It’s hard to watch the NFL playoffs progress when you’re a Detroit Lions fan. Other than keeping up with old Lions players, there’s no real emotional attachment to the divisional round matchups. But there are plenty of good reasons to keep watching closely.

One of those is the ability to check out potential free agents that could interest Detroit in the offseason. All eight of the remaining teams have a few players who will hit free agency this offseason and could help bolster the Lions chances to be playing in the divisional round a year from now.

To help rein in expectations on the pending free agents, there are two criteria here. First, they must be unlikely to earn the franchise tag or transition tag from their current teams. Second, nobody over age 31 when the 2022 season starts; the Lions aren’t in position for those types of players to be maximized yet.

Here are eight players, one from each team, to watch in the divisional round of the playoffs with an eye for how they might fit for the Lions in 2022.

Harold Landry, EDGE, Titans

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Landry erupted in 2021 with a career-high 12 sacks from his stand-up EDGE spot, and it’s easy to see him having similar success with a team like the Lions. The 25-year-old got better at coordinating his rush with his linemates and at discarding blocks in his fourth NFL season.

Of all the players listed here, Landry is the highest-end talent. He’d cost considerable money to lure away from Tennessee and other suitors. But if the Lions opt to address the need for an impact pass rusher in free agency instead of the draft, Landry just might be the best option available. He’s a case of a former second-round pick whose star is still rising.

C.J. Uzomah, TE, Bengals

When my Lions Wire colleague Max Gerber listed pending free agents to watch for wild card weekend, Uzomah made his list. And Uzomah made him look great. He caught six passes for 64 yards and a touchdown in Cincinnati’s win over Las Vegas.

That type of performance is why Uzomah makes a repeat appearance. He’s a very capable receiver with good hands and the athleticism to make the first tackler miss. As a blocker, the 29-year-old is solid as a chip-and-release pass protector and a good backside sealer in the run game. That’s exactly what the Lions require from their tight ends in the offense.

Byron Pringle, WR, Chiefs

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Pringle gets lost in the shuffle of all the receiving talent around him in Kansas City. Yet despite his relative anonymity, Pringle started five games and hauled in 42 passes for over 550 yards and scored five touchdowns in 2021.

He had a difficult path to the NFL but has made the most of his chance. Pringle offers good speed, strong hands and positional versatility. At 6-1 and 200 pounds, he lines up all over the Chiefs formation. As a plus, the 28-year-old Pringle is also a very good blocker. He’s the kind of player who could ascend to a bigger role with another team and nobody in Kansas City would be surprised about it.

Jordan Whitehead, S, Buccaneers

(AP Photo/Brian Westerholt)

The one quality that really stands out about Whitehead is his consistency. A starting safety for the Bucs for the last three seasons (and part of his rookie campaign before that), he’s remarkably steady in a role that can have some big fluctuations. He seldom gets caught out of position and has proven he can work well with a variety of different teammates around him.

Because he’s not a big-time playmaker (five INTs and two forced fumbles in 59 NFL games) Whitehead likely won’t command top dollar on the free agent market. But his steady play, sure tackling and reliable coverage over the middle are all things the Lions sorely need from their safeties.

Oren Burks, LB, Packers

(AP Photo/Stacy Bengs)

Burks isn’t a well-known name, but what he does and how much he’ll cost make the 26-year-old off-ball backer a nice potential fit for the Lions.

He’s been the primary reserve LB for the Packers for the last four seasons, occasionally starting and always chipping in solidly on special teams. Burks saw his most extensive action on defense in 2021 and showed some of the promise that made him a third-round pick back in 2018. He’s got good open-field speed and can sift thru the trash well in the run game.

If the Lions are looking for a budget-friendly veteran replacement for Alex Anzalone with some untapped upside, Burks is a very appealing candidate.

Efe Obada, EDGE, Bills

(AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)

Obada isn’t a full-time player for the Bills. He’s their No. 3 EDGE, their version of how the Lions deployed Julian Okwara in 2021. But Obada is a productive pass rusher when he gets on the field.

The Nigerian native grew up in England and is the first player to come directly to the NFL from a European squad of American football. In his first year in Buffalo, Obada had 3.5 sacks and a PD in 10 games, playing about 30 percent of the snaps. He had 5.5 sacks for the Panthers in 2020, proving he can do it in more than one place.

Obada is a very athletic, long pass rushing specialist who finishes with power and a great burst to the ball. The 29-year-old won’t break the bank and would fit in nicely with the strong Nigerian contingency already established in Detroit.

Arden Key, EDGE, 49ers

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Key emerged from a disappointing three seasons with the Raiders to thrive as a pass rusher in his first season with the 49ers. One big reason why was the schematic fit; Key plays more of a stand-up OLB role in San Francisco compared to a more confined hand-in-dirt DE role with the Raiders.

He bagged 6.5 sacks in 2021 whle playing about 60 percent of the defensive reps. Key has never been a great run defender, but the 49ers smartly ask him to just go after the quarterback. He proved he can do that very well. The 25-year-old could translate that to Aaron Glenn’s Detroit defense too.

Sebastian Joseph-Day, DT, Rams

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Jones-Day is making his return from the injured reserve list this weekend, and it’s a good time to get back their starting defensive tackle. He was quite effective in the “dirty work” role next to Aaron Donald along the Rams line.

Keen-eyed Lions fans might recall the 26-year-old from the matchup in Los Angeles this season. He sacked Jared Goff in the game, one of his three on the season. That was the last game he played, but in seven games he notched those three sacks and 38 total tackles. He’s a smart, well-rounded DT with three seasons of starting experience after being scouted by Lions GM Brad Holmes during his tenure as the Rams’ scouting director.

In case Joseph-Day doesn’t get onto the field, check out cornerback Darious Williams in the Rams’ matchup with the Buccaneers.