Detroit Lions 2026 offseason health concern meter - Part 2: Free Agents
Breaking down the medical concerns for every Lions free agent heading into the 2026 offseason.
As Detroit Lions 2026 free agency approaches, Brad Holmes has many tough decisions to make. Health, as always, will (or at least should) play a major role in these decisions.
Here is a compilation of the Lions key impending free agents - includes unrestricted, restricted, and exclusive rights - along with my health concern level from 0 (no concern) to 10 (back away from the negotiating table, Brad).
Concern level is not fate though, as players can often overcome major health concerns to succeed in the NFL…
No fate but what we make.
-Terminator 2
Quick summary of concern level for Detroit Lions free agents
10 - Josh Paschal, Levi Onwuzurike
9 - Dan Skipper, Marcus Davenport, Ezekiel Turner
8 - Jamarco Jones
7 - Zach Cunningham
6 - Arthur Maulet, DJ Reader
5 - Avonte Maddox, Al-Quadin Muhammad
4 - Malcolm Rodriguez, Shane Zylstra
3 - Jake Bates, Kayode Awosika, Alex Anzalone
2 - Rock Ya-Sin, Jalen Mills, Trystan Colon, Anthony Firkser, Kalif Raymond
1 - Daniel Thomas, Tom Kennedy, Grant Stuard, Trevor Nowaske
0 - Amik Robertson, Roy Lopez, Tyrus Wheat, Kyle Allen
Free agency strategies
The Lions free agents are older in comparison to the returning players. Thus, the team has an opportunity to instantly get much younger this offseason by selectively targeting younger free agents. The caveat is there are 31 other teams competing in the same pool so you don’t always get exactly what you want.
If the Lions want to lower injury risk going into next season, they should target the players in the “Low Concern” group. There are 16 in that category so there are plenty of good options available.
Now the details…
(Ages at start of 2026 season in parentheses. Player age is factored into the concern level.)
All are unrestricted free agents unless specified otherwise.
HIGH CONCERN
Josh Paschal, EDGE (26) - back surgery
Concern level 10/10
Offseason back surgery kept him out the entire season which would by itself be a major concern. Add in the curious nature of being placed on NFI (non-football injury) as opposed to PUP (physically unable to perform), and it’s very hard to imagine the Lions considering giving him another contract.
Update Feb 9: Due to obscure contract tolling rules, Paschal and Onwuzurike are under contract through 2026. See below for details…
Levi Onwuzurike, DT (28) - ACL
Concern level 10/10
After signing a 1-year deal in the 2025 offseason, Onwuzurike had ACL surgery and missed the season. In 2022, he made a remarkable recovery from an L5-S1 spine fusion, but that remains an ongoing concern.
The timing of the ACL repair could be a major sticking point from the Lions perspective. Dan Campbell had hinted that the injury actually started in the prior season. All these factors make it seem very unlikely the Lions would have any interest in bringing him back.
Dan Skipper, OT (31) - back
Concern level 9/10
In postseason interviews, Skipper mentioned an ongoing back issue that could force retirement. On January 22, he did in fact announce his retirement. At his age, a potential back surgery would have made things difficult to flash these precision routes…
Marcus Davenport, EDGE (30) right shoulder/pec
Concern level 9/10
Multiple seasons in a row have been severely impacted by injury. Last season, Davenport missed 9 games with this right shoulder and/or pec issue.
Even when he returned, the shoulder was still visibly bothering him. In the previous season, a triceps tear ended his season after Week 3. The recent unreliability as well as age over 30 will likely have the Lions looking elsewhere for younger, healthier options.
Ezekiel Turner, LB (30) - right Achilles
Concern level 9/10
Turner missed the entire season after an Achilles injury in the final preseason game.
Jamarco Jones, OT (30) - ankle
Concern level 8/10
A training camp ankle injury forced him to miss the entire season.
Zach Cunningham, LB (31) - hamstrings
Concern level 7/10
A 31-year-old who missed all but 4 games last season due to 2 hamstrings presents a significant reliability concern.
MEDIUM CONCERN
Arthur Maulet, CB (33)
Concern level 6/10
This long-time veteran played 9 games for the Lions last season without issue. However, in 2024 with the Ravens, he had multiple separate injuries that limited him to just 3 games.
DJ Reader, DT (32) - quad tendons
Concern level 6/10
Reader has displayed impressive reliability in his 2 seasons with the Lions by playing in 16 and 17 games. He has done very well to overcome bilateral quad tendon tears in his past, but age is starting to creep up.
Avonte Maddox, S (30)
Concern level 5/10
Maddox had a pec tear in 2023, toe surgery in 2022, and missed 4 games with a concussion/neck in 2019. He’s also been banged up with minor hamstring, ankle and knee issues in his career.
Last season, he missed 2 games due to a hamstring and another due to an illness. He also had a back injury near the end of the year which he was able to play through. The accumulation of injuries and age over 30 add up to a moderate concern level.
Al-Quadin Muhammad, EDGE (31)
Concern level 5/10
Many wondered why Muhammad had relatively low snap counts last season despite really good production (11 sacks). A knee issue was listed at least twice and potentially could have affected him for large parts of the season. Regardless, he gets credit for battling through and not missing a game.
