The Detroit Lions are one step closer to reaching the Super Bowl, and the 2025 offseason is going to be the time for general manager Brad Holmes to be at his very best.
To be fair, Holmes has been at his best since leaving the Los Angeles Rams and coming to Detroit. He's built one of the most impressive rosters in the NFL and is loaded up with nearly $52 million in total cap space heading into the 2025 offseason already. The Lions don't exactly have a bunch of dead weight on their roster right now, but they will undoubtedly be looking to NFL free agency for upgrades, especially on the defensive side of the ball.
Considering they've lost both offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn -- who took head coaching gigs in 2025 -- the Lions are going to need to make sure they don't go cheap on the player personnel side of things. They will be measured, focused, and aggressive with the window they are in.
But which players are necessary cap casualty candidates despite the flexibility they already have?
3 Necessary Cut Candidates for the Detroit Lions in 2025
1. Za'Darius Smith, EDGE
It's not that the Detroit Lions don't need depth off the edge, but one of the easiest cut candidates they have is veteran Za'Darius Smith, who is already just one team short of completing the NFC North gauntlet (he's played for the Vikings, Packers, and Lions). Smith is due to count over $5.7 million against Detroit's cap space in 2025, and none of that money is guaranteed.
The Lions could save over $5.7 million with no dead money by cutting Smith, pushing their cap space over $56 million and getting even more flexibility to add other veteran players to this team. Smith had four sacks and 10 QB hits in his brief time with the Lions last year, but entering his age 33 season, is there a way they could upgrade that position with a younger player?
It's not a necessity given the team's cap situation, but certainly something to be on the lookout for.