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Eric Woodyard
Detroit – Derrick Barnes was all smiles.
After reaching a three -year contract extension and $ 25.5 million to remain with the Detroit Lions, the little son of the supporter, Trey, accompanied him at his press conference in the team’s training installation in March. 10.
The Barnes family has committed to Detroit until 2027.
The 25 -year -old felt that it was an easy decision to sign with the team after a record season of 15 victories, instead of trying the free agents market.
“We are going to run safely,” Barnes told the New Lions defensive coordinator, Kelvin Sheppard, and the chief coach Dan Campbell during his meeting to discuss the agreement.
During the first wave of free agents commitments, the general manager of the Lions, Brad Holmes, did not offer a spotted firm or trade that some fans expected. On the other hand, he promised what Barnes expressed in his meeting, running with the players who have helped Detroit become a regular and legitimate contender of the Super Bowl in the last two seasons.
Holmes Standing Pat until now is a clear sign of the faith that has in the current list to bring to the city its first NFL title since the 1950s, even despite the shocking division of last season to the Washington commanders, a game in which the team was decimated by injuries, particularly in defense.
“We fell short, and it wasn’t our day. But no, I don’t think you can be a prisoner of the moment and simply make all these entire crazy changes,” Holmes said during his season’s press conference in January. “Now we will evaluate and evolve as we always do every year, and we will work to improve, but literally, there is nothing more to do more than return to work and that is what we have been saying from day one. It is about work and that is what we will continue doing.”
Barnes has echoed the feelings of Holmes, saying that the team is “building something great here.” The former selection of the fourth round of 2021 of Detroit wanted to remain part of what has helped to build.
“One hundred percent. He never left and I don’t think he leaves. This is a winning program now,” Barnes said. “We have changed things. We have built a culture. Going to the playoffs will not be enough for us. We need to be in the dance. And that is what it is.”
In addition to Barnes, Holmes signed again the defensive wing Marcus Davenport, a player who lost most of the last season with a tire injury of the season. He also kept the Levuzurike Defensive Tackle, another member of his Detroit 2021 original, together with the Craig Reynolds corridor, the open receptor Tim Patrick, the Trevor Nowaske and Anthony Pittman supporters, the offensive liner Dan Skipper, the LineBacker Ezekiel Turner and the defensive ending Myles Adams in all The year. They also brought the closed wing Shane Zylstra, ends with Pat O’Connor and Al-Quadin Muhammad, and supporter Mitchell Agude.
They had a key game. The initial corner Carlton Davis III signed a three -year contract and $ 60 million with the New England patriots. That corresponded to the greatest external addition of the lions so far: the former corner of the Jets, DJ Reed, seen as one of the best options available in the corner in the free agents market, to draw in the place of Davis.
Reed registered 64 cup and 10 pass ruptures last season, and has obtained respect throughout the League for its ability to cover and address both in the area and in man’s schemes. He signed with the lions in a three -year agreement and $ 48 million, sources told Adam Schefter of ESPN, and says that his game style is well combined with the lions system.
“I think he adjusts very well. The reason I am a disheveled guy. I have value,” Reed said. “I am a tenacious player. I want to dominate and win each representative. I am also a tacle set in the corner, which most corners do not want to address. Most corners want to cover. I like to throw myself when I have to do it, and I also want to cover too, so I think I get well.”
The former Pro Bowl offensive line, Kevin Zeitler, who signed with the Tennessee Titans in a one -year contract, was another key loss in Detroit. Zeitler began in his 16 games played in the 2024 season, serving as a key piece in an offensive line of the Lions that established new franchise brands for total net yards (6,962) and Touchdowns per land (29) in a single season. Probably, Detroit could explore options to replace Zeitler through the draft, later in free agency or possibly through internal development, since he leaves a large hole in the right guard.
The rest of the movements of external free agents of the Lions were made largely for depth purposes and special equipment, with former Defensive Tackle of Arizona Roy Lopez, the former special team of the Colts Grant Stuard, the former Backup Steelers field marshal, Kyle Allen and the former wing of Jets, Kenny Yeboah, join the team.
The lions are also expected to deliver possible extensions for cornerstone players such as the Star Edge Aidan Hutchinson corridor, the 1,000-yard receptor Jameson Williams and the all-Pro Kerby Joseph security, who are entering the last year of their rookie agreements.
The lions feel they have what they need to win now with their main boys in the Redile at this time. And they want to keep their internal and happy types for a long time, which they think is the formula of success, as long as they can remain healthy.
“What happened last year was crazy, we can all admit that and it will not happen again. That is one of those strange things that happened. You saw how we were rolling at the beginning of the year,” Onwuzurike said about the list of injuries suffered by the lions last season. “Then, to have all those types of return, everyone next to the other, we will cause some damage.”
