After finishing 9-8 last season and missing the playoffs coming off back-to-back NFC North division titles in 2023 and 2024, this is an important offseason in Detroit to add talent and depth to the roster to support a good core of young stars that hope to lead Detroit back to the playoffs in 2026.
Injuries were a factor in Detroit missing the playoffs last season, much like they were in the Lions' early playoff exit after a 15-2 regular season in 2024. That's why continuing to build depth is so important.
Lions general manager Brad Holmes likes the young nucleus on this roster and will continue to look to add pieces around that young core in the next wave of free agency and in next month's NFL Draft.
"I don't think that we're that far off," Holmes said after the season. "I personally don't. We have a lot of good players. We have a lot of good young, ascending players. We have a really good quarterback, we have the right coach. I do think that we're very close.
"We'll be looking at everything, but I do not think that this is a deep surgery, overhaul. I don't think that. But obviously, there needs to be some adjustments made, for sure."
Go behind the scenes with the Detroit Lions during 2026 free agency.
Detroit Lions offensive lineman Cade Mays during his visit at the Meijer Performance Center on March 12, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions offensive lineman Cade Mays during his visit at the Meijer Performance Center on March 12, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions offensive lineman Cade Mays signs his contract at the Meijer Performance Center on March 12, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions offensive lineman Cade Mays signs his contract at the Meijer Performance Center on March 12, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions offensive lineman Cade Mays during his press conference at the Meijer Performance Center on March 12, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions offensive lineman Cade Mays during his visit at the Meijer Performance Center on March 12, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions offensive lineman Cade Mays during his visit at the Meijer Performance Center on March 12, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Isiah Pacheco during his visit at the Meijer Performance Center on March 12, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Isiah Pacheco and Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell during his visit at the Meijer Performance Center on March 12, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Isiah Pacheco signs his contract at the Meijer Performance Center on March 12, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Isiah Pacheco signs his contract at the Meijer Performance Center on March 12, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Isiah Pacheco during his press conference at the Meijer Performance Center on March 12, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Isiah Pacheco during his visit at the Meijer Performance Center on March 12, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Isiah Pacheco during his visit at the Meijer Performance Center on March 12, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions offensive lineman Larry Borom during his visit at the Meijer Performance Center on March 12, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions offensive lineman Larry Borom signs his contract at the Meijer Performance Center on March 12, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions offensive lineman Larry Borom signs his contract at the Meijer Performance Center on March 12, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions offensive lineman Larry Borom during his visit at the Meijer Performance Center on March 12, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions offensive lineman Larry Borom during his press conference at the Meijer Performance Center on March 12, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Tom Kennedy (85) signs a free agent contract at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
Detroit Lions wide receiver Tom Kennedy (85) signs a free agent contract at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
Detroit Lions defensive back Christian Izien signs his contract during his visit at the Meijer Performance Center on March 12, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive back Christian Izien signs his contract during his visit at the Meijer Performance Center on March 12, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive back Christian Izien during his visit at the Meijer Performance Center on March 12, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive back Christian Izien during his visit at the Meijer Performance Center on March 12, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive back Christian Izien during his visit at the Meijer Performance Center on March 12, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive back Christian Izien during his visit at the Meijer Performance Center on March 12, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Trevor Nowaske (53) signs his contract at the Meijer Performance Center on March 12, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Trevor Nowaske (53) signs his contract at the Meijer Performance Center on March 12, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end Tyler Conklin signs his contract at the Meijer Performance Center on March 12, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end Tyler Conklin and his family during his visit at the Meijer Performance Center on March 12, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end Tyler Conklin during his visit at the Meijer Performance Center on March 13, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end Tyler Conklin during his visit at the Meijer Performance Center on March 13, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez (44) with his family as he signs his contract at the Meijer Performance Center on March 16, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez (44) during his visit at the Meijer Performance Center on March 16, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez (44) during his press conference at the Meijer Performance Center on March 16, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez (44) during his press conference at the Meijer Performance Center on March 16, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Roger McCreary during his visit at the Meijer Performance Center on March 16, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Roger McCreary signs his contract at the Meijer Performance Center on March 16, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Roger McCreary signs his contract at the Meijer Performance Center on March 16, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Roger McCreary during his visit at the Meijer Performance Center on March 16, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Roger McCreary during his visit at the Meijer Performance Center on March 16, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Roger McCreary during his press conference at the Meijer Performance Center on March 16, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Roger McCreary during his press conference at the Meijer Performance Center on March 16, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Rock Ya-Sin (23) signs his contract at the Meijer Performance Center on March 16, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Rock Ya-Sin (23) signs his contract at the Meijer Performance Center on March 16, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Rock Ya-Sin (23) during his visit at the Meijer Performance Center on March 16, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Rock Ya-Sin (23) during his visit at the Meijer Performance Center on March 16, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Rock Ya-Sin (23) during his press conference at the Meijer Performance Center on March 16, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Damone Clark during his visit at the Meijer Performance Center on March 18, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Damone Clark during his visit at the Meijer Performance Center on March 18, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Damone Clark signs his contract at the Meijer Performance Center on March 18, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Damone Clark signs his contract at the Meijer Performance Center on March 18, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Damone Clark during his visit at the Meijer Performance Center on March 18, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Damone Clark during his visit at the Meijer Performance Center on March 18, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Greg Dortch during his visit at the Meijer Performance Center on March 18, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Greg Dortch and his family during his visit at the Meijer Performance Center on March 18, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell and Detroit Lions wide receiver Greg Dortch and his family during his visit at the Meijer Performance Center on March 18, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Greg Dortch signs his contract at the Meijer Performance Center on March 18, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Greg Dortch and his family as he signs his contract at the Meijer Performance Center on March 18, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Greg Dortch during his visit at the Meijer Performance Center on March 18, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Myles Adams (66) signs his contract at the Meijer Performance Center on March 19, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Myles Adams (66) signs his contract at the Meijer Performance Center on March 19, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Myles Adams (66) during his visit at the Meijer Performance Center on March 19, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions edge rusher Payton Turner signs his contract at the Meijer Performance Center on March 20, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions edge rusher Payton Turner signs his contract at the Meijer Performance Center on March 20, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions edge rusher Payton Turner signs his contract at the Meijer Performance Center on March 20, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
So far Holmes has signed several players including center Cade Mays, tackle Larry Borom, running back Isiah Pacheco, defensive back Christian Izien, cornerback Roger McCreary and tight end Tyler Conklin.
Mays was one of the top centers on the free-agent market this offseason and fills a big void upfront in the center of Detroit's offensive line. Izien and McCreary have 53 starts between them and have the versatility to play multiple positions in the secondary. Borom has starting experience at both tackle spots and gives Detroit depth at the position. Pacheco is a tough, physical runner with two Super Bowl titles to his name.
Holmes has also been busy re-signing players he already knows fit in Detroit and want to run it back in 2026 with cornerback Rock Ya-Sin and linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez headlining that list.
The following is a breakdown of Detroit's free agency so far:
FREE-AGENT SIGNINGS:
C Cade Mays
Mays, 26, appeared in 52 games and started 27 in his first four seasons in the league with Carolina at both guard and center. Over the past two seasons, he's started 20 games and hasn't allowed a sack. He started 12 games at center last year, allowing a pressure rate of just 2.56 percent (11th among centers).
T Larry Borom
Most of Borom's NFL experience has come at right tackle, but he's also filled in at left tackle and both guard spots and has played at least 330 offensive snaps in each of his five seasons in the league. He's a five-year veteran with 38 games of starting experience under his belt.
RB Isiah Pacheco
In Pacheco (5-10, 216), Detroit gets a strong, physical back. He rushed for 830 yards as a rookie in 2022, averaging 4.9 yards per carry with five touchdowns. He rushed for 935 yards with seven touchdowns while catching 44 passes in his second season in 2023. Pacheco had 462 yards rushing last season in a shared role with one touchdown.
