DFN Mailbag: How Detroit's free agency additions impact Brodric Martin and Hendon Hooker

Welcome to an offseason addition of the mailbag. What’s on your mind?

Q: With DJ Reader and Roy Lopez both being nose tackles, does Brodric Martin even have a path to making the roster? — Joel L

Justin: Joel, that’s an excellent question and one I’ve been considering since the Lopez signing. I have no problem admitting I hadn’t anticipated the Lions retaining Reader and bringing on another veteran nose tackle via free agency.

Martin clearly didn’t progress the way the team had hoped in his second season. A knee injury in late August derailed his positive momentum, and once he finally returned to action, it was like hitting the reset button.

We’ll learn more about his future as the offseason program progresses. Who knows? Maybe things will click through his training and relationship with new position coach Kacy Rodgers. With Reader and Lopez on deals that expire at the end of the season, there’s no rush to pull the plug on Martin. The cap savings would be trivial and don’t change between now and September.

For what it’s worth, I don’t think the team can cut Martin after training camp and reasonably expect to get him back on the practice squad. A few other teams that liked him coming out of Western Kentucky would likely find space on their rosters. His size and length are too rare.

Q: With the draft about a month away, do you think they will stay a pick 28 or trade back? — Quintin Sweat

Justin: Quintin, you probably already know this, but there are too many unknown variables to reasonably project whether the Lions remain at pick No. 28 or trade out of the spot. We’d have trouble accurately predicting 10 picks before the team is on the clock, let alone a month out.

I won’t do the research to provide an exact percentage, but most teams pick at their scheduled spot in the first round, so that’s going to be your betting favorite.

Still, general manager Brad Holmes has shown a willingness to move both up and down the board at the start of the draft. He traded up for Jameson Williams and Terrion Arnold and down before snagging Jahmyr Gibbs. That means all options are in play.

The odds are likely greater that the Lions move up than down. They have a packed roster, and the 2024 rookie class had trouble seeing the field. As with Arnold a year ago, it’s better to aggressively target someone who can contribute immediately rather than accumulating picks.

Q: Why didn’t the Lions sign Joey Bosa? — David Agius

Justin: Because $13 million is a lot for an oft-injury player who is three years beyond his peak production. The Lions did sign a defensive end who is three years removed from his peak production in Marcus Davenport, and it cost them about 20% of Bosa's deal. If the situation doesn’t work out, one pill is much less bitter to swallow than the other.

The Lions are clearly being cautious with their cap space. It’s fairly obvious they’re saving as much as they can to re-sign their own studs, whether that’s Kerby Joseph or Aidan Hutchinson. The latter will cost around $40 million per season.

Q: Do we expect any more signings before the draft? — Michael Schwartz

Justin: Here’s what I wrote late Wednesday morning when I initially typed this mailbag out.

“I do expect the Lions to continue to slowly add to the roster, but don’t anticipate there will be a splash signing. There’s room to add a veteran edge rusher, guard and backup safety in the coming weeks.”

A few hours late, Al-Quadin Muhammad was re-signed, checking one of those boxes. The other two spots remain in play ahead of the draft.

Q: What would Jameson Williams and Aidan Hutchinson’s extensions look like? — The Respected Madman

Q: When do think the Aiden Hutchinson extension will happen? — Jason Harwood

Justin: You’re getting ahead of me, Madman. I need to keep producing content to keep you guys happy, so I can’t give away all the sauce in a mailbag. I’ll probably tackle a Hutchinson contract projection after the league meetings that run through early April. I’ll be looking at Maxx Crosby and Myles Garrett’s recent deals, as well as how the Lions handled Penei Sewell’s extension, to flesh out those thoughts.

I should probably also consider Williams, but it doesn’t seem like a similar priority. Still, gauging the price tag could be a worthwhile exercise. I’ll add it to the agenda.

It’s difficult to say when an extension might get done with Hutchinson. It requires motivation on his part. I’ve been told he’s making his recovery process exclusive for a documentary. I can’t imagine he’ll be offering any public comments on contract negotiations any time soon.

Q: Really hoping the Lions don’t do the 50/50 split with Gibbs and David Montgomery this year. Jahmyr just needs to be on the field more than he has been. — Steve Barone

Justin: That's not a question, but I understand what you're getting at. What you should know is that even before the injury, Gibbs was playing more snaps than Montgomery. Regardless, they're going to continue to share the workload, and that benefits both. Handling 75% or more of the workload throughout a 17-game season, plus the playoffs, is a quick way to wear down a player's long-term ability and availability.

