The Detroit Lions are in the midst of their best regular season in franchise history. Already having won more games than any other season, the Lions are heading into the playoffs as a Super Bowl favorite.
In the NFL, Super Bowl windows can close fast. Front offices have to make tough decisions in roster construction and retaining key personnel, including the coaching staff. Regardless of what happens with the Lions in the postseason, it may be the last time we see a few members of the team in Detroit. Whether it is for financial reasons or better opportunities elsewhere, we may see a few off-season departures that Lions fans will need to be prepared for.
DT Levi Onwuzurike
The Detroit Lions have taken a massive step forward on the defensive side of the ball this season. After being a bottom-ten unit in 2023, and a bottom-five group the season prior, the Lions are finally an elite defense. They are currently ranked seventh in terms of points allowed and Pro Football Focus has them as the sixth-best unit in the NFL.
Doing so while being decimated by injuries is a massive achievement. One of the biggest contributors to this success has been Levi Onwuzurike's play. The former second-round pick has finally found his own and has been fulfilling the promise he has shown before the 2021 NFL Draft.
Since his rookie season, this is the first healthy campaign for Onwuzurike, who missed an entire year with a back injury in 2022. For a defensive line ravaged by injuries, Onwuzurike has been one consistent bright spot. He has played 59% of defensive snaps for the team and put up 1.5 sacks, one forced fumble and 11 QB hits.
The Lions would ideally want to keep Onwuzurike around but may not have the financial means to do so. The 26-year-old is the type of interior pass-rusher every team in the league is looking for. His pass-rush win rate ranks among the top 25 of the league, making him one of the most coveted free agents in the league.
CB Carlton Davis
This is one of the toughest decisions the Lions have to make in the offseason. Davis is a pending free agent as his three-year, $45 million contract he signed when he was with the Bucs expires in 2025.
Considering how well he has performed since joining the Lions, the team would ideally want to retain him if it is financially feasible. Plus, the team traded a third-round pick for him just last offseason, so they likely thought they would have him for longer than a one-year rental.
Davis' 2024 performance complicates things. Per PFF, the veteran cornerback had the best season of his career with a 74.5 grade. In 13 starts, he had two interceptions, one forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries while only allowing a 55.3 completion rate and 77 passer rating when targeted. He has undoubtedly been the best cornerback in Detroit's rotation.
However, he is currently out with a fractured jaw. He will miss the first few rounds of the postseason. This provides an opportunity for the rest of the Lions' CB room. Terrion Arnold and Amik Robertson have disappointed so far this season. Arnold has been one of the worst-graded players in his position.
But the Lions just used a first-round pick on the Alabama product in the 2024 NFL Draft. They will not want to give up on him so fast. If Arnold and Robertson show some flashes in the postseason, the Lions may feel better about not breaking the bank for Davis.
Davis is 28 years old. Giving out lucrative long-term deals to cornerbacks approaching 30 is generally not a good idea. The Lions may prefer to draft another cornerback or hope for internal development depending on how the rest of this season goes.
OL Kevin Zeitler
Signing Zeitler to a one-year contract in the 2024 offseason was one of the most impactful under-the-radar signings of free agency. Coming off his first Pro Bowl season, Zeitler has played even better this season in his age-34 campaign. On PFF, he has been graded as the second-best guard in the league and the highest-ranked player on the Lions offense.
This season showed that Zeitler can not only still perform at the highest levels but also thrive. If he wanted to play in his age-35 season, the Lions would gladly keep him at right guard for the foreseeable future.
Unfortunately for the Lions, Zeitler has not committed to staying in Detroit or playing past this season so far. He has previously said that he wants to play as long as a team wants him and there is no reason for the Lions not to want him. This should certainly make fans feel better about the chances of Zeitler's return.
At the same time, every team is looking for more competent offensive linemen. This includes contenders and teams with more money to spend in free agency. Would Zeitler prioritize one last big payday in his mid-30s? Or would he choose to stay in Detroit for a final dance?
Detroit has solid offensive line depth, so perhaps they will be fine with letting Zeitler walk if there is a better offer for him out there. This will all likely depend on how the Lions' postseason run goes.
DC Aaron Glenn
When you find success in the NFL, it's very common to start becoming a victim of your own success. That is what is happening with the Lions coaching staff.
As one of the best teams in the NFL for the past two seasons under Dan Campbell, the Lions have received a ton of attention. There has been a lot of praise for their culture and discipline, making them an example of an organization. This put defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn and offensive coordinator Ben Johnson in the spotlight.
Any team looking for a new head coach with the desire to establish a new and improved culture will turn to Aaron Glenn. Since taking over as the defensive coordinator in 2021, Glenn has led this defense to serious improvement each year. The group that was the worst defensive unit in the league in 2020 and the second-worst in 2021 is now an elite group, ranking seventh in the NFL.
Glenn managed this while being short-handed most weeks while missing his best defender for most of the season.
In recent years, there has been a shift towards first-time head coaches in the NFL. Teams want to find a head coach with a ton of upside who can stay with the team for a long time. The 52-year-old Glenn fits that mold.
There are plenty of high-profile teams expected to be looking for a head coach this offseason, including the Giants, Bears, and the Jets. Glenn is already a rumored candidate for a few of these gigs and no Lions fan will be surprised if he ends up with one of them.
OC Ben Johnson
This is one that Lions fans desperately don't want to see. Everything mentioned previously about Aaron Glenn applies in a more significant way to offensive coordinator Ben Johnson.
Johnson has been everyone's favorite first-time head coach candidate for a long time. The 38-year-old already interviewed with the Panthers in 2023 and with the Commanders and the Seahawks last offseason. He decided to remain in Detroit in both offseasons. He will once again be the most sought-after coach on the market.
In his third season with the Lions, Johnson firmly established himself as an offensive genius and the best OC in the league. Detroit has been a top-five offensive unit every season since he took over in 2022, both in terms of points and yards. They scored the most points in the NFL so far this season.
Doing so with a quarterback with some limitations to his game is certainly impressive. As good as Jared Goff has been as a Lion, he is not a top-five quarterback in the league. The rest of this Lions offense doesn't scream an elite unit, either. But finding consistent success with it understandably made Johnson the hottest name in the coaching carousel.
Chicago's interest in Johnson is well-documented. The Cowboys would certainly pique Johnson's interest. More positions could open depending on how the playoffs go. It will be hard to keep Johnson in Detroit for another season but a Super Bowl win and a chance to repeat could perhaps be enough of a challenge to incentivize him to come back.