Green Bay Packers: Previewing the Detroit Lions Offseason

The Green Bay Packers have another challenging offseason of their own to work through in the coming months, between figuring out their quarterback situation, navigating the salary cap, and trying to address key positions of need. But how do they compare to the rest of the NFC North?

With the help of one writer from each NFC North team, we will take a closer look at what we can expect this offseason from the Bears, Lions, and Vikings. Up first to help us with the Lions is Zach Payne of SideLion Report. Detroit made a big jump in 2022, finishing the season 9-8, just on the outside of the NFC playoff picture. Although their defense would struggle, they had one of the highest scoring offenses in the NFL.

As he has previously, Zach was kind enough to answer a few questions, and provided some excellent insight about the upcoming months for Detroit. I also provided some perspective on the Packers’ situation along the way.

What does the Lions’ salary cap situation look like this offseason?

Zach: The Lions have some room, they aren’t anywhere near what the Bears have to work with, but Detroit is in a position to address some needs in free agency. As of right now, they have roughly $13.9 million in space, according to Over the Cap, but there are a few players that could be on the way out to make more room.

The obvious name here is Michael Brockers. He was a healthy scratch for much of the final stretch of the season and is very clearly not the player he used to be. While his leadership and presence in the locker room will be missed, that’s an easy $10 million in savings right there. Then there are a few question marks. Halapoulivaati Vaitai did not play a single snap this past season due to a back injury, and the Lions could clear an additional $6.5 million by cutting him.

The catch here is that the Lions would need to find a new starting right guard to replace him. However, there are a few names on day two of the draft that could slide into a starting role immediately. Charles Harris and Romeo Okwara are wildcards as well. Harris battled injuries and inconsistent play all season, and the Lions could clear $4 million in cap space by cutting him. Okwara only played a handful of games late in the season as he worked his way back from a torn Achilles, and Detroit could clear $7.5 million by releasing him.

Given the influx of young talent in the edge rotation by way of Aidan Hutchinson, James Houston, and Josh Paschal, one of the two veterans on the edge are likely on their way out the door. The only question is which one? Regardless, the Lions will have room to maneuver, though Brad Holmes has shied away from big splashes in free agency thus far. This is a trend that, given how many picks the Lions hold in the draft, is one we likely see continue.

Packers Perspective: The Packers find themselves on the opposite end of the salary cap spectrum in comparison to the Bears and Lions, as they are currently $16.4 million in the hole. Some difficult decisions that could be made to help them get out of the red could include moving on from Aaron Jones and David Bakhtiari. However, I don’t see that being the case.

You can read more on this topic here, but regardless of who the Packers quarterback is in 2023, the goal should be to win, and part of that equation includes having Jones in the backfield, who was Green Bay’s most consistent playmaker on an offense that lacked playmaking in 2022.

When it comes to Bakhtiari, there just aren’t enough cap savings that come from cutting him to justify the move. During the second half of the season, his knee really wasn’t an issue, and when on the field, he was still playing at a high level. Even if Bakhtiari is only available for 12 games next season, I’d rather have him than an additional $5.7 million in cap space. Again, the objective should be to compete, and doing so includes having Bakhtiari.

So in order to get out of their current salary cap deficit, the Packers will again utilize contract restructures to do so. They have a number of contracts that can be reworked, and you can read more about those moves by clicking here. Another cap-saving move you can expect the Packers to make this offseason is an extension for Rashan Gary, and an under-the-radar move could include trading Darnell Savage.

What are the Lions’ three biggest positions of need that they have to address in free agency?

Zach: The absolute biggest need on this roster is pretty clearly cornerback. Detroit’s front improved a great deal over the second half of the season, but the secondary remained a key issue due to the lack of corner depth. There is a legitimate argument to be had that neither of the outside starting corners are on the roster right now, and the nickel corner position is also up in the air.

