Lions Free Agency 2026 Day 2: Pacheco, Rodriguez, Bridgewater, & Ya-Sin medical review
The Lions build up their depth on Day 2 of free agency
If you’re a little underwhelmed by free agency so far, you’re not alone. Not that that’s a bad thing though. If your team is going bonkers in free agency, it probably means your team sucks and has had nobody worth giving money to.
The Lions do not suck as they have a number of players who have already gotten huge deals, and a number who are about to - like Jahmyr Gibbs and Jack Campbell. Guys like Brian Branch (Achilles) and Sam LaPorta (disc surgery) would easily be on that list as well, except for significant injuries last season.
So on Day 2 of free agency, you are going to get a banged-up backup RB, a part-time LB coming off an ACL, a suspended high-school coach for backup QB, and an aging backup CB… and you are going to like it.
Here are their medical reports along with medical concern levels.
(Ages in parentheses are at start of 2026 season.)
Isiah Pacheco, RB (27)
Contract: 1 year, $1.81 million fully guaranteed plus undisclosed incentives
Concern level 6/10
Included are Yards/Attempt stats
2025 (Y/A 3.9): 13 games. Suspected right knee MCL, missed 4 games.
2024 (Y/A 3.7): 7. Surgery for fractured fibula by Dr. Robert Anderson, missed 9 games. Rib injury, held out of season finale.
2023 (Y/A 4.6): 14. Shoulder with cleanup surgery, missed 2 games. Quad/shoulder, did not play 1 game. Concussion, no missed games. Toe/ankle in playoffs, no missed games. Mild hamstring, no missed games
2022 (Y/A 4.9): 17. Hand fracture in playoffs with offseason surgery. Also after season, shoulder surgery for torn labrum.
This hard-running RB has a long list of injuries in his time in the NFL. Over the past 4 years, he’s had at least 4 surgeries.
His latest injury was a moderately significant MCL. See video below.
MCL’s generally heal very well (see David Montgomery), so there isn’t much concern here unless he had some associated cartilage damage.
In the prior year, he had a fractured fibula. Missing 9 games is not bad for a fractured fibula as there is the potential of a much worse injury - see James Houston who missed 4 months with the Lions due to associated ankle joint damage. If this is an isolated bone fracture, there should be minimal residuals.
A couple shoulder surgeries in 2023 are a concern going forward with the amount of trauma that a RB shoulder must endure. Recurrence is possible here.
The hand fracture from 2022 is of minimal concern.
While he may be healthy right now, there is concern for accumulation of residuals. His yards per attempt has taken a dramatic dip in the last 2 seasons which could reflect those residuals. The short contract at a low value implies that teams share those concerns.
On the positive side, his age of 27 is still in his prime and a couple years younger than the guy he’s replacing (Montgomery 29).
Given that Pacheco has missed 13 games in the past 2 seasons, the Lions would be wise to have a 3rd quality RB that they can count on. That might be a target in the mid-rounds of the draft.
Malcolm Rodriguez, LB (27)
Contract: 1 year, $ undisclosed
Concern level 4/10
2025: 7 games. Missed first 10 games with ACL recovery. Returned to play November 23.
2024: 10 games. ACL tear on November 28, 2024. Prior to that, missed 2 games with left ankle sprain.
2023: 17 games
2022: 16 games
Fan-favorite Rodrigo tore his ACL in 2024. Here is the video:
He had a delayed return (about 12 months post) due to a 2nd knee surgery. The 2nd surgery raises concern for something like cartilage damage that could have residuals. The ACL itself shouldn’t be an issue at all for the 2026 season.
When Rodriguez returned, he saw limited action on defense until the final 2 games when he got 19 and 40 defensive snaps. This ramping up of snaps at the end is an optimistic sign moving forward, but is a very small sample size.
The 1-year deal suggests the Lions (and other teams) still have some reservations about his health going forward.
Teddy Bridgewater, QB (33)
Contract: 1 yr, $ undisclosed
Concern level 1/10
2016: Knee dislocation with multiple torn ligaments including ACL.
By signing Bridgewater early in free agency, there will be no need to drag him off the couch to play in the playoffs like the Lions did in 2024.
The only relevant injury history for Bridgewater is the very severe knee injury in 2016 which could have been a career-ender. To his credit, he will be entering his 10th year in the NFL post injury. That knee injury is in the distant rearview mirror and is not a concern at this point for a backup QB.
His age is getting into the mid-30’s which would be an issue only if he has to play multiple games.
He’s had limited action in the past 4 years, so should be fresh and healthy entering 2026. Last year with the Buccaneers, he appeared in 4 games with only 15 pass attempts.
Rock Ya-Sin, CB (30)
Contract: 1 yr, $2.64m guaranteed, up to $4m
Concern level 2/10
2025: 17/17 games. Cramps hampered him in 2 games.
2024: 13 games
2023: 15 games
2022: 11 games. Knee injury put him on IR.
Ya-Sin basically became the #1 CB towards the end of the season, not just because of all the Lions CB injuries, but also because of his good performance and reliability. Cramps bothered him a couple times, but he was otherwise fully available.
His age is getting a bit up there for a CB, but isn’t a major concern on just a 1-year deal. The Lions were able to sign him at a good value, especially coming off a strong season. He was one of my most desired Lions to re-sign.
Who did the Lions add on Day 1 of free agency?