Christian McCaffrey is a great example, and it doesn’t hurt that his body type and skill set are similar to Gibbs’. After playing 91% and 93% of the Carolina Panthers’ offensive snaps in 2018 and 2019, McCaffrey's durability has eroded.

Alvin Kamara, meanwhile, has played more than 70% of snaps just twice in his career and never more than 76%. He's also only topped 230 carries once. That's allowed him to remain relatively healthy and highly productive through his first eight seasons.

You don't want the wheels to prematurely fall off the franchise's best running back since Barry Sanders.

Q: How does another first-place schedule stack up for the Lions, in terms of difficulty versus the last few years? — Jake Szenderski

Justin: A schedule is only as difficult as it takes shape. Everyone believed the San Francisco 49ers would be a Super Bowl contender last year, but injuries changed their trajectory. Meanwhile, no one thought too much of the Vikings or Commanders before the 2024 campaign, yet they won 26 games combined.

So, yeah, on paper, the Lions' schedule looks brutal. First-place schedules typically do since they include three games against correlating finishers in other divisions. In 2025, the Lions will play the Chiefs, Rams and Buccaneers. The Bears, after finishing last in the NFC North, will play the Saints, Raiders and 49ers. Everything else, outside some pre-established differences in the road/home rotation, is the same for the divisional foes.

Q: Who is one free agent still on the market that would get you excited if they signed him? — Brandon L. Thornton

Justin: Excited might not be the right word, but I’ve said it before and will say it until he signs; I like the way Calais Campbell could round out the interior of the defensive line while Alim McNeill recovers.

Q: It's well known that an edge opposite Hutchinson has been every fan’s priority, but with the offensive line being somewhat in flux, do you think the O-line should be a priority in the upcoming draft? — Timothy S Knarian

Justin: The offensive line will never not be a priority. Holmes said as much in January.

“I just think you’ve got to keep the whole garden watered, at all points,” Holmes said about the position group. “And so, it’s going to be the whole unit, because just like you said, I mean, that’s the engine for us. I don’t care how good we ever get on the offensive line, that one right there is too important for not only our team, our quarterback, everything. It’s our identity, man. So, I think just that alone is just — it’s always going to be at the forefront.”

It doesn’t mean the team will reach for a lineman just to check a box, but I anticipate Holmes adding a piece to that group in the first four rounds. Everyone understands the need to find a long-term replacement for Graham Glasgow.

Q: Was the Kyle Allen signing about having a camp thrower and competition for QB3? — Paul Van Randwyk

Justin: Allen's contract information is out, and we now know the Lions didn't commit much to the signing. Only $100,000 of the deal is guaranteed.

That's a reasonable price to pay to have someone pushing Hendon Hooker for the backup job. Why should he be exempt from competition? Isn't competition critical to bringing the best out of players?

It's not fair to label Allen a camp arm. Still, with so little sunk cost, he's probably less of a threat to unseat Hooker than some might have initially speculated. It should be a legitimate camp battle between the two. Still, the bigger question will end up whether the Lions roster two or three quarterbacks going into the season. I don't see a ton of value in keeping three until closer to the playoffs, when having an emergency QB is critical. The Lions may end up seeing it differently.

Worse case, Allen outplays Hooker and wins the job outright. If that happens, so be it. You roll with the best option and start the search for a cheap, young backup all over again next year.

Q: Is the recent re-signing of the same depth guys another way to help out the new coordinators? — Lionsblood20

Justin: Familiarity doesn’t hurt, but I wouldn’t minimize the contributions of those individuals. The Lions add and retain guys based not only on their schematic fits but also on how they mesh with the culture. It’s how they work, how they take coaching, and the consistency of their effort paired with their on-field production.

Pat O’Connor isn’t back because Kelvin Sheppard needs to be surrounded by familiar faces. O’Connor is back because of the way he did everything that was asked of him and made the most of his opportunities in 2024. The same goes for each of the recent re-signings. They’re not back if they don’t fit what Holmes and Dan Campbell want throughout the roster.

Q: What’s with the Lions cornering the market on special teams linebackers? — Joshua Levinson

Justin: Linebackers and safeties are some of the best fits on special teams because of their blend of speed and strength, comfort playing in space, and tackling ability. Plus, let’s face it, the Lions value special teams. It helped Jack Fox set an NFL record for net punting average in 2024. That 3-4 yards per punt in the field position battle matters.

Also, I’m not limiting these players to being exclusively special teams. We know Ezekiel Turner has some coverage ability, Trevor Nowaske can blitz, and what I’ve learned through my still-to-publish tape study of newcomer Grant Stuard is he packs some punch in the run game.

