The Detroit Lions are having an active offseason, as they should, considering that their coaching staff and playing roster is going to look a lot different going into 2025. The team is getting the feel for their new offensive coordinator John Morton and defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard, and both Morton and Sheppard are starting to shape their lineups.
But, not all moves are going to be home runs, and a few NFL analysts and experts are looking at one of the team’s signings with question marks.
Detroit Lions Possibly Pay Too Much for Certain Player
NFL teams needs to count their pennies when making deals, because these contacts can add up. When one looks at just how much money even the lesser-known players get on these NFL teams, it’s a lot, so dollars and cents can add up quickly.
On March 10, the Detroit Lions officially announced the re-signing of linebacker Derrick Barnes on a three-year, $25.5 million deal with $16 million guaranteed. They snagged him before free agency started and locked this deal into place, and out the gate, it was seen as a massive deal for Barnes.
Barnes first started in the NFL as a fourth-round, 113th overall, draft selection out of Purdue in 2021, and he’s proved his worth. However, that’s a lot of dough, and it’s worth noting that Barnes suffered a knee injury in Week 3 that ended his 2024 season very early, which is a bit scary.
“It was a noticeably good deal for Barnes based on those details,” NFL analyst and expert Brad Berreman of SideLion Report noted in a March 20 feature, “but he has become a key piece of the defense and well-suited to the multi-faceted SAM linebacker role the Lions have largely struggled to fill.”
In a feature published Wednesday, March 19, Mason Cameron of Pro Football Focus named his favorite and least-favorite free agency moves for NFL each team so far, and he picked Barnes as his least favorite signing for the Lions.
“The Lions invested significant money to retain Barnes — well over projections — indicating they have a plan for the 25-year-old defender who is coming off a season-ending knee injury,” he stated. “Given the uncertainty surrounding Barnes’ place in this defense, Detroit could have likely secured him on a more cost-effective short-term deal.”
Big Difference in Projected Detroit Lions Deal
According to PFF, Barnes’ deal was projected to be a one-year, $2.75 million deal with $1.15 million guaranteed, which is obviously a lot less than what they ended up giving him. So, if you look at those numbers compared to what he got, Detroit way overpaid. But, at least they prevented him from being signed by Aaron Glenn and the New York Jets, because earlier this year, Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda reported Glenn was looking to bring over some of the Lions’ defensive free agents, including Barnes.
Still, it’s worth thinking about if this was a smart, and efficient, move for the Lions.
“Even with the likelihood at least one notable team had an offer on the table, it’s worth wondering if the Lions really had to go to three years (and $16 million guaranteed) to keep Barnes around,” Berreman stated. “And if they did, hindsight may prove they’d have been better off letting him go.”
