One of the tougher decisions facing the Detroit Lions this offseason is what to do at the defensive end position. Before the team can even consider making a splash play for players like Maxx Crosby or Trey Hendrickson, they’ve got a tricky decision right in front of them with their own free agent: Al-Quadin Muhammad.
Let’s take a look at his situation, what it may cost to re-sign him, and if the Lions should do it.
Previous Lions free agent profiles: QB Kyle Allen, TE Shane Zylstra, WR Kalif Raymond,
DT DJ Reader, LB Alex Anzalone, LB Malcolm Rodriguez, DB Avonte Maddox, CB Rock Ya-Sin,
Al-Quadin Muhammad
Expectations heading into 2025
Expectations were relatively low for Muhammad. Though he had promising moments in 2024—tallying 3.0 sacks in nine games and two starts—nothing was guaranteed for 2025. With Marcus Davenport returning and Ahmed Hassanein drafted, Muhammad wasn’t even guaranteed a roster spot.
However, injuries hit the EDGE position before the season even started. With Levi Onwuzurike out for the year, Josh Paschal starting the season on Non-Football Injury list (and staying there all year), and Hassanein being waived due to an injury, suddenly Muhammad was a key figure heading into the season—being one of just three defensive ends the Lions would end up keeping on the initial 50-man roster.
Actual role in 2025
Note: PFF grades reflect a minimum 20% snaps at that position.
Season stats
17 games (0 starts): 25 tackles, 11.0 sacks, 20 QB hits
- 457 defensive snaps
- 52 special team snaps
PFF defense grade: 74.3 (32nd out of 130 qualifying EDGEs)
PFF pass rushing grade: 71.9 (34th out of 130)
PFF run defense grade: 59.3 (84th out of 130)
PFF tackling grade: 46.3 (91st out of 130)
Obviously, Muhammad blew expectations out of the water in 2025. After Davenport suffered another injury, Muhammad’s role grew, and he mostly rose to the occasion. As a pass rusher, Muhammad was one of the most effective on the team. He finished the season second on the team in both sacks (11) and pressures (53).
But it certainly is telling that despite all of the injuries at defensive end, Muhammad never started a single game. The Lions clearly did not trust him on early downs, and his run defense grade highlights why. At 6-foot-3, 250 pounds, Muhammad isn’t the well-rounded, three-down player the Lions would prefer as a starter. His struggles in holding the edge held him back, as the team shuffled through players like Tyler Lacy and Pat O’Connor to start opposite Aidan Hutchinson.
That said, Muhammad obviously still had a lot of value to the team. He finished the season in the top-25 in the NFL in sacks (11, t-1tth), pass rush win rate (15.4%, 24th) and PFF’s pass rush productivity stat (10.2, 10th).
Outlook for 2026
Contract status: Unrestricted free agent
Pros of re-signing
Obviously, the Lions need depth at the defensive end position. It seems likely they’ll move on from Davenport, although they will be returning Paschal and Onwuzurike for reserve opportunities.
Muhammad has proven to be an effective pass rusher in a rotational role, and the Lions would be silly not to consider bringing him back. Detroit severely lacked a consistent pass rusher opposite Hutchinson, and while Muhammad was inconsistent, his physical rushing style fits with what the Lions want, and he was effective in his part-time role.
And, as always, you can never have too many pass rushers.
Cons of re-signing
Re-signing Muhammad would not fix Detroit’s current issue of not having a starting-capable talent opposite Hutchinson. He’s not a three-down player, and it doesn’t appear anyone else on the roster is capable of being that player. So if the Lions are going to spend at the EDGE position, it would make far more sense to use that cap space on a player they can trust to play all three downs.
With Paschal, Onwuzurike, and Hassanein returning, the Lions don’t need another rotational depth player, they need a starter.
Is there interest from both sides?
Muhammad told Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press that he’d love to return to the Lions in 2026, although dialogue had not begun as of early January.
“This team gave me an opportunity that other teams didn’t,” Muhammad said. “And if it wasn’t for that opportunity, I wouldn’t be in the position that I’m in now.”
Here’s what Lions general manager Brad Holmes said about the edge position at the end of the 2025 season.
“Muhammad played really well. I’m not sure many other teams had an 11-sack and a 14.5-sack guy. I thought the rush was good, but I understand he’s a free agent,” Holmes said. “Davenport is a free agent, so we’re definitely going to have to look and replenish opposite of Hutch for sure.”
And here’s what Dan Campbell had to say about Muhammad after his 3.0-sack performance in a win against the Cowboys.
“He had some early production too, so you’re just going to keep going back to the well there. But he did a great job. He does a good job for us, no matter what,” Campbell said. “I mean he’s playing special teams for us too now. He’s running on kickoffs. I mean he does anything you ask him to do and he cares about it and he works at it and whatever you need, he’ll do.”
Cost?
This entire conversation is going to revolve around price. If the Lions can bring Muhammad back on a very affordable deal, they should absolutely do it—assuming it doesn’t stop them from going out and getting a starting-capable player at EDGE as well. But if the Lions need to shell out a ton of money to keep a third-down player, they have to move on and find a better, full-time option.
So what is the market going to be for a 31-year-old pass rusher who is coming off his first season ever with more than 6.0 sacks?
One thing to consider is that the EDGE market is pretty darn deep this offseason. Our frienemy Justis Mosqueda of Acme Packing Company put together a consensus free agency big board, and Muhammad is just the 19th-ranked edge defender in this year’s free agency class. With that many options, his price tag could go down.
Certainly, Muhammad has earned a raise from last year’s one-year, $1.4 million contract. OverTheCap puts his valuation just over $10 million, while Spotrac has a more reasonable $7.9 million price tag on Muhammad. Personally, I think that price is far too high and unreasonable. I think DetroitFootballNetwork’s one-year, $6 million deal (extra $2 million in incentives) is far more realistic. But even that may be too pricey for the Lions.
Conclusion
This is one of the Lions’ more difficult decisions. On one hand, the last thing this team should consider doing is getting rid of one of their few good pass rushers on the team. On the other hand, if Muhammad has priced himself out of Detroit, they cannot afford to overspend on a part-time player.
In my opinion, if the Lions can bring back Muhammad in the $4-6 million range—and maybe split that cap hit over the next two years, he’s worth it. But if he’s demanding anything more than that, the Lions should move on.
