With DJ Reader reaching an agreement with the New York Giants this week, the Detroit Lions now have 11 free agents signed elsewhere. You can view a complete list of the Lions’ free agent losses and gains in our 2026 Detroit Lions offseason tracker.
It’s been a surprisingly active offseason in Detroit for a team that really values retaining and rewarding itself. Much of this is due to necessity. The Lions are clearly in savings mode, as they have just one free agent signing — even Re-sign——The average is over $5 million per year (Cade Mays). Meanwhile, of the 11 players the Lions lost to free agency, four made an average of more than $5 million per year: Roy Lopez (two, $10.5 million), Alex Anzalone (two, $17 million), Amik Robertson (two, $15 million) and Redd (two, $12.5 million). While the Lions only signed one to a contract longer than one year (again, Mays), seven of the players they lost signed contracts with new teams for at least two years.
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So today’s question of the day is:
What’s the Lions’ biggest offseason loss?
My answer: I think it’s Anzalone, and it’s not even that close.
Anzalone received Detroit’s biggest loss on a contract worth an average of $8.5 million per year. His value also extends far beyond being the team’s best defensive back. He has a deep understanding of the defense he’s playing in for nearly a decade, he’s a leader in the locker room, and he’s capable of playing almost any linebacker position on the defense.
Complicating matters for the Lions, they currently have no clear replacement on their roster. They did add Dahmer Clark and Joe Bacchi in free agency, but those two players will likely be best suited as depth or special teams contributors. Fourth-round pick Jimmy Rolder has the potential to grow into Anzalone’s role, but given his relative lack of one-year college starting experience, it’s unrealistic to expect him to come in and immediately win the starting job.
Which Lions team do you think had the biggest offseason loss for Detroit? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