DB Christian Izien
Izien has been a chess piece for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' defense over the last three seasons, logging significant snaps at both safety spots and slot corner, along with having a big special teams role. Izien has 165 tackles, eight tackles for loss, five passes defended and three interceptions over his three NFL seasons.
CB Roger McCreary
McCreary, 26, has experience playing both outside corner and nickel corner, with close to two-thirds of his snaps coming as a nickel. He's played in 61 games with 38 starts and should compete for Detroit's open nickel cornerback role in 2026.
TE Tyler Conklin
Conklin is an eight-year veteran having played in Minnesota, New York (Jets) and Los Angeles (Chargers) before signing with Detroit this offseason. He caught 50-plus passes in four straight seasons from 2021-24 and gives Detroit three quality veteran options in the tight end room alongside Sam LaPorta and Brock Wright.
EDGE D.J. Wonnum
Wonnum, 28, is a six-year veteran who spent his last two seasons in Carolina after breaking into the league with Minnesota in 2020. He recorded 31 quarterback pressures with 3.0 sacks last season but has two seasons (2021 & 2023) where he recorded 8.0 sacks. Wonnum (6-5, 258) is also a good run defender on the edge.
WR Greg Dortch
Dortch spent his last five seasons in Arizona so new Lions offensive coordinator Drew Petzing certainly knows what he's getting in the veteran wide receiver. Dortch caught 29 passes and had three touchdowns last season and is also a good returner on special teams, averaging 11.6 yards per punt return and 26.2 yards per kickoff return for the Cardinals last season.
LB Damone Clark
Clark is a four-year veteran who had his most productive season in 2023 when he got a chance to start all 17 games in Dallas in his second season in the league and recorded 109 tackles (70 solo) and four tackles for loss.
EDGE Payton Turner
A former first-round pick out of Houston by the Saints in 2021, Turner, 27, has battled several injuries early in his career that have limited him to 31 games played. The 6-foot-6, 270-pound edge has recorded 50 tackles with 5.0 sacks in his NFL career.
QB Teddy Bridgewater (reported)
Bridgewater returns to Detroit after serving as quarterback Jared Goff’s backup with the Lions in 2023. He's played in 83 career games over a 10-year career, completing 66.3 percent of his passes for 15,182 yards with 75 touchdowns and 47 interceptions.
OL Juice Scruggs (trade)
Scruggs was originally selected by the Texans in the second round (62nd overall) of the 2023 NFL Draft out of Penn State and has appeared in 37- areer games (20 starts) over his first three NFL seasons.
RE-SIGNINGS:
CB Rock Ya-Sin
Ya-Sin played in all 17 games with six starts in his first season in Detroit in 2025. He finished with 47 tackles and a career-best nine passes defended as opposing quarterbacks completed just 52 percent (28-for-54) of the passes thrown his way with a 74.7 passer rating and just one touchdown.
LB Malcolm Rodriguez
Defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard has always considered Rodriguez a fourth starter at the position. Rodriguez might get another chance to be a full-time starter on Sheppard's defense with Alex Anzalone no longer in the fold. In 50 career games, Rodriguez has logged 25 starts with 163 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks and two forced fumbles.
WR Tom Kennedy
Kennedy has been a reliable veteran moving between the practice squad and the active roster over the last few years. He stepped in last year and gave the Lions a spark as a kickoff and punt returner. He's a reliable veteran who can step in and fill several needs on gameday.
LB Trevor Nowaske
Nowaske has become a reliable reserve who can step in and play several different linebacker roles. He's also become one of Detroit's better special teams players. He played 15 games last year and was second on the team with 12 special teams tackles.
K Jake Bates
In his second season as Detroit's placekicker Bates made 27-of-34 field goal attempts (79.4 percent) while hitting 54 of 56 extra point tries. Bates' field goal percentage was down from his rookie season (89.7) but five of his misses came from 50-plus yards and the Lions still consider him an ascending player at the position.
DL Myles Adams
Adams, 28, will be entering his sixth year in the NFL after spending his first three seasons with the Seattle Seahawks. He spent last season on Detroit's practice squad. He's appeared in 30 career games with one start.
