Lions Scoop Up Eight UDFAs Because the Roster Building Never Stops
The draft is over, but Brad Holmes isn’t done wheeling and dealing. The Lions have plenty of roster spots to fill and they’re attacking the undrafted free agent market like a team that actually knows what it’s doing these days.
With 76 players currently on the roster and a 90-man limit, Detroit has room for up to 14 more bodies. They’ve already started the process, reportedly signing eight UDFAs so far, though nothing is official until the team says it’s official.
And yes, I know what you’re thinking. This is where we used to find our starting lineup because our draft picks never panned out. Those days feel like a lifetime ago, but the UDFA process is still critical for depth and special teams contributors.
The Current UDFA Haul
Here’s who Detroit has reportedly brought into the fold so far. Keep in mind, these deals can fall through faster than a Matt Patricia press conference:
QB Luke Altmyer from Illinois headlines the group, giving the Lions another arm to evaluate. TE Miles Kitselman from Tennessee and guard Melvin Priestly from Illinois add depth to the offensive side.
The defensive additions include EDGE rushers Eric O’Neill from Rutgers and Anthony Lucas from USC. DT Aidan Keanaaina from Cal got $300,000 guaranteed, which suggests the Lions see something they like.
Rounding out the group are LB Erick Hunter from Morgan State and CB De’Shawn Rucker from USF. Both positions where you can never have too much depth, especially when you’re trying to stay healthy for a full season.
The Reality Check
Before anyone gets too excited about these signings, remember that UDFA commitments change faster than Detroit weather. Players flip to other teams, and sometimes what gets reported as a signing is actually just a minicamp invite.
The Lions aren’t holding a rookie minicamp this year either, which makes the evaluation process even more interesting. If these guys don’t sign contracts, their path to making the team gets a lot more complicated.
More names will trickle in over the weekend as teams continue to fill out their rosters. For a franchise that used to strike out in both the draft and UDFA markets, it’s refreshing to see Detroit casting a wide net and bringing in talent from multiple levels.
Think any of these UDFAs will shock everyone and make the roster, or are we just stocking up for camp bodies? Let us know who caught your eye in the comments.
I really like what Holmes is doing here. The fact that he’s willing to spend guaranteed money on a DT like Keanaaina tells me he’s not just throwing darts at a board. He’s actually evaluating talent and backing up his convictions with real dollars. This is how you build depth the right way.
I appreciate Holmes being active, but let’s be real here. A bunch of these guys probably won’t even make it to training camp. I’ve been down this road before where reports come out and half these UDFAs end up signing somewhere else by Monday. I’ll get excited when contracts are actually signed and we see them on the field.
You know back in the day we’d be hoping to find a starting linebacker in the undrafted pool because our front office couldn’t find anything in the draft. Now we’re just smartly filling in the gaps and building real depth. That’s the difference between what we’ve got now and what we dealt with before. Holmes gets it.
Altmyer could be interesting if he actually sticks around long enough to get evaluated. And I’m curious about O’Neill from Rutgers because EDGE depth is never a bad thing. But yeah, like the article says, most of these deals fall apart before camp even starts.