As the Detroit Lions shift into the 2026 offseason, they have 48 players who finished the season on the roster—on either the 53-man roster, practice squad, or injured reserve—who are not currently under contract with the organization.
Let’s take a look at the four different groups those players can fall into, as well as which players land in those groups.
25 unrestricted free agents (UFA)
Unrestricted free agents are players on expiring contracts who have at least four accrued seasons of NFL experience. While they do not currently
hold a contract with the Lions, Detroit can negotiate a potential new deal at any time. If they have not reached an agreement with the Lions by March 9, 2026—when the free agent tampering period begins—these players can begin negotiations with other NFL franchises.
Note: Starters are bolded.
- QB Kyle Allen
- WR Kalif Raymond
- TE Shane Zylstra
- TE Anthony Firkser
- OL Dan Skipper
- OL Kayode Awosika
- OL Trystan Colon
- OT Jamarco Jones
- DT DJ Reader
- DT Roy Lopez
- DL Levi Onwuzurike
- EDGE Marcus Davenport
- EDGE Al-Quadin Muhammad
- EDGE Josh Paschal
- LB Alex Anzalone
- LB Malcolm Rodriguez
- LB Grant Stuard
- LB Zach Cunningham
- LB Ezekiel Turner
- CB Amik Robertson
- CB Rock Ya-Sin
- CB Arthur Maulet
- DB Avonte Maddox
- S Daniel Thomas
- S Jalen Mills
3 restricted free agents (RFA)
Restricted free agents are players on expiring contracts, but they only have three accrued seasons (players need to be on the active roster or injured reserve for six games to earn an accrued season) in the NFL. Like with UFAs, the Lions can enter contract negotiations at any time, but they also have the ability to offer a one-year tender to each of these players.
The one-year tenders fall into three categories:
- First-round: Worth an estimated $7.9 M
- Second-round: Estimated $5.7 M
- Right of first refusal: Estimated $3.5 M
If any of these players are offered a tender by the Lions, they can accept the one-year deal, or they can negotiate a contract with another team during the free agency period. In cases where an agreement with another organization is reached, the Lions can either match the offer (as they did with Brock Wright in 2024) or allow the player to sign elsewhere and receive the appropriate compensation for the tender.
- WR Tom Kennedy
- EDGE Tyrus Wheat
- LB Trevor Nowaske
4 exclusive rights free agents (ERFA)
Exclusive rights free agents are players on expiring contracts, but they have less than three years of accrued experience in the NFL. Like with RFAs, the Lions can offer these players a qualifying tender, but unlike RFAs, there is only one tender option, and the player is not allowed to negotiate with another team unless the Lions opt to release them from that restriction.
That means if the Lions offer an ERFA a one-year tender, that player can either accept the offer and play for the Lions or sit out the season. If the Lions do not offer the player a tender, that player becomes a UFA and can negotiate a contract with other teams during the March free agency period.
- RB Jacob Saylors
- OL Michael Niese
- CB Nick Whiteside
- K Jake Bates
16 street free agents (SFA)
Street free agents are players who finished the season on the Lions’ practice squad. Because practice squad contracts expire seven days after a team’s final game, the Lions’ practice players are set to become SFAs on January 11. However, it’s worth noting that the Lions typically begin offering futures contracts within 48 hours of the conclusion of their season.
The difference between a UFA and an SFA is that SFAs do not have to wait until March to negotiate a contract with another team, as they are immediately eligible to open up contract talks with all 32 teams.
- QB C.J. Beathard
- RB Jabari Small
- WR Jackson Meeks
- WR Malik Cunningham
- TE Giovanni Ricci
- TE Zach Horton
- OL Mason Miller
- OL Chris Hubbard
- OL Devin Cochran
- DT Chris Smith
- DT Myles Adams
- DL Pat O’Connor
- EDGE Ahmed Hassanein
- CB Keenan Garber
- S Loren Strickland
- S Damontae Kazee
Keep an eye out for our annual Detroit Lions depth chart/contract tracker in the near future, which will provide a complete overview of the Lions roster and current contract situations.
