Detroit Lions free agency predictions: Tahir Whitehead

Why he could stay

Whitehead is a holdover draft pick from the previous front office but he is one of a handful of such Lions who have already agreed to new deals with the team since Bob Quinn took over. After initially testing the free agent waters, Whitehead re-signed in Detroit on the two-year, $8 million deal that ends with the 2017 season.

Simply put, Whitehead was the Lions’ best linebacker last season and he ranks as one of the best at his position on the 2018 free agent market. Replacing Whitehead in free agency could be expensive and difficult, if not impossible.

The need could go beyond just replacing Whitehead with Paul Worrilow and Nick Bellore also set to become free agents. The Lions ranked 23rd for 2017 cap spending on linebackers at about $12 million with the trio of Whitehead, Worrilow and Bellore representing about $8.5 million of that. Going for a near-wholesale change at linebacker with a new defensive system that places an emphasis on linebacker play is asking for trouble.

It also doesn’t hurt that Whitehead’s former college coach would now be his position coach with the Lions. Al Golden was head coach at Temple for Whitehead’s first three seasons as an Owl. After two seasons as the tight ends coach in Detroit, Golden was retained by Matt Patricia and re-assigned to the linebackers.

It’s not to say upgrades aren’t possible and shouldn’t be pursued – they absolutely should as the overall play from the linebackers needs to improve. But that comes more in the form of replacing the veterans behind Whitehead on the depth chart, not adding his name to the list that needs to be replaced.

Bob Quinn will have work to do at linebacker this offseason even if he retains Whitehead. He could make his life a little easier by stabilizing the outlook at linebacker by reaching an agreement with Whitehead before the start of free agency. Of course, it takes two sides to get a deal done.