The Detroit Lions are watching the NFL’s conference championship round from home like the rest of the world. That means it’s once again time to identify 10 pending free agents worth watching for the team as four teams play for a berth in the Super Bowl.
It’s the Kansas City Chiefs and Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC. And Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers representing the NFC this weekend. Detroit’s ties to the Rams are well documented. Brad Holmes spent the better part of the last decade leading LA’s college scouting department before landing the general manager job around these parts.
And while most eyes have turned to the draft with two first-round picks on the books. It’s worth tracking pending free agents since the Lions will have more cap space in Year 2 of the Holmes regime, not to mention a growing NFL salary cap. The league’s cap is projected at $208.2 million for 2022. That’s $25.7 million more than last year’s number. With that said, let’s dig into those 10 names to track:
Bengals S Jessie Bates III
Jessie Bates is one of the top free agents heading into the offseason. The 2018 second-round pick is on the last leg of his rookie contract. The safety has started 63 of 65 games since entering the league. Bates has 10 interceptions and 35 pass deflections in that span. He was a second-team All-Pro in 2020. Bates would certainly fit what the Lions should be looking for on the market. He’s a ball-hawking safety that would pair nicely with fellow pending free agent safety Tracy Walker. Bates makes his living with the ball in the air. Walker has struggled to flip the field, serving as one of the better tackling safeties on Detroit’s defense in recent years, though. With that said, Bates is an obvious candidate for the franchise tag after a slightly down showing after last year’s breakout campaign. Spotrac estimates Bates could get a deal in the five-year, $72 million range.
Rams WR Odell Beckham Jr.
Since landing in Los Angeles, Odell Beckham Jr. has looked like Odell Beckham Jr. He’s been a key cog in the team’s postseason success while developing a connection with quarterback Matthew Stafford. Beckham has 10 catches for 123 yards and one touchdown in those two playoff wins. He even added a 40-yard touchdown pass in the wild-card victory. Beckham had 17 catches for 232 yards and no scores in six games in Cleveland. Through eight games with the Rams? He has 27 catches for 305 yards and five touchdowns. While the Lions didn’t have much interest in the receiver when he became available during the season. It’s hard to ignore his revival while looking like a problem in the open field. He’s fast. He’s a great route-runner. He would add a layer of playmaking ability desperately needed. PFF ranks him 36th among pending free agents ahead of the offseason.
Rams EDGE Von Miller
Speaking of stars looking like themselves again. Von Miller remains an athletic marvel off the edge while bringing an impressive all-around game. The Rams traded a second-and third-round pick for Miller’s services, with some help paying the tab from the Denver Broncos. Miller had five sacks in eight games in LA. He had 4.5 sacks in seven games while still in Denver while making his return from missing all of 2020. His injury history and age are factors to watch. Still, the veteran is doing his best to erase all doubts ahead of this crucial offseason. He finished the season as PFF’s fourth-ranked edge defender. The main question in Detroit for an edge defender of this caliber revolves around what happens in-house with Trey Flowers and Charles Harris. The Lions also hold Pick 2, with edge rushers Aidan Hutchinson and Kayvon Thibodeaux heavily in the mix. PFF estimated Miller’s next deal in the two-year, $34 million range.
49ers CB K’Waun Williams
The Lions could very well be set at cornerback heading into 2022. Jeff Okudah is expected back following a lengthy recovery from his year-ending Achilles injury suffered in the opener. Amani Oruwariye posted a career-high six interceptions and has another season on his rookie deal. Ifeatu Melifonwu showed flashes after returning from injury. The lanky corner was a third-round pick last year. Detroit also has Jerry Jacobs, A.J. Parker and Will Harris in the mix.
And while there is more than enough on paper heading into next season. Okudah and Jacobs are making their way back from serious injuries, and a little experienced depth wouldn’t be the worst idea. K’Waun Williams would bring that, likely without breaking the bank too. Williams would also provide experience from the slot, something the Lions could need depending on how they feel about Jacobs, Parker or Harris. The seven-year pro intercepted Dak Prescott in the wild-card round, then knocked away two passes in last week’s win against the Packers. Williams isn’t a star. But he’s been a consistent performer for the 49ers who could bring valuable depth or as a rock-solid starter wherever he lands.
