Getty Kenny Golladay during a game in 2019.
The Detroit Lions have to keep a watchful eye on their roster as they get set to tackle the NFL offseason, and a big decision for the front office to make is what players need to stick around for the future before hitting the market.
Detroit has a few guys that they might need to start negotiating with right now in order to get the best possible deal for the future to keep them around. Many of these players are still under contract, but the Lions need to work hard in order to keep them as part of the foundation.
Here’s a look at some names the Lions should be looking to lock up soon.
Kenny Golladay, WR
Golladay is the one player heading for a massive payday that most folks can understand given his performance. The Lions need to explore a deal this offseason in order to get themselves on the right track for the future. Golladay has been elite with the Lions including what he did in 2019, and thus far in his career, he’s put up 2,730 yards and 19 touchdowns. That’s very good as it relates to a young player in the league and the Lions need to get something done before Golladay hits the open market and nets a huge payday. Obviously, he is the slam dunk candidate for this treatment right now.
Darius Slay, CB
Slay wants a new deal and there’s questions as it relates to if the Lions should give him one this offseason. The sides are reportedly discussing it currently, and the move is one which could determine the course of Detroit’s whole offseason depending on what happens. The Lions need to keep Slay around if they have designs on contending in the future. It might cost them, but Slay has proven to be worth it in the past given his ability to make plays and be an explosive player. That’s the kind of player a team should keep around.
Frank Ragnow, OL
There’s no rush to get a deal done with Ragnow at this point given he is still playing on his rookie contract, but in another year or so, the Lions will have to think about it. It would be easy to see Ragnow locking down the center of the line for the foreseeable future in Detroit, and for that reason, the team should start thinking of him as a building block moving forward to negotiate with in time.
Graham Glasgow, OL
If there’s a player the Lions need to bring back the most this offseason who’s deal is expiring, 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 who’s a free agent this offseason 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.
Devon Kennard, LB
In another year, Kennard will become a free agent, but his fit in the Detroit defense has been masterful from the start. In only a pair of seasons in Detroit, Kennard has racked up 14 sacks, 104 tackles and recovered 3 fumbles. He’s been the most consistent thing about the Detroit pass rush in the short time he has been in Detroit, and that in itself qualifies him to stick around for the future for the team’s defense.
READ NEXT: Lions 2020 Expected Victory Total Revealed