ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky shares insights on new Lions OC Drew Petzing
ESPN analyst and ex-Lions QB Dan Orlovsky joined Dave Birkett to talk new Lions OC Drew Petzing, his interest in coaching and Super Bowl 60.
Dan Campbell adjusted the microphone in front of him, rubbed his nose and shoved his left hand in his pocket.
When the topic of whether the Detroit Lions need to make a splash in free agency to bolster their chances of reaching a Super Bowl came up at the NFL combine in late February, Campbell turned the question back on the reporter.
“When I think of splash, you’re saying name recognition, right?” Campbell said. “I don’t think of it like that, but I think if it aligns to where the splash, the money and the player all meet, because it’s worthy of that on the tape, then absolutely. But then if you do that, you’re out everything else.”
That’s the debate the Lions have had since their regular season ended short of the playoffs for the first time since 2022: Sign one of the few premier players that hits the market in 2026 NFL free agency, such as center Tyler Linderbaum, or continue to focus on depth and take care of their own emerging talent.
The Lions already hope to sign fourth-year players Jahmyr Gibbs, Jack Campbell, Sam LaPorta and Brian Branch to contract extensions sometime this offseason, and they enter the start of the free agent negotiating period Monday, March 9, with little room in their cap and cash budgets.
The Lions are currently over the 2026 salary cap, but will be about $6 million under once they release left tackle Taylor Decker and their trade of David Montgomery to the Houston Texans goes through Wednesday afternoon once the new league year opens.
They have plenty of avenues to create more cap room through other roster moves or the restructuring of contracts for Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Penei Sewell, but Dan Campbell has twice this offseason acknowledged his desire for more competition across the roster.
“I think that’s going to be important for us,” he said at the combine. “However we go about that, and it’s easier said than done. You only have so many resources to be able to do it, but I do think it’s important.”
Free agency has always had a bit of a fool’s gold feel to it. Teams usually re-sign their most important players long before they hit the market – hence those pending deals with Gibbs, Jack Campbell, LaPorta and Branch – and the best available free agents tend to be players with age or injury concerns.
This year’s free-agent and draft classes are considered especially lean, though the Lions have an abundance of needs to fill and several of the best available free agents could plug those holes.
Linderbaum, a three-time Pro Bowler with the Baltimore Ravens and one of the best centers in the NFL, is considered the prize of free agency at a position that happens to be a major Lions need.
The Lions don’t currently have a starting center on their roster after the release of Graham Glasgow last week and the retirement of Frank Ragnow last year, though they could move second-year guard Tate Ratledge to the position.
Linderbaum is expected to command a contract worth more than $20 million per season, the most ever for a center.
The Lions also have an opening at offensive tackle after Decker asked for his release last week and they haven’t had a suitable complement to Aidan Hutchinson at defensive end for years. They need a backup running back to replace Montgomery, insurance at cornerback for Terrion Arnold, their best safeties and tight ends are coming off season-ending injuries with no guarantee they’ll be ready for the start of next season and they have just two linebackers currently under contract and could lose Alex Anzalone in free agency.
Defensive ends Trey Hendrickson of the Cincinnati Bengals and Jaelan Phillips of the Philadelphia Eagles, linebacker Devin Lloyd of the Jacksonville Jaguars, left tackle Rasheed Walker of the Green Bay Packers and running back Kenneth Walker III of the Seattle Seahawks are other top free agents.
Holmes said at the combine the Lions will have “flexibility to do some things” this offseason, but he noted all of the team’s re-signings and free-agent moves come from the same budget.
“It’s how much you want to use to retain your own players, it’s how much you want to use for external free agents. But the more you retain, that smaller that budget becomes,” he said.
Dan Campbell indicated he may not want to sacrifice quality depth and competition to chase one big name, asking, “Is it worth it?” to make a splash signing if that restricts other moves.
“That’s the juggling act that Brad and I constantly go through and we think through, and what is right? What should we do? What can we do? Do we have the resources?” Campbell said. “So, all of those conversations we’ve had, we continue to have, and they’re all good, cause they make you go through all this whole process of figuring out what’s the best way to get our team a little bit better and get over the hump.”
Dave Birkett covers the Lions for the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at [email protected]. Follow him on Bluesky, X and Instagram at @davebirkett.