The interior defensive line is another one that pretty clearly needs to be addressed. I love Alim McNeill as much as the next fellow, but he cannot be relied upon to play all three-downs. The Lions need a legitimate pass-rush threat from the interior of that line to complement the talent on the edge. After those two glaring needs though, it’s a bit murkier. There are absolutely other positions that need to be addressed, but deciding which one is the “third-biggest need” is a bit tricky.

Malcolm Rodriguez was a revelation last season, becoming a starter as a sixth-round rookie, but I think the Lions could serve to benefit from another off-ball linebacker. Tight end is a bit of a mess after the T.J. Hockenson trade midseason, as Brock Wright, James Mitchell, and Shane Zylstra are all serviceable backups, but none of them are true starting-level players at this point. Running back is a sneaky need due to D’Andre Swift’s inconsistent and injury-riddled career thus far, not to mention he’s in the final year of his rookie deal.

Then there’s the great dilemma at quarterback. Jared Goff proved he can play at a relatively high level, but can he elevate this team when it matters the most? So far in his career, Goff has proven to be the sum of the parts around him. If the roster around him is good, he can win with them. If the roster is lacking in significant ways, Goff is not going to be able to overcome that. So with that being said, would the Lions take a swing on a young developmental quarterback in the draft (Anthony Richardson, anyone?) to sit under Goff for a few seasons? Perhaps. Perhaps not. At the end of the day, this roster has talent, but there are a number of position groups that still need to be addressed.

Packers Perspective: When it comes to the Packers, it’s difficult to pick just three–so I’m going to pick four. In no particular order, I would include edge rusher, tight end, safety, and wide receiver as positions that must be addressed this offseason.

Edge rusher depth was a concern last offseason, and without Rashan Gary, we saw why. The Packers struggled to generate consistent pressure during his absence. The tight end and safety positions are in a similar situation, with the Packers needing more playmaking at each, along with more depth. As of now, the only tight ends on the roster are Josiah Deguara, Austin Allen, and Nick Guggemos. While at safety, it is Savage, Tariq Carpenter, Vernon Scott, and James Wiggins.

At receiver, the Packers need more experience, with Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, Samori Toure, and Bo Melton all entering just their second NFL seasons, while James Cotton has played only one offensive snap in his three-year career. I would bet that a portion of the Packers’ limited free agent dollars go towards finding a veteran presence to add to this young room, but that shouldn’t affect how they approach the draft, with more playmaking still needed.

Who are some of the Lions’ key free agents this offseason?

Zach: The big one is Jamaal Williams. He is the heart and soul of this locker room and has provided very steady, consistent play on the field. He’s not going to replicate a 1,000-yard, 17-touchdown season, but he is a big part of this team and is the biggest priority out of all the Lions’ pending free unrestricted free agents. Aside from him, there are a few guys that don’t necessarily get a ton of attention but are still key cogs in the wheel.

The perpetually underrated John Cominsky had a great season, and his presence as a base end allowed Aidan Hutchinson to flourish this past season. DJ Chark had a tough start to the year but was excellent down the stretch as an X receiver for the Lions. Will Harris, while frustrating at times, is loved by the coaching staff due to his inside/outside versatility at corner. Isaiah Buggs developed into a key part of the Lions’ run defense as well as a vocal leader on and off the field.

All these guys can/should be brought back. A number of them have also already approached Brad Holmes and said they would take less money to stay in Detroit. Last season a big part of the Lions’ strategy was to retain as many of their own free agents as possible. As mentioned earlier, with Holmes’s hesitancy to engage with free agents on the open market, keeping his own free agents is another trend you will likely see continue.

Packers Perspective: The Packers have a number of key free agents who played a lot of meaningful snaps for them in 2022. This group includes Allen Lazard, Adrian Amos, Marcedes Lewis, Keisean Nixon, Dean Lowry, Jarran Reed, Robert Tonyan, and Mason Crosby.

Green Bay also has a few others who were core members of their improved special teams unit, including Eric Wilson, Rudy Ford, and Dallin Leavitt. With limited cap space again to be spent in free agency, the Packers will have to be conscious of what they spend, which means several of these players very well could be playing elsewhere in 2023.