Maybe there’s not a great three-down player in the bunch. Still, suppose Alex Anzalone or Jack Campbell were to suffer an injury. In that case, the collective skill sets can patchwork things during their recovery while offering some situational value when the corps are at full strength.

Q: Is D.J. Reed an upgrade, downgrade, or the same as Carlton Davis III? — Dean Pippio

Justin: I’d say, when healthy, the net performance is neutral.

Reed is a little more efficient in coverage, while Davis’ size and strength show up better against the run, even though Reed is willing and capable in that department. Where the newcomer gets an edge is he’s a little cheaper, plus he’s more durable.

Q: Will Giovani Manu get on the field this year? — Brad Rewold

Justin: There’s no way to offer an honest assessment of the situation without seeing how last year’s development has taken hold. Remember, the media doesn’t see any meaningful portions of practice after training camp, so I haven’t viewed Manu in action since late last August.

As it stands, he’s obviously not starting. He’ll have an opportunity to compete for the swing backup job with Dan Skipper, but understand, the veteran is going to enter the offseason program in pole position with a sizeable gap for Manu to close.

Q: Za' Darius Smith, was he truly a rental? And if not, why cut rather than restructure a guy they haven't replaced yet? — Dan

Justin: The proof is in the pudding. The Lions paid a fifth-round pick (and a swap of a future sixth and seventh) to help a depleted pass rush survive the stretch run. The decision to cut Smith instead of paying him $11 million to stick around confirms he was a rental.

As for a restructure, you can’t meaningfully restructure a one-year deal. Restructuring a contract is taking money owed for the upcoming season and pushing it into the future. When you aren’t under contract beyond the next season, there’s nowhere to move that money.

Now, a team can ask the player to take a pay cut. Some will, some won’t. John Cominsky did last offseason. I don’t know if that was discussed with Smith, but he was under no obligation to accept a reduced salary, especially after he met expectations in the first season of the two-year contract he had signed with Cleveland.

Q: Do you think there will be a significant drop-off on either side of the ball with the new coordinators? — Anthony Kuehn

Justin: This is another case where nothing short of a working crystal ball could offer meaningful insight. Maybe Sheppard, with a healthier defense, unlocks a consistency Glenn couldn’t. Meanwhile, the offense has every meaningful piece returning outside Kevin Zeitler, and even there, they appear to have a worthy replacement in Christian Mahogany.

If performance dips, injuries are more likely to be the culprit than the coordinators.

Q: Are Holmes and Campbell planning for if Hutchinson isn’t as dominant off the edge as he was pre-injury? — Russell Sieg

Justin: In rehab, everything is measured. I’m not sure if it’s daily, weekly or some different time frame, but Hutchinson’s strength and flexibility are being tested against pre-injury standards. They know exactly where he’s at physically, plus the team has spared no expense with their sports medicine and training staff to maximize the rehab process.

Additionally, I don’t think there’s a lot of concern about his mentality. Hutchinson is intrinsically motivated to be the best. So, no, I don’t think there’s a concern he won’t return to form, even if it takes a little bit of time to work off all the accumulated rust.

Hutchinson is 24 years old. If he were 30, maybe there would be more reason to worry.

Q: Extending Kerby and Branch will be a real challenge for Holmes and the front office, with both potentially commanding $20 million per season only a year apart. I think the intention at this point is to keep both, but how likely do you think it is that the Lions are looking for a potential insurance policy at safety in the draft in case we can't keep both? — Donald

Justin: Safety is in play, regardless of whether the Lions plan or hope to retain both on long-term deals. The team still clearly needs depth at the position.

I wouldn’t advocate using a first-round pick on the position, at least with Detroit’s current setup, but at the end of Round 2, if a safety prospect is the best player on their board? Sure, why not?

With that pick, you’ll likely get premium special teams contributions. The team could develop packages to give them snaps on defense, and the addition would backstop the group in case of injury or the inability to afford long-term contracts for both.

Q: As you can't pay everyone, who are the core four who will be with the Lions beyond 2027? — Dennis Grey

Justin: Three years is an eternity in the NFL. If I were to guess four players on the current roster who will still be here as foundational pieces in 2028, I’d go with Penei Sewell, Aidan Hutchinson, Terrion Arnold and Jahmyr Gibbs.

Jared Goff and Amon-Ra St. Brown would be entering the final year of their current contracts with massive cap numbers. Assuming they’re still here, which is absolutely a realistic possibility, it would probably involve new deals.

Others who could be on the 2028 roster include Jack Campbell, Alim McNeill, Kerby Joseph, Brian Branch, Christian Mahogany, Sam LaPorta, Jameson Williams and Tom Kennedy.