After missing the playoffs and finishing last in the NFC North, the Detroit Lions have spent the offseason reshaping their roster. The Lions have signed Rock Ya-Sin and drafted Keith Abney II to address their cornerback needs.

However, the edge-rusher position remains a position of weakness. The team has been linked with former Dallas Cowboys edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney to partner with Aidan Hutchinson, as per SideLion Report's Richard Louis.

"The Lions already have their star edge rusher in Aidan Hutchinson, but they desperately need to get another force who can take away some pressure from him," Louis wrote on July 11. "Even though Clowney will be 33 years old during the 2026 season, he can still be an impactful rotation piece."

The three-time Pro-Bowler would certainly be a good companion to their star edge rusher in Hutchinson, according to the July 11 SideLion Report article.

After letting go of Al-Quadin Muhammad after he had recorded 11 sacks, Detroit ended up selecting edge-rusher Derrick Moore in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft. However, Clowney provides a much-needed veteran depth and experience.

The first pick of the 2014 NFL Draft, Clowney has played for seven franchises in his career and accumulated 450 combined tackles in his career. He also recorded 66.5 sacks in his career, with him having 8.5 sacks last season with the Cowboys, per PFF.

However, the Lions will face stiff competition from their divisional rivals to get Clowney. According to NFL insider Jason LaCanfora, Clowney has interest from three NFC North teams, and it could take some time before he chooses his destination.

“Every team in the NFC North is lacking a defensive player in the mould of Clowney, and it would not surprise league execs if he ended up with Chicago, Detroit, or Green Bay, in particular,” wrote LaCanfora. “Clowney is in no hurry to sign anywhere, according to sources with knowledge of the situation, and at this stage of his career, even training camp, or a full training camp, is not a prerequisite for him.”

Meanwhile, the Lions’ newest offseason addition has been touted to be an underrated signing.

Latest Lions addition is touted to break out and replace a former Lions star

The cornerback position for the Lions has raised concerns this offseason, especially after Terrion Arnold's release. However, the Lions’ newest offseason addition to their roster, Roger McCreary, has been touted to break out by ESPN’s Ben Solak.

“Starting jobs are available in both the slot and on the outside,” wrote Solak. "Much of his [McCreary's] game is similar to that of Amik Robertson, who thrived in Detroit before signing a solid deal in Washington this past offseason. I’m buying a McCreary bounceback.”

The former second-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft had a decent start to his professional career, starting all 17 games in his rookie year for the Tennessee Titans.

In his four years with the Titans and the Los Angeles Rams, he has played 61 games with 38 starts, recorded 257 combined tackles, and four sacks, while also catching three interceptions. 

Solak further pointed out that McCreary could be quite versatile and praised his ability to adapt to fit the play's needs.

"He can play inside and out, though his lack of length makes him better suited for slot work (and will likely always limit his on-ball production). Still, he's smart in zone coverage, physical enough to survive against the run and plenty sticky when asked to play man-to-man," Solak added.

With him also having never had a season with fewer than 14 appearances, McCreary's availability will be a positive for the Lions. However, it will be interesting to see if McCreary can finally break out and overperform and replace Arnold for the Lions. 

Do you think McCreary can replace Arnold, or should the Lions go for a different player? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

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Written by

Dhruv Vishnu Nair

Edited by

Arundhoti Palit