The Lions have some things to figure out after a 6-10 season in 2018, but the good news is they have the eighth pick in the draft and approximately $33.6 million in cap space to upgrade their roster.
Continuing with our free agent profile series, which has included cornerback Kareem Jackson, linebacker Za’Darius Smith and quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, today we’ll examine linebacker Jordan Hicks.
Jordan Hicks
Age: 26
Position: Linebacker
Size: 6-foot-1, 236 pounds
2018 Stats: 91 tackles, 3 sacks, 6 QB hits, 5 passes defended
Career Stats: 254 tackles, 7 INTs, 5 sacks, 14 QB hits, 19 passes defended
Why he makes sense for Detroit: Despite adding Devon Kennard and Christian Jones prior to the 2018 season, Detroit’s linebackers struggled as a unit for much of the year. Middle linebacker Jarrad Davis had an extremely rough start but finished strong down the stretch, particularly against the run. Hicks, who’s played mostly at the middle linebacker spot, excels against the pass. He was ranked the No. 10 linebacker by Pro Football Focus with a 80.7 rating. At just 26, he is considered by many to be the best free agent linebacker available. In Detroit, Hicks could handle more of the coverage duties while Davis would still have a significant role on early downs and in blitzing scenarios.
Why he doesn’t: The Lions could certainly upgrade their linebacking core by adding another free agent like Hicks but the draft has some interesting linebacker prospects that wouldn’t cost the team an arm and a leg. As mentioned before, Hicks is one of the best available free agents and his price tag could be quite hefty as a result. Detroit does have the cap space to make a splash move, although they may choose to spend that money in other areas. Plus, it might send the wrong message to Jarrad Davis after playing so well down the stretch.
Probability: Medium
While I wouldn’t say that it’s highly probable due to the reasons mentioned above, I can definitely see the Lions going after the versatile Hicks as he’d instantly make them a better football team. The Patriots find ways to play several different linebackers by designating them to specific roles which is something Detroit could do even more of in its second year under head coach Matt Patricia.
