The Detroit Lions are making significant moves to position themselves ahead of the 2025 NFL free agency period. The official start of the NFL’s new league year will be on Wednesday, March 12, at 4 p.m. ET, with the “legal tampering period” beginning on Monday, March 10, at 9 p.m. and running through Wednesday, March 12, at 12:59 p.m. This gives teams a short window to make moves before free agency officially begins.
The Lions appear to be getting everything in order and have already made a series of extensions and re-signings ahead of the period’s opening.
Detroit Lions Strengthening Their Linebacker Corps On Friday, March 7, the Lions made a notable move by signing linebacker Derrick Barnes to a three-year, $25.5 million contract extension. Following that, they re-signed veteran linebacker Anthony Pittman to a one-year deal.
Now, the Lions have added another linebacker, bringing Ezekiel Turner back, as reported by NFL insider Aaron Wilson.
Turner was initially signed by the Lions during the 2024 season, joining the practice squad before being promoted to the active roster due to the team’s defensive injuries. Prior to joining Detroit, Turner spent six seasons with the Arizona Cardinals, mostly on special teams.
Special teams coordinator Dave Fipp spoke highly of Turner in December, saying, “He’s a player I’ve respected for a long time,” noting that Turner’s style of play was similar to Jalen Reeves-Maybin’s, making him a natural fit. Fipp praised Turner’s intelligence and ability, expressing confidence in him despite having only worked with him briefly. Fipp also mentioned receiving a message from Arizona’s special teams coach vouching for Turner’s reliability.
Detroit Lions’ Linebacker Depth The Lions have been proactive with their linebackers and now have solid depth at the position. Along with Turner, Pittman, and Barnes, they also have Alex Anzalone, Malcolm Rodriguez, Abraham Beauplan, Jack Campbell, and DaRon Gilbert under contract. There are reports suggesting that Reeves-Maybin may be departing, but that hasn’t been confirmed.
While that’s a considerable number of linebackers, the Lions are aiming to avoid the injury woes they faced last season. With $51 million in cap space, the team is well-positioned as free agency approaches.
It’s also important to note that the Lions have released edge rusher Za’Darius Smith, according to NFL insider Tom Pelissero.
