Lions prioritize draft over splashy moves in free agency - ESPN

DETROIT — For the Detroit Lions, the 2023 season was certainly one to remember.

The organization won its first division championship in three decades, tied the franchise record for most wins in a season (12) and reached the NFC Championship Game under the guidance of third-year coach Dan Campbell and general manager Brad Holmes.

So the question now is: What's next?

History suggests Holmes and Campbell won't be making any bold moves through free agency when the window opens on March 13, but they'll do their due diligence.

The Lions are expected to have upward of $55 million in cap space and they have the No. 29 pick in the first round of the NFL draft.

Although this year's salary cap will be $30.6 million more per team than last year's $224.8 million, Holmes has said he will remain selective and strategic in identifying top free agents.

Ideally, the Lions want to acquire the best players through the draft, develop them and re-sign them once they're eligible for an extension, such as wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, Pro Bowl offensive lineman Penei Sewell and defensive tackle Alim McNeill, who are all eligible for extensions this offseason.

«That's why we always talk about how selective and strategic we do have to be in free agency, because you don't really know these players,» Holmes said during Tuesday's availability at the NFL combine. «You see what you see on film, but like I've told all of you that's the easy, coherent part. Can a guy come off the football? OK. That's easy. But you don't really know them, and so that's why you have to be real careful, but when you draft and you know your own guys, you feel a lot more comfortable.»

The biggest needs for the Lions in free agency and the draft include outside cornerback,