4 position needs for Detroit Lions in 2026 free agency, NFL draft

The Detroit Lions' ugly 2025 season has ended far short of Super Bowl expectations, despite a last-second win over the Chicago Bears on Sunday in Week 18.

Now, it's immediately time to look to 2026 NFL free agency, where the Lions don't currently have much cap space, and the 2026 NFL Draft this spring, where the Lions own a mid-round pick in the first round.

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Here are four positions Lions general manager Brad Holmes must prioritize during free agency in early March and the 2026 NFL Draft on April 23-25:

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1. Edge defender

The organization gave Aidan Hutchinson a four-year, $180 million contract extension in October. But while the Lions have compensated him well, they haven’t provided the former Michigan football star much help on the opposite side of the defensive line. This past offseason, the Lions chose to re-sign the oft-injured Marcus Davenport and perennial backup Al-Quadin Muhammad before drafting Boise State's Ahmed Hassanein in the sixth round.

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Hassanein did not play a snap in the regular season, instead spending it on the practice squad. Davenport got hurt again and was a non-factor since returning to the field in late November. Muhammad exceeded expectations, but does not supply consistent production. The pass rush has suffered as a result. The team would benefit from having another quality edge defender to pair with Hutchinson.

2. Interior offensive lineman

The sudden retirement of Frank Ragnow in June rocked the Lions and reverberated throughout this season. His departure weakened one of the team’s strongest position groups and had a deleterious effect on Detroit’s winning formula, which was based on controlling the line of scrimmage and dominating the ball. After briefly experimenting with rookie Tate Ratledge at center during the offseason, Lions coach Dan Campbell moved veteran Graham Glasgow into Ragnow’s spot. He was sandwiched between Ratledge and Christian Mahogany, two first-year starters at right and left guard, respectively.

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Over the course of the season, vulnerabilities within the interior were exposed and injuries caused more upheaval. There were costly pass-protection breakdowns and failed attempts to run the ball between the tackles. The drop-off in performance was dramatic. It would be wise for the Lions to try to beef up this sector, especially with the 33-year-old Glasgow on the back end of his career.

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3. Offensive tackle

Taylor Decker is the longest-tenured member of the Lions. He has been a fixture on the left end of the team’s offensive line since 2016, bridging two eras of this franchise while serving as the blindside protector for Matthew Stafford and Jared Goff. But Decker seems close to calling it quits. The 32-year-old tackle told the Free Press he is contemplating retirement, saying “ideally” he would like to play “at least” one more year, in 2026. Decker tried to manage shoulder pain this season, and has sat out a bunch of practices just so he would be in position to play. But he still missed three games, including a 23-10 loss to Minnesota on Thursday.

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Given what they know about Decker’s situation, the Lions should feel compelled to seek a replacement as soon as possible. There is no player on the current roster who could fill his position. Dan Skipper can’t. Neither can Gio Manu, the 2024 fourth-round pick out of Canada who remains a project.

WHAT HAPPENED: Detroit Lions timeline of how the 2025 season went awry

4. Safety

Entering this season, the Lions felt secure on the back end, with arguably the best safety combination in the NFL. Brian Branch, a Pro Bowler, was a hard-hitting playmaker. Kerby Joseph was a ballhawk who led the NFL with nine interceptions and earned All-Pro honors in 2024. The Lions seemed keen on keeping them together for a long time, and signed Joseph to a four-year, $86 million extension in April.

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But the plan soon went awry. Joseph hurt his left knee in the summer, aggravated it again in October and played in only six games. Brian Branch then tore the Achilles tendon in his right leg in early December. What the future holds for both players is now uncertain. The Lions may have to devise a contingency plan at a position once seen as one of the most stable on the roster.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Lions position needs for 2026 free agency, NFL draft