Who could leave in 2025 offseason
The Detroit Lions have reached the do-or-die portion of the NFL schedule where their season could end at any moment.
The Lions begin their playoff run Saturday night in the divisional round against the Washington Commanders at Ford Field. The Lions earned a first-round bye by clinching the NFC No. 1 seed, meaning they are just two wins away in the single-elimination playoffs from reaching the franchise’s first Super Bowl.
The Lions have been building to this point over the past four years where they are now the odds-on favorite to win it all. Most of the Lions’ core including quarterback Jared Goff, wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, right tackle Penei Sewell and many other key contributors are locked down on multi-year deals into the future.
How to get Kings of the North Lions posterThe Lions also added around the edges in 2024 free agency to elevate the roster, mostly on the defensive side of the ball, to improve the roster from last year’s team that reached the NFC championship game. Players like cornerback Amik Robertson, defensive tackle D.J. Reader and right guard Kevin Zeitler have been key throughout the Lions’ 15-2 season.
If the Lions are bounced out of the playoffs anytime over the next three weeks, general manager Brad Holmes will have some decisions to make on pending free agents and potentially extending draft picks from his first draft class in 2021.
INSIDE THE ROOM:How Brad Holmes transformed Lions draft strategy to build a monster roster
Here’s a full list of the Lions’ pending free agents after the year, courtesy of Spotrac.
Lions pending free agents in 2025
Unrestricted free agents
Restricted free agents
A restricted free agent is a player with three accrued NFL seasons and has an expired contract. A restricted free agent can sign with any team, but their original team has a window to offer a qualifying offer before that.
REQUIRED READING:58 reasons Detroit Lions have never been to the Super Bowl
Exclusive rights free agents
According to the NFL, an exclusive rights free agent is “any player with fewer than three accrued seasons and an expired contract. If his original team offers him a one-year contract at the league minimum the player cannot negotiate with other teams.”
- LB Trevor Nowaske.
- OG/C Michael Niese.
- DE Mitchell Agude.
- OT Connor Galvin.
- S Morice Norris.
Stay tuned for the best Lions coverage throughout the playoffs and all year long at freep.com/sports/lions.
Follow the Detroit Free Press on Instagram (@detroitfreepress), TikTok (@detroitfreepress), YouTube (@DetroitFreePress), X (@freep), and LinkedIn, and like us on Facebook (@detroitfreepress).
Stay connected and stay informed. Become a Detroit Free Press subscriber.
As we look towards the 2025 offseason, there are several key players whose futures with their current teams are uncertain. With contract negotiations, free agency, and potential trades looming, here are some of the top players who could potentially leave their teams in the 2025 offseason:
1. Giannis Antetokounmpo – The Milwaukee Bucks star forward will be a free agent in 2025 and could potentially leave for a new team if he doesn’t sign a contract extension.
2. Damian Lillard – The Portland Trail Blazers’ All-Star point guard has been the subject of trade rumors for several years now, and the 2025 offseason could finally see him on the move to a new team.
3. Karl-Anthony Towns – The Minnesota Timberwolves’ big man has been the subject of trade rumors in the past, and with the team’s struggles in recent years, he could look to leave in search of a better situation.
4. Zion Williamson – The New Orleans Pelicans’ young star has yet to sign a contract extension, leading to speculation that he could leave in free agency in 2025.
5. Ben Simmons – The Philadelphia 76ers’ point guard has been the subject of trade rumors for years, and the 2025 offseason could finally see him on the move to a new team.
These are just a few of the top players who could potentially leave their teams in the 2025 offseason. It will be interesting to see how contract negotiations, trades, and free agency play out in the coming months.
Tags:
- 2025 offseason departures
- Potential departures in 2025
- Players likely to leave in 2025
- 2025 offseason roster changes
- Speculations on 2025 departures
- Predictions for 2025 offseason exits
- Players at risk of leaving in 2025
- 2025 offseason player movements
- Potential free agents in 2025
- 2025 offseason transfer rumors
#leave #offseason