We’ve hit the final day of the divisional round of the postseason, and what a day of football it promises to be! The two games on Sunday pit the Dallas Cowboys against the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC and the Cincinnati Bengals against the Buffalo Bills in the AFC.
There are a slew of pending free agents on all the teams who are going to attract attention once the season is over. Here are five who would make smart additions in Detroit — for the right price.
49ers safety Tashaun Gipson
Gipson would represent the grizzled veteran addition to the young secondary. The 32-year-old has been a quality starter in the NFL since 2013 across a wide swath of teams and schemes. Gipson proves every week he’s still got a lot to offer as both a ballhawk (5 INTs in 2022) and in run defense (91.3 tackling grade from PFF).
49ers linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair
Al-Shaair has emerged in his four seasons with the 49ers as a quality speed-in-space linebacker. He typically platoons, primarily working in passing situations or against more spread-out offensive formations, and Al-Shaair has the closing speed and instincts to make that work well. It’s easy to envision him splitting one of the Lions’ LB roles with Malcolm Rodriguez, who was increasingly exposed in coverage as his rookie season progressed.
Bills linebacker Tremaine Edmunds
This one would be a big splash. Edmunds was the Bills’ first-round pick back in 2018 and he’s started every game he’s been healthy for since. Still just 24 years old, Edmunds has logged at least 100 tackles in all five of his NFL seasons. He’s at his best playing in the dead middle of the defensive formation and quickly reacting to the RB or TE in both the run and pass game.
The Lions can certainly find good use for that, but it would almost certainly cost them at least $12 million per season to lure Edmunds away from Buffalo.
Bengals running back Samaje Perine
Perine has proven himself to be a very good power/change-up back with the Bengals while playing behind starter Joe Mixon. He’s an underrated receiver as a 5-11/240-pound ball of rolling hammers with a career catch rate over 80 percent and one career drop in 122 targets. When Perine got a chance to start in 2022, he posted a 100-yard rushing game in his first outing behind one of the NFL’s worst offensive lines.
If Jamaal Williams and/or Justin Jackson aren’t back in Detroit, Perine is a very natural replacement for either Lions RB. And one that shouldn’t break the bank too.
Cowboys guard Connor McGovern
The starting left guard for the Cowboys has had an up-and-down career since being a third-round pick in the 2019 NFL draft out of Penn State. McGovern carries some real appeal as a potential replacement for free agent Evan Brown in Detroit despite his inconsistent play.
Foremost, he can play any of the three interior OL spots, including center. McGovern played better in pass protection down the stretch and he does offer some agility and range as a puller in the run game.
