Full list of Detroit Lions free agents in 2024

Highlights

• The Lions aim to return to the NFC Championship, but have plenty of free agents to retain.
• With over $65 million in cap space, the team could look to swing for the fences on available free agents.
• The offensive line will be the main focus to watch, as starting guards Jonah Jackson & Graham Glasgow are set to hit the open market.

Dan Campbell appears to be building something special with the Detroit Lions, and this past season the team had a chance to get all the way to Super Bowl 58 before allowing a 17-point comeback against the San Francisco 49ers in heartbreaking fashion.

Still, spirits are high in Detroit, a feeling that hasn’t existed in a long time regarding the Lions. Now, the attention resets while the goal remains the same. This year, the plan is to return to the NFC Championship and win it. Then, handle business after that.

Before they can focus on another postseason run, though, they have business to attend to in the offseason, starting with a look at the internal roster. With countless key pieces set to hit free agency, who will return to Detroit in 2024?

Detroit Lions 2024 free agents

Who will the Lions retain from their 2023 roster?

29 players are currently set to hit free agency this offseason from the Detroit Lions roster last season, including key names of the team’s offensive line which played a pivotal role in the team’s production all season. With over $65.7 million in cap space (seventh-most in the NFL), the team will have the budget to retain many players.

However, with the team looking to push themselves into the next tier of contention, could they look to make splash signings elsewhere at the risk of retaining some of the team’s starters from this past season? Let’s take a closer look at some of the players on the roster heading toward the open market.

Jonah Jackson

The four-year pro played a pivotal role in the offensive line’s success last season

At 27 years old, Jonah Jackson hits the open market as one of the more intriguing interior linemen available, and could be in for a nice payday as a result. The Detroit offense’s identity rested on their offensive line, and Jackson was a pivotal member of it. The issue is availability for the left guard, as he missed time this season with a high-ankle sprain and a jammed wrist. But his absence was noticeable to the team’s production.

Jackson has missed time in his past two seasons, and even missed the NFC Conference Championship game loss to the 49ers. However, he is a proven lineman, and plenty of teams could use his presence on the interior to help upgrade their team’s protection. Expect the market on Jackson to be somewhere in the range of $8-12 million average annual value, but the Lions should be plenty interested in bringing him back.

Graham Glasgow

The 31-year-old earned the starting job and could be a priority for Detroit

Glasgow served as backup to begin the 2023 season after losing the training camp battle for right guard to Halapoulivaati Vaitai. However, it took just two games before Glasgow was able to stake his claim as a full-time starter for the team and played 100% of the snaps after that, even starting games at center and left guard when needed.

The eight-year veteran is known for his ability to maul defenders in the run game and helped the Lions place in the top five in rushing yards per game (135.9 – 5th), passing yards per game (258.9 – 2nd), and total yards per game (394.8 – 3rd).

His versatility and dependability were vital to the Lions’ success as they managed injuries all over the offensive line, and without him, they may not have been able to sustain season-long success up front.

The team will be interested in keeping him this offseason without a doubt, but will likely have to give him an improvement from the $2.75 million number he had been making prior. Expect the number to land somewhere in the $7-10 million range, whether with Detroit or another suitor.

C.J. Gardner-Johnson

A ‘what if’ for 2023; could Gardner-Johnson run it back in the Motor City?

C.J. Gardner-Johnson joined the Lions after impressing in 2022 with the Philadelphia Eagles en route to their Super Bowl 57 appearance. Despite his play, the defensive back didn’t have the expected market value and eventually signed a cheap deal with Detroit for a one-season stint.

Unfortunately for Gardner-Johnson, he went down with a pectoral injury in Week 2 before returning for Week 18 and the team’s playoff run. As a result of the injury, there will likely be a lack of market once again for the 26-year-old safety, but that doesn’t mean the Lions will be without competition.

Assuming the price point stays in a similar range, could another front office offer a longer contract to acquire his services? The Lions’ pass defense could use his talents, but the injury concerns will create debate about whether he’s the best choice to invest in.

All statistics courtesy of Pro Football Reference and all contract information courtesy of Spotrac unless stated otherwise.