complimentary piece behind Christian McCaffrey in San Francisco.

In four seasons, Robinson has totaled 662 carries and 2,729 yards. With a career average of 4.1 yards per carry, he’s a big back who can be a nice second option behind Gibbs.

2. EDGE Boye Mafe

Aidan Hutchinson is one of the unquestioned top pass-rushers in the game, but the Lions will need to be sure to add or retain players around him at the position. Both Al-Quadin Muhammad and Marcus Davenport are free agents, and the Lions would be well-suited to look externally.

Mafe doesn’t have eye-popping statistics, but a closer look at his impact for the Super Bowl champion Seahawks indicates that he could fit Detroit’s defense well. He plays with a high motor, and could thrive working opposite of Hutchinson.

1. IOL Cade Mays

Even after acquiring Scruggs, the Lions still have some uncertainty on the interior offensive line. For starters, the release of Glasgow leaves them without a true center. Dan Campbell and company may be inclined to give Tate Ratledge another shot at the position, but Mays seems to be an ideal fit.

Mays started 27 of his 52 appearances over four seasons in Carolina, and impressed in 2025 when given the opportunity to start at the pivot position. The Tennessee product has the chance to blossom in a more consistent role, and the Lions’ current vacancy is the perfect fit for him.

Detroit may be out of the price range on top centers Tyler Linderbaum and Connor McGovern, but a player like Mays is a mid-tier, affordable option with plenty of upside to help stabilize the offensive line.

This article was produced by the staff at Detroit Lions On SI. For more, visit si.com/nfl/lions/onsi

Pro Bowl defensive end Maxx Crosby appears to have played his final snap as a member of the Las Vegas Raiders, and as a result could be wearing a new uniform in 2026.

Crosby, who has amassed 69.5 career sacks since entering the league as a fourth-round pick in 2020 and has received Pro Bowl honors five times in his career, reportedly wants out after a rocky end to the season with the Raiders.

Should Crosby actually be on the market, a logical destination would be the Detroit Lions. Crosby was born in Lapeer, Michigan, and played collegiately at Eastern Michigan. The field at EMU is named after him, and his ties to the school remain strong as he currently co-hosts a podcast with two of his former teammates.

Detroit has one of the NFL’s best EDGE rushers in Aidan Hutchinson, but have struggled to nail down a running mate for him on the opposite side of the defensive line. There’s no question that if Crosby was to join the Lions, they would have one of the most fearsome pass-rush duos in the entire NFL.

However, there are factors that would complicate the potential addition of Crosby. For starters, the Lions aren’t in the greatest salary cap standing on account of the extensions they’ve handed out to players they’ve drafted and identified as part of their core.

Crosby is currently set to make $30 million in base salary in 2026, then will begin a three-year, $106.5 million extension starting in 2027. The Eastern Michigan product will carry heavy cap hits each of the next four seasons.

Below is a breakdown of the money a new team that trades for Crosby would take on beginning in 2026 and through the duration of his contract. Crosby does not have any salary currently guaranteed beyond 2026, though his 2027 salary is set to be guaranteed in March of this year. Numbers are courtesy of Spotrac.

2026: $30.7 million ($30 million guaranteed)

2027: $29.7 million (Guarantees in March 2026)

2028: $27.8 million (Non-guaranteed)

2029: $28.2 million (Non-guaranteed)

From the Raiders’ perspective, a trade could make plenty of sense. They would take on $5 million in dead cap this year, but none in the following three on account of his extension should he be traded.

Detroit is currently in the red when it comes to cap space in 2026, sitting around -$13 million in effective cap space according to Over The Cap. They do have more space available in future years, but the books are already getting heavy and could get heavier with potential extensions for Jahmyr Gibbs, Jack Campbell, Brian Branch and Sam LaPorta potentially coming as soon as this offseason.

However, the Lions do have some room to spend over the next two years. Detroit currently is listed with just under $49.5 million in cap space for the 2027 season, and just under $110 million for the 2028 season based on Over The Cap’s estimations.

Making a trade for Crosby work would require some cap rearranging, such as cuts and restructures, but it truly is not out of the realm of possibility. While it could make extensions difficult, the Lions could certainly make a deal work and not feel it too much from a cap perspective.

For general manager Brad Holmes, it boils down to whether or not making the move is worth the shift in payroll allocation for potential extensions to bring on an elite pass-rusher for the next four seasons.

This article was produced by the staff at Detroit Lions On SI. For more, visit si.com/nfl/lions/onsi