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The Detroit Lions still theoretically have plenty of holes to fill when it comes to their roster, and though the draft is coming, free agency is still going on for the team.
More well-placed additions could help the Lions in terms of rounding out their roster for the future, and with signings dwindling down, players still exist on the market that could boost the Lions and help give their roster a push this offseason.
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Bleacher Report’s David Kenyon put together a list of all the best free agency fits at this point for teams across the league of players left. When it came to Detroit, an interesting name in Takkarist McKinley was listed by Kenyon due to the boost he could provide the team’s pass rush eventually when healthy.
“Pending his Achilles recovery timeline, McKinley may start 2022 on the injured list anyway. Detroit can patiently wait for his return and hope for a late-season jolt to the pass-rush group,” Kenyon wrote in the piece.
A player like McKinley would fit the Lions because he is young and would offer the team the kind of upside they are looking for on a short-term deal. He’s also coming off injury, so that would mean he could be seen as a potential value if things get going in the right way.
Lions Pass Rush Could Still Use Boost
The Lions have spent the offseason building up their roster, but one spot they have not chosen to do much work is along the defensive line. Detroit re-signed Charles Harris to the edge position, and that was significant given he collected 7.5 sacks last year to help in leading the team. Minus that, though, the Lions haven’t done anything on the outside to boost the position. This coming year they will return Romeo Okwara off injury, which figures to be huge for them in terms of boosting the depth of the position. Even such, the Lions will want to see if they can add something to the roster either the rest of free agency or the draft.
Detroit figures to add a player with their second-overall pick to help them in rushing the passer, but signing a guy like McKinley could help the team as it relates to finding the kind of depth they need and allowing them to perhaps be more open in the NFL draft.
McKinley’s Career Stats & Highlights
A former first-round pick at 27 in 2017 out of UCLA, McKinley is a player who came into the league with many expectations and much fanfare as it relates to becoming a stud. That didn’t happen immediately for him, leading some to proclaim McKinley a bust. In his NFL career, he has produced only 97 tackles and 20 total sacks. He wanted out of Atlanta, then made his way to Las Vegas, where he was not able to be on the field thanks to injury. McKinley signed with Cleveland in 2021, where he posted just 1.5 sacks this past season.
Here’s a look at some of McKinley’s best work on the field:
In college, McKinley was one of the more explosive rushers in college, so he has a track record to rely on. Whether or not he can get back to that level remains to be seen, but the Lions could be a team that offers him a chance to do this according to some of the experts. Many believe they should make the move.
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