The Lions are in need of adding an edge rusher to complement Aidan Hutchinson, and Josh Sweat has now become a significant name in that discussion.

Before Super Bowl LIX, Sweat was already a strong candidate to be a potential target for the Detroit Lions from the pool of free agents between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs. Then, Sweat took the field for the Eagles.

Although the MVP award in the Super Bowl typically goes to a quarterback, with Jalen Hurts deserving the honor, Sweat (2.5 sacks, three tackles for loss, three quarterback hits, and six pressures according to Next Gen Stats) was undeniably a close contender for the award.

Sweat’s performance on the big stage also earned him a chance to make more money. He signed a restructured one-year, $10 million deal with the Eagles last offseason, betting on himself. With eight sacks and 54 quarterback pressures during the regular season (per Pro Football Focus), his Super Bowl performance solidified his status as one of the top free-agent edge rushers available this year.

The primary question surrounding Sweat is his cost. Spotrac projects him at $18.8 million per year on a three-year deal ($56.46 million total). While he may not have the flashy stats of the league’s top edge rushers, he is also an excellent run defender, and the relative lack of elite pass rushers in free agency this year only boosts his value.

Turning 28 in late March, this could be Sweat’s only chance at a major contract. Teams in need of an edge rusher with financial flexibility, like the Lions, should be interested, alongside other potential suitors like the Arizona Cardinals and Tennessee Titans.

Recently, Sweat changed agents, hiring Drew Rosenhaus and Ryan Matha to represent him, signaling his desire to maximize his earning potential.

Although Sweat is still enjoying the Super Bowl victory, he did acknowledge that fit would be an important factor when considering his future. “Money’s important, sure, but I want to be in the right situation,” Sweat said, according to Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer. “I don’t know what it looks like for me now, but I’m happy.”

Outside of potentially returning to the Eagles, the Lions represent a strong opportunity for Sweat to play on one of the NFC’s top teams in the coming season.

While the Lions might eventually be outbid in what could become a major bidding war for Sweat, that shouldn’t stop them from participating in the negotiations, similar to how they’ve handled other edge rusher discussions.