By Blessing 
Breaking Down the Detroit Lions’ UFA, RFA, and ERFA Free Agents for the 2025 Offseason
As the Detroit Lions head into the 2025 offseason, the front office faces some significant decisions. There are 48 players who wrapped up the season as part of the organization—whether on the active roster, practice squad, or injured reserve—who are currently not under contract for the upcoming year.
To simplify things, these players fall into four distinct categories. Let’s break down each group and identify which players fit where.
24 Unrestricted Free Agents (UFA)
Unrestricted free agents are veterans with at least four years of NFL experience whose contracts have expired. These players are free to negotiate new deals with the Lions or any other team. However, Detroit has the exclusive right to work out an agreement with them until March 10, 2025. After that, when the NFL’s free agent tampering period begins, they’re free to talk to other franchises.
Here’s the full list of Detroit’s UFAs. Note that the starters are emphasized for clarity:
16 Street Free Agents (SFA)
Street free agents are players who ended the season on the Lions’ practice squad and did not receive a futures contract offer. Unlike UFAs, street free agents can start negotiating with other teams immediately. Their practice squad deals officially expire seven days after Detroit’s last game, meaning they’ll become eligible to explore other opportunities by January 25.
It’s worth noting that the Lions are expected to offer futures contracts to some of these players in the coming days, which could keep them in Detroit for 2025.
Here’s the list of Lions’ SFAs:
- QB Jake Fromm
- RB Jermar Jefferson
- WR Tom Kennedy
- WR Maurice Alexander
- WR Donovan Peoples-Jones
- TE James Mitchell
- OT Jamarco Jones
- OC Kingsley Eguakun
- DL Chris Smith
- EDGE Isaac Ukwu
- LB Kwon Alexander
- LB Abraham Beauplan
- LB DaRon Gilbert
- CB Stantley Thomas-Oliver
- S Lored Strickland
- S Erick Hallett
3 Restricted Free Agents (RFA)
Restricted free agents are players who have completed three seasons in the NFL. Like UFAs and SFAs, the Lions can negotiate new deals with them, but there’s another layer of control. Detroit has the option to offer these players a one-year tender at a set price, depending on the level of protection they want.
The tenders fall into three tiers:
- First-round tender: Estimated at $7.2 million.
- Second-round tender: Around $5.2 million.
- Right of first refusal: Approximately $3.2 million.
If another team offers a deal to a tendered player, the Lions can either match the offer and retain the player or let them walk in exchange for compensation tied to the tender level.
Here are Detroit’s three RFAs:
- RB Craig Reynolds
- TE Shane Zylstra
- OG Kayode Awosika
5 Exclusive Rights Free Agents (ERFA)
Exclusive rights free agents are players with less than three accrued NFL seasons. If Detroit offers them a one-year tender, they can’t negotiate with other teams unless the Lions release them. It’s essentially a “take it or leave it” deal, giving the Lions significant control over these players.
If no tender is offered, these players become UFAs and can explore opportunities with any team during free agency.
Detroit’s ERFAs include:
- OT Connor Galvin
- IOL Michael Niese
- EDGE Mitchell Agude
- LB Trevor Nowaske
- DB Morice Norris
As the Lions navigate these decisions, fans should keep an eye on future updates. The team’s annual depth chart and contract tracker will provide a comprehensive look at the entire roster and each player’s status as the offseason progresses.