Malcolm Rodriguez, LB (27) - ACL recovery
Concern level 4/10
The concern isn’t the prior-season ACL (November 28, 2024) which has a very reliable recovery, but the fact that he had a follow-up knee surgery which delayed his return to almost 12 months. It’s uncertain the reason for the additional surgery, but cartilage damage is a possibility with an ACL injury.
Rodrigo ended up playing only 7 games last season, but his defensive snap counts nicely ramped up in the final 2 games (40 snaps in the finale). He is still relatively young which is a positive.
Shane Zylstra, TE (29) - ankle & knee
Concern level 4/10
Zylstra missed 3 months due to a suspected right high ankle sprain and knee sprain. He was able to return for the final 4 games though.
LOW CONCERN
Jake Bates, K (27)
Exclusive rights free agent
Concern level 3/10
Is it good when your kicker is making a whole bunch of special teams tackles? Probably not. While there were no specific injuries, too many big hits could explain why Bates’ field goal percentage dropped from 90% to 79% which included some shaky low kicks.
Kayode Awosika, OG (27)
Concern level 3/10
A foot injury suffered in practice kept him out for 3 games last season. Any kind of foot issue can be problematic, but he did return to play late in the season and is still at a youthful age.
Alex Anzalone, LB (31) - concussion
Concern level 3/10
Anzalone has had a concussion each of the past 2 seasons which is somewhat of a concern. He missed 1 game last season due to the concussion but played in every other game.
Over his career, Anzalone has missed games due to a chronic right shoulder issue which dates back to his college days. Despite the shoulder, he has been quite healthy and reliable with the Lions the past 2 seasons aside from a fluky left forearm fracture in 2024. His athleticism is still at a high level, but age is becoming a consideration.
Kalif Raymond, WR (32)
Concern level 2/10
Age is the only concern here for Raymond, who has been very productive in his years with the Lions. He missed 2 games last season due to a suspected left high ankle sprain, but that’s of low concern. Re-signing him would be valuable for WR depth.
Rock Ya-Sin, CB (30)
Concern level 2/10
Ya-Sin emerged as the Lions #1 CB for much of last season - partly due to good play, partly due to his availability in every game. He has had some minor knee and foot issues in previous years but would be an excellent short-term signing.
Trystan Colon, OG/C (28) - wrist
Concern level 2/10
Colon missed the final 3 games last season due to this wrist injury, which is suspected to be minor. He got a decent bit of playing time last season when the Lions had interior line injuries.
Anthony Firkser, TE (31)
Concern level 2/10
The Lions summoned Firkser for the final 7 games after losing multiple TE’s. Age is the consideration here.
Jalen Mills, S (32)
Concern level 2/10
Mills played the last 3 games of the season for the Lions without issue. He played 4 games earlier in the year with the Texans. His age is a factor.
Daniel Thomas, S (28) - forearm fracture
Concern level 1/10
Thomas had a hand fracture and a forearm fracture last season which cost him 5 games. There is minimal concern for those issues going forward.
Tom Kennedy, WR (30)
Restricted free agent
Concern level 1/10
Kennedy will be just 30 years old even though it seems like he has been a member of the Lions for 30 years. He appeared in 6 games last season and showed nice flashes on kickoff returns.
Grant Stuard, LB (27)
Concern level 1/10
This mostly special-teamer has been extremely reliable in his 5-year career. He does have a remote history of a torn meniscus, but would be a nice, young player to try to bring back.
Trevor Nowaske, LB (27)
Restricted free agent
Concern level 1/10
Nowaske missed 2 games last season due to an unspecified elbow injury. A concussion in 2024 is the other minor concern. His young age is a big plus.
Amik Robertson, CB (28)
Concern level 0/10
Robertson played with a club on his left hand at the end of the season but didn’t miss a game all year. He didn’t miss a game in the 2024 season either, although he suffered a left humerus fracture in the playoff loss. He was an excellent free agent signing 2 years ago and would be worth signing again if the Lions can afford him.
Roy Lopez, DT (29)
Concern level 0/10
Lopez has been extraordinarily reliable in his 5 NFL seasons with no significant injuries. Last season was no exception as he played in every game while showing good productivity. He would be an excellent trench warrior for the Lions to bring back.
Tyrus Wheat, EDGE (26)
Restricted free agent
Concern level 0/10
Wheat played in 15 games last season with no signs of health issues. He has a remote history of concussion in 2023. His young age should make him a priority.
Kyle Allen, QB (30)
Concern level 0/10
Allen has been healthy since an ankle dislocation in 2020. He showed excellent command of the offense last preseason and would serve as a nice backup for Goff. His age just over 30 is not an issue for a QB.
For the concern levels of returning Lions, see my story below…
Detroit Lions 2026 offseason health concern meter - Part 1: Returning players
The Lions have some significant health concerns coming out of the 2025 season, and some not so significant ones. Here is my ranking of the concern level - 0 (no concern) to 10 (whoa Nellie) - for key players who are under contract through at least 2026. Players who are free agents will be coming soon in a Part 2.