By Zicpraiz 
The Detroit Lions are facing several questions regarding the construction of their roster heading into the 2025 season. With several long-term extensions handed out and seemingly more on the horizon, it’s worth pondering whether or not Detroit has the cap space to make a free-agency splash.
ESPN listed this dilemma as the Lions’ biggest question as part of a piece exploring each NFL team’s biggest offseason salary-cap question. Writer Dan Graziano’s biggest question was whether the Lions could make a free-agency splash or make a low-risk move.
“The answer to both questions is yes,” Graziano wrote. “The Lions are absolutely fine on cap space and could bring in a big-name edge rusher (cough Myles Garrett cough) if they want — even with superstar Aidan Hutchinson coming back from his leg injury and extension-eligible.”
General manager Brad Holmes has traditionally made moves based on addressing needs rather than going after the biggest available free agent. As a result, it’s intriguing to see what the Lions will do when free agency begins in March.
“But it’s also true that it would be a little out of character for this Lions team to take that kind of a huge swing on an external addition,” Graziano said. “Given the strategic and targeted way they’ve built this roster in the Dan Campbell/Brad Holmes era, I would say it’s more likely they bring back Za’Darius Smith.”