Arguably, the biggest offseason decision facing the Detroit Lions about their own upcoming free agents is pass rusher Al-Quadin Muhammad. The veteran had a breakout season, totaling 11.0 sacks while offering a much-needed second pass-rushing option behind star edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson. The issue here isn't whether Muhammad has earned an extension, but whether it is in Detroit's best interest to pay a player off for what was clearly an outlier of a season.
Entering the 2025 season, the defender had totaled 15.0 sacks over seven seasons. Muhammad spent time with the New Orleans Saints, Indianapolis Colts, and Chicago Bears before joining the Lions ahead of the 2024 campaign. Each of those experiences ended similarly; the edge rusher showed promise but failed to turn it into consistent production. That was the case in Muhammad's first season with the Lions as well, where he managed only 3.0 sacks.
All of this paints a dangerous picture for a franchise that is backed into a corner, unable to win with either decision. Paying the edge rusher is clearly a decision that comes with a risk, given that the seven years of his career scream this great production was an outlier. On the other hand, opting to let Muhammad walk away when you're dealing with a lack of pass-rushing depth risks losing momentum after a great season and a duo that worked incredibly well together, with Hutchinson offering 14.5 sacks.
Lions Facing Impossible Offseason Decision After Unexpected Breakout Season
Either direction the Lions choose seems to set the franchise up for potential failure. Perhaps the only escape is an unlikely scenario in which the defender accepts a team-friendly deal that includes limited guarantees. Considering the league's desperation for pass rush and this offseason presenting Muhammad's first chance to cash in on free agency, this scenario is unlikely.
What direction the Lions choose to go is understandable in either scenario, with fans able to talk themselves into a return or exit. The telling part will be Muhammad's production in the 2026 season, which will prove whether the 2025 campaign was truly an outlier by the edge rusher or an incredible breakout at the latter stages of his career. Detroit will have no shortage of competition with a thin market at the position, making the defender's 2025 production attractive to many expected contenders.
For Detroit, this is a frustrating headache of a decision that isn't going to get any easier as we go deeper into the offseason. Keeping Muhammad is going to be difficult, but it appears to be the more likely of the two paths due to the chemistry with Hutchinson and the pure desperation to find answers at the position.