Sportsvival knows this time of year is about finding the moves that keep a contender from slipping backward, and Detroit feels like one of the most interesting teams in that spot. The Lions still have a strong core, but this offseason has brought real change, especially along the offensive line and in a few important spots on defense. Detroit enters the 2026 NFL Draft with nine total picks, including No. 17 overall in Round 1, so this is a big opportunity to reload a roster that still expects to compete.
Detroit Lions offseason additions
Detroit has been active. The Lions added OL Ben Bartch, Larry Borom and Cade Mays, traded for OL Juice Scruggs, and also signed QB Teddy Bridgewater, RB Isiah Pacheco, TE Tyler Conklin, WR Greg Dortch, LB Damone Clark, DB Christian Izien, CB Roger McCreary, EDGE D.J. Wonnum and EDGE Payton Turner. They also brought back several familiar faces, including Rock Ya-Sin, Malcolm Rodriguez, Trevor Nowaske, Tom Kennedy, Myles Adams and Jake Bates.
Detroit Lions offseason departures
The biggest losses were up front and in the middle of the defense. Detroit released Taylor Decker and Graham Glasgow, traded David Montgomery to Houston, and waived Josh Paschal. The Lions also lost linebacker Alex Anzalone, cornerback Amik Robertson and defensive tackle Roy Lopez in free agency. That is a lot of movement for a team that wants to stay tough in the trenches and steady on defense.
Top 3 Lions needs
1. Offensive tackle
This feels like the biggest need. Decker’s departure created a real opening, and while Detroit added Borom, Bartch, Mays and Scruggs, the long-term answer at tackle still does not feel settled. Detroit’s own post-free-agency draft coverage has leaned heavily toward tackle at No. 17, and that makes sense for a team trying to protect Jared Goff and keep its offensive identity intact.
2. EDGE
Detroit still needs more juice opposite Aidan Hutchinson. The Lions identified edge rusher as a major need before free agency, and even after adding Wonnum and Turner, the position still looks like one that could use another difference-maker. If Detroit wants its front to be more disruptive in big games, adding another edge threat has to stay near the top of the board.
3. Linebacker
Anzalone’s departure matters. Detroit re-signed Malcolm Rodriguez and Trevor Nowaske and added Damone Clark, but the Lions’ own coverage acknowledged that Anzalone leaving opened up a starting spot at WILL linebacker. There is depth there now, but there is still a question about who becomes the steady answer in that role over a full season.
The pick: T Monroe Freeling, Georgia
Sportsvival has the Lions selecting Monroe Freeling, tackle, Georgia.
This pick fits the offseason and it fits the board. Freeling has the size and athletic profile teams want at the position at 6-foot-7 and 315 pounds, and Detroit’s own draft coverage has repeatedly connected him to the Lions after free agency. Recent team-site mock tracking noted that tackle has become the most common direction for Detroit at No. 17, with Freeling frequently tied to that slot as a possible answer to the void left by Decker.
Freeling makes a lot of sense for Detroit because he gives the Lions a long-term answer at one of the most important spots on the roster. He has the frame, movement skills and upside to grow into a starting NFL tackle, and Detroit would not have to force the issue overnight. He could compete immediately while giving the Lions flexibility with the rest of the line moving forward. For a team that has built so much of its identity around physical play up front, this would be a very Lions kind of pick.
Sportsvival’s Lions call
Detroit has done solid work adding depth this offseason, but the roster still says tackle first. EDGE and linebacker are right there too, but if the Lions want to keep their offense stable and their window open, Monroe Freeling feels like the right move at No. 17. It is not the flashiest pick, but it is the kind of pick that can keep a contender strong where it matters most.
I can do the full polished version in the exact Sportsvival team article format next, with the Sportsvival intro paragraph, additions, subtractions, Top 3 needs, and the Monroe Freeling section all blended together.