The Detroit Lions are going to see a major change to their roster in the coming days, and a big question has been what in-house free agents could eventually return to the roster under a new regime.
So far, it doesn’t seem as if the Lion are interested in bringing back many of their own free agents, and one player that could be set to find a new job in the coming days is linebacker Jarrad Davis.
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According to Peter Schrager of the NFL Network, Davis is one of the linebackers who is attracting ‘competitive’ interest on the market given the options at linebacker. As a result, it might not be a surprise to see Davis get some significant play and a deal.
Speaking to GM’s and coaches over last 24 hours, a name that continues to come up and is a guy who might have a fairly competitive market is UFA and former Lions first round pick LB Jarrad Davis.
Matt Milano and Lavonte David are off the board. Davis viewed as a viable LB.
Davis has had an up and down career since being the first-round pick of the Lions back in 2017, but with news like this, it’s becoming clear that the team is possibly set to move on. The Lions probably don’t want to see a bidding war for Davis, and it’s possible they just let him go.
Jarrad Davis Lions’ Stats
Davis always brings it on the field in terms of play, and that’s something he has done since he played in college with the Florida Gators. Known as one of the best tacklers and leaders in his class at the time, Davis had all the tools to be a fixture in Detroit but has struggled with his play for the most part.
At times, Davis can be his own worst enemy in terms of the things he does on the field in pursuit and in coverage, but more often than not, his speed and passion is a major advantage for him. In his Detroit career, Davis has put up 305 tackles, 10.5 sacks and 1 interception. Those might not be bad totals, but way more was expected from Davis given his status as a former first-round pick for the team.
There’s no question that Davis is the type of player who could leave Detroit and flourish given it’s been assumed the Lions did not use him in the best way possible during his career in the Motor City. If he signs somewhere else, that will be an interesting comparison to make in future years.
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Lions Changes at Linebacker Significant
The Lions figure to have a ton of moving parts at linebacker, and that’s true given their first big move of the offseason was to release linebacker Christian Jones from the team. At the very least, Jones occupied space at the position and was a durable player. Without Jones, the Lions could also let Davis walk in free agency, and have already served notice to Jamie Collins by restructuring his contract in a major way. It’s unlikely the team lets Jahlani Tavai go at this point, but the more additions they make, the harder it would be for a player like Tavai to stick long-term.
Detroit could look at signing a player in free agency, or they could also look to making a significant addition in the NFL Draft at linebacker. Either way, there figures to be big changes in the weeks ahead.
Davis could be on the move, and if he finds a busy market, it’s possible the Lions will be happy to let him walk in order to get to free agency and complete the upgrade.
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Former Top Lions’ Pick Attracts ‘Competitive’ Free Agent Interest: Report