With much current attention on the upcoming NFL draft, it’s easy to forget about the long-term fate of the existing Detroit Lions roster. Thanks to The Athletic, a necessary memory jog involving two key Lions players gets some focus.
The Athletic recently ranked the top 30 players who will be free agents after the coming 2023 season. Two Lions made the list: left guard Jonah Jackson at 26 and defensive back C.J. Garnder-Johnson at 29. Both are playing out the last year of their contracts; Gardner-Johnson signed a one-year free agent deal with Detroit this offseason, a deal that was widely viewed as below-market value.
The coveted availability status of both Jackson and Gardner-Johnson is not something to be overlooked right now for the Lions. The market figures to be robust for the pending free agents — provided they perform well enough in the upcoming season. That will lead to some tough decisions for GM Brad Holmes and the Lions, both then and also in this month’s NFL draft. Preemptively having potential replacements in place is a great way to ensure the Lions won’t be forced to overpay without having other options.
Lions 7-round mock draft, spring break edition
