The Detroit Lions and their supporters will be even more motivated after watching the Super Bowl.
At the half of the NFC Championship Game, Dan Campbell’s squad was up by three points and seemed like they might win this game. But the 49ers from San Francisco rallied fiercely to beat Detroit and punch their ticket.
The Lions will therefore have to watch two sides play a game they had wanted to win. But it will also enable them to keep assessing possible free agents in advance of the 2024 offseason.
Here are five free agents the Lions should watch Sunday.
Kansas City
CB L’Jarius Sneed
After working primarily as a slot cornerback over the last three seasons, Sneed moved to the boundary for the final year of his rookie contract. The results were solid, as he showed the ability to be a shutdown corner for the Chiefs’ defense.
Additionally, he was a playmaker. Sneed picked off two passes this year, and forced a fumble in a critical juncture in the team’s AFC Championship Game win over the Baltimore Ravens.
Cam Sutton was an investment for the Lions last season as their starting cornerback, but the seasoned player had trouble filling the position. Pro Football Focus projects Sneed to make $17.5 million a year, so the Lions might decide not to give a cornerback another huge contract after doing so with one last year.
Sneed would, however, provide the Lions with a superior option in the secondary and address a glaring need.
DE Mike Danna
The Lions have one of the league’s top EDGE rushers in Aidan Hutchinson, but struggled to find production on the opposite side of the defensive line.
Danna doesn’t have the elite pass-rush production, with 17 sacks in four seasons. But, he has been an anchor in the run game. Detroit shuffled through defensive ends in 2023, so Danna could provide that reliability on the opposite side of Hutchinson.
The Lions have expressed desire to add competition to their roster, and Danna would put pressure on young players like John Cominsky and Josh Paschal to produce.
He has ties to Michigan, having played for Central Michigan and Michigan in college. Additionally, he’s expected to command an affordable, short-term contract that would allow the Lions to make an easy commitment.
San Francisco
DT Javon Kinlaw
The Lions had one of the league’s best run defenses in 2023, but were strapped for depth on the interior at points this past year. Veteran Tyson Alualu wound up playing a key role down the stretch, and Alim McNeill missed time at the end of the regular season with a knee injury.
McNeill has the making of a standout defensive tackle, but the Lions would benefit from adding another starter to their four-down front. Kinlaw fits that mold.
The 2020 first-round pick had his fifth-year option declined by the 49ers, and will enter free agency this year. He posted career-best numbers in sacks and tackles for loss, an indication that he is still developing after dealing with injuries the last two years.
Under general manager Brad Holmes, the Lions have shown an ability for giving short-term deals to players who have dealt with injuries. Kinlaw is talented and would be a good fit within the defense. As a result, a short-term, prove-it contract could bring out the best in the 26-year-old.
DE Chase Young
Many clamored for the Lions to make a move for Young at the trade deadline, though he was ultimately dealt to the 49ers. The 2020 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year is brimming with star potential, but injuries have hindered his progress early in his career.
However, there are questions about whether his effort level would meet the standards that the Lions have set. He has the ability of an elite rusher, but has struggled to always meet that potential.
The potential of Young is exciting, and he has been very good at points in his career. Depending on the price tag in free agency, the Lions would be wise to explore the possibility of adding him to their pass-rush corps, as they try to maximize their Super Bowl window.
WR Jauan Jennings
The only restricted free agent on this list, Jennings is an interesting player who has grown into a key part of the 49ers’ offensive attack. San Francisco has a plethora of playmakers elsewhere, but Jennings always seems to make key plays at key points.
At 6-foot-3, Jennings profiles as a solid X-receiver who would be a multi-level threat. Both of the Lions’ physical outside threats, Josh Reynolds and Donovan Peoples-Jones, are set to be free agents.
The 49ers can match contract offers to keep him, so the Lions would have to pay a little bit more to acquire him. Nevertheless, Holmes has never hesitated to make significant changes to strengthen the core of his squad.
Jennings has interesting potential and would mesh well with Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams, Detroit’s emerging receiver core.
