The Detroit Lions have 25 players to make a decision on before March 10th, the opening of free agency. A playoff team last year, the Lions had one of the NFL’s best defenses. But in order to continue their success into next season and make another playoff appearance, they need to hold on to many of their free agent stars.
The Lions great defense was led by the core of a single unit, their defensive line. The most important task for the Lions’ front office before the opening of free agency will be to retain the services of their two star defensive linemen. Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley are both top 15 picks who have proven to be elite players at their position. The Lions have had the best defensive line in the NFL over the past few seasons, and these two are the main reasons why.
The Lions, however, may lose one, if not both of them. Suh’s free agent saga started near the beginning of the 2014 season. There were many rumors circulating about both Suh being unhappy and the possibility of him leaving for a bigger paycheck at the end of the season. As time went on, the story would become inconsistent with many reports contradicting each other on Suh’s future.
Although the Lions playoff appearance may be a reason for him to stick around, it will take a lot of money to keep him in Detroit. But for Detroit, the price will most likely be worth it. Suh has 36 sacks in his career (8.5 of them being in 2014). He is widely regarded as the best defensive tackle in the league and no matter where he ends up he will most likely receive a record-breaking contract.
Nick Fairley’s free agent saga has flown under the radar so far as he has been overshadowed by Suh. Fairley was the 13th overall pick in the draft in 2011, and he joined Suh to form a deadly combo up front. Fairley had breakout years in 2012 and 2013, combining for 11.5 sacks and 49 tackles over the course of those two seasons.
But in 2014, he had a huge fall off. He struggled with injuries throughout the season. Rumors circulated about the potential of Fairley losing his spot on the defensive front, and he disappointed last season with only one sack and eight tackles in the eight games he played.
Despite a poor 2014, Fairley has shown what he can do and that he is a force to be reckoned with. He is still an important part to the team’s defense. Fairley’s fate may also depend on Suh. The Lions first priority will be signing Suh. If the Lions retain Suh then they may not chase Fairley as much as they would otherwise.
If Suh were to leave, then the Lions would be desperate to keep Fairley, and that could lead to a huge pay raise for him. But both tackles both have other options to weigh. The Oakland Raiders have a lot of cap room and have apparently shown interest in both. The New York Giants were also named by some sources as early front runners for Ndamukong Suh.
If the Lions were to lose both, they would not be in a good situation. There are no major free agents at the position, and although they do have decent depth, it will be impossible for them to recover from the two major losses.
If the Lions expect to be a top-five defense next year, then the core of their defense needs to stay strong. Their defense won them many games last season, which means a Lions team with a weaker defense would probably have not made the playoffs. Suh and Fairley may be the most important players on the entire team, and the Lions will have to make huge moves over.
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