Rams CB Darious Williams
Darious Williams is someone Brad Holmes is likely very familiar with through his time in LA. The Rams claimed Williams after the Ravens waived him during his rookie season. He’s appeared in 43 games while earning 26 starts since 2018. He’s started 23 of those games over the previous two seasons while developing into a dependable hand for the Rams. He didn’t intercept any passes this year after notching a career-high four in 2020. PFF reports Williams ranks 20th among cornerbacks over the last two seasons. During that span, he’s forced 21 forced incompletions, the 10th most in the NFL.
Chiefs EDGE Melvin Ingram
Melvin Ingram remains an experienced, powerful pass rusher despite lacking production amid a weird campaign in 2021. He had one sack across six games with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Ingram then added one sack across nine games and six starts for the Chiefs. Still, Ingram ranked 16th overall among edge players per PFF. He was 27th in the pass-rushing department with 42 quarterback pressures. Ingram feels destined for a short-term deal as a key part of a team’s rotation at edge rusher. Depending on the cost and who’s back in Detroit. That could work around here if the shoe fits.
Rams DL Sebastian Joseph-Day
Holmes went to the Rams for Michael Brockers when he needed to bolster his defensive trenches around this time last year. Sebastian Joseph-Day was designated to return from injured reserve last week. He had been out since Week 7 with a pectoral injury. Before the injury, the interior defender had three sacks and 38 tackles in seven starts. The 2018 sixth-round pick has 38 starts in three years for the Rams, highlighting another quality find by Holmes and LA’s front office. Joseph-Day’s combo of speed and power shows up best against the run. The Lions have Alim McNeill and John Penisini at nose tackle. McNeill made the PFF and PFWA all-rookie teams. He should be the starting nose moving forward, without question. Joseph-Day could provide the team with a dependable run-stopper and decent pass rusher to throw in the mix.
“Joseph-Day hasn’t had the hardest job in the NFL, given that he’s been playing next to Aaron Donald, but he provides positive value to any run defense,” PFF writes. “If he’s blocked one-on-one, expect him to win most of those reps.”
49ers WR Trent Sherfield
The pending free agents in this weekend’s games at wide receiver aren’t overwhelming. That doesn’t mean there isn’t worthwhile talent or depth worth tracking. Trent Sherfield doesn’t have a ton of reps to his name, with offensive snaps hard to come by in San Francisco. He caught nine passes on 20 targets for 87 yards and one touchdown while seeing time in all 17 games. Sherfield had that score against the Lions in Week 1. He played three seasons in Arizona before landing with the 49ers. He’s an impressive athlete at 6-foot-2. Sherfield ran a 4.45-second 40-yard dash coming out of Vanderbilt in 2018, rocking solid 20- and 10-yard split times too.
Chiefs WR Demarcus Robinson
Demarcus Robinson has been a steady hand in Kansas City over the last six seasons. Robinson doesn’t light the world on fire by any means but could do more in a less-crowded receiver room. The 27-year-old hasn’t missed a game since landing with the Chiefs in 2016′s fourth round. Robinson caught 25 passes on 41 targets for 264 yards and three touchdowns. His most productive campaign was in 2020. He had 45 catches for 466 yards and three touchdowns that year. The Lions have an obvious need at receiver heading into next season. Rookie Amon-Ra St. Brown showed eye-popping flashes in a multi-faceted role down the stretch. He needs some more help on the outside, though. Robinson, or any of the other names on this list, might not fit that mold. But there is still something to offer, especially with all that experience in Kansas City’s passing attack.
49ers WR Jauan Jennings
Jauan Jennings has continued to do the most with whatever Kyle Shanahan throws his way. The exclusive-rights free agent had 24 receptions for 282 yards and five touchdowns. Jennings popped in the regular-season finale. He had six catches for 94 yards and two touchdowns against the Cardinals that day. He’s caught four passes on seven looks for 35 yards in two playoff games. The 2020 seventh-round pick out of Tennessee isn’t the best athlete but offers some intriguing size at 6-foot-3, 215 pounds.
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10 pending free agents in NFL conference championship games to watch for the Detroit Lions - MLive.com
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