Breaking Down the Lions’ UDFA Contract Guarantees
Every May, we obsess over draft picks like they’re lottery tickets. Meanwhile, nine undrafted free agents are getting their shot in Allen Park, and most fans couldn’t pick them out of a lineup. Here’s the thing though: UDFAs make up roughly 30% of NFL rosters once the season starts. Just because they didn’t hear their names called doesn’t mean they can’t play.
The Lions broke their own UDFA spending records this offseason. Brad Holmes handed out three signing bonuses of at least $20,000, including a franchise-high $25,000 to linebacker Erick Hunter. Defensive tackle Aidan Keanaaina got $267,500 guaranteed, while quarterback Luke Altmeyer received $257,500. Both eclipsed last year’s high water mark.
None of the Lions’ 2025 UDFAs made the roster, snapping a 15-year streak. That stings. But the team still began the 2025 season with 17 undrafted players on the active roster, so clearly Holmes knows how to find talent in the margins.
The Money Trail
Contract guarantees tell you which UDFAs a team actually wants versus which ones they’re just taking flyers on. Holmes operates with about $206,000 in total UDFA budget, and he’s not shy about spending it when he sees something he likes.
The pattern with offensive linemen is particularly telling. Holmes has given $20,000 signing bonuses to UDFA linemen Kingsley Eguakun (2024), Connor Galvin (2023), and Obinna Eza (2022) in recent years. This cycle, offensive lineman Priestly got significant guarantees despite flying under the radar. Holmes clearly believes you can never have enough depth up front.
But here’s where it gets interesting: guarantees don’t guarantee anything. This coaching staff rewards performance, period. The biggest contracts often flame out while guys who got peanuts end up sticking around because they can actually play.
The Brutal Math of UDFA Survival
Looking back at Holmes’ UDFA classes is sobering. From the 2021 class, only tight end Brock Wright remains. That’s one player out of dozens who got their shot.
The numbers get worse the further back you go. Zero players from the 2022 UDFA class remain on the roster. Just two survive from the 2023 and 2024 classes. Windows close fast when you’re fighting for the bottom spots on a roster that’s trying to win championships.
Even recent classes tell the story. Eight of 12 UDFAs from 2025 still play somewhere in the NFL, but only four remain in Detroit. The talent evaluation is good enough to get these guys opportunities elsewhere, but the depth chart here is getting harder to crack.
Championship Problems
Here’s the reality: the Lions are deep enough now that UDFAs face an uphill battle just to make the practice squad. When your roster is built for playoff runs, there’s less room for developmental projects and more pressure to find immediate contributors.
Holmes has shown he can find talent in unexpected places. The question is whether this year’s UDFA class can break through a roster that’s exponentially more talented than it was when he first arrived.
Think this UDFA class has what it takes to buck the recent trend, or is this just what happens when a team gets good? Let me know which undrafted guys you’re watching in camp below.
