Getty Graham Glasgow during a game.
The Detroit Lions have some important decisions to make in the coming months in free agency, and the team has to decide who might stay and who might go when the open market gets ramped up in earnest later on this winter.
Detroit doesn’t have a ton of players to make decisions on, but there are some definite cases to remember in terms of players the Lions should be bringing back to the mix for 2020 and perhaps beyond.
So who should the Lions decide to bring back for this coming season? Here’s a look at some names they should call back soon.
Danny Amendola, WR
A great veteran slot man for the Lions in 2019, Amendola was a dependable player who could be there for Matthew Stafford or whomever was playing quarterback. At 34 years old, Amendola showed little signs of slowing down and limiting his game even though he racked up only 1 touchdown with the Lions. Rumors persist he could be a package deal with Tom Brady, but if that isn’t true, the Lions should try to bring Amendola back. He was a valuable member of the team and on a short term deal, he could be a solid option to give the Lions a body at wideout in 2020. The team could draft a replacement, but it would be wiser to bet on someone like Amendola for a huge 2020 season on the field.
Logan Thomas, TE
Down the stretch, the tight end position became a major hole for the Lions. One of the players who did step up and take advantage was Thomas, a converted quarterback. 173 yards and 1 touchdown might not seem like deep production to warrant a comeback, but Thomas managed to be a dependable option for the team. Isaac Nauta has a chance to crack the roster, but Thomas should stick around given the comfortability he showed in the offense when nothing was going right late in the 2019 season.
Graham Glasgow, C/G
If there’s a player the Lions need to bring back the most, it’s Glasgow, who was developed by the Lions in the third round of the draft and has been one of the most dependable players up front. The Lions might let Glasgow test free agency, but he should be a player to keep around given the fact that he’s been durable at a position where the team has needed help. The Lions should prioritize Glasgow first of any player on this list to keep around. He’s been healthy, solid and durable. Strange to think why they would let him go, but if they do, it will open up another hole for the team.
Sam Martin, P
The Lions special teams has been inconsistent the last few years, but it hasn’t been Martin’s fault. He played through pain much of the 2019 season, but didn’t miss any time and remained consistent without any trouble. There aren’t many free agent punters out there, and short of the team allocating a draft pick to the position, the Lions should likely stick with Martin for a few more years as he is only 30 years old. This seems like a no-brainer re-signing for the team to make.
J.D. McKissic, RB
With his explosive work as a wideout and running back combo platter, McKissic is someone that carved out a future for himself in Detroit with solid work in 2019. There was enough to see to suggest that McKissic fits well within the Detroit scheme, and those are the kind of players that teams should decide to keep around. McKissic was a big play waiting to happen much of 2019, and there is no reason he can’t be that for the Lions into the future as well if they decide to keep him around.
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