Ranking Best Free-Agent Signings in Lions History

Read more on the seven best free-agent signings in the history of the Detroit Lions.

The 2022 NFL free-agency period officially begins this Wednesday (March 16) at 1 p.m. EST. Yet, the agents for impending free agents are allowed to start negotiating with prospective teams tomorrow (Monday, March 14) at noon EST.

It will make for an interesting week for the Detroit Lions and the league's 31 other franchises.

Before free agency does kick off, though, let's take a look at the seven best free-agent signings made by the Lions in the history of the organization.  

7.) S Glover Quin

Quin, who was inked to a free-agent deal by the Lions in 2013, played six of his 10 NFL seasons in the Motor City. In each of those six campaigns, he started all 16 games, and proved to be a solid veteran presence in the team’s secondary.

He made his lone Pro Bowl appearance in 2014 with the Lions, amassing a career-high and an NFL-best seven interceptions.

In 96 games with the franchise, he produced 19 interceptions (two returned for touchdowns), 37 passes defensed and seven forced fumbles.

6.) RB James Stewart

Stewart, who was signed by the Lions in 2000, was the first Detroit running back to rush for 1,000 yards in a single season after Pro Football Hall of Famer Barry Sanders retired before the start of the 1999 season.

Stewart proceeded to suit up for 41 games in a Lions uniform, and recorded 713 carries for 2,890 yards and 15 touchdowns. This was good for a yards per carry average of 4.1 yards per rush attempt and 70.5 rushing yards per game.

Additionally, he eclipsed the 1,000-yard plateau on the ground in two of his three seasons in the Motor City.

A shoulder injury in a 2003 preseason game unfortunately brought a premature end to his NFL career.

5.) MLB Stephen Tulloch

Acquired by the Lions during the 2011 offseason, Tulloch was a tackling machine during the five years he spent in Motown. 

He ended up amassing 485 total tackles, 10 sacks, seven fumble recoveries and three interceptions in 67 games with the Lions. 

And, he played an integral role on Detroit’s 2011 playoff team, patrolling the middle of the field for Jim Schwartz’s defense.

4.) WR Marvin Jones Jr.

The free-agent acquisition of Jones in 2016 proved to be the best move of the dismal Bob Quinn era.

Acquired the offseason after Calvin Johnson called it quits, Jones went on to record three seasons of at least 930 receiving yards (two of which also included nine touchdowns) in five campaigns with Detroit. In total, he logged 289 receptions, 4,296 yards and 36 touchdowns in 69 games in Honolulu Blue.

Kirthmon F. Dozier, Detroit Free Press

Raj Mehta, USA TODAY Sports

© Leon Halip-USA TODAY Sports

3.) CB Dre' Bly

Inked to a free-agent deal during the 2003 offseason, Bly was easily one of the Lions’ most consistently productive players during his four years in Detroit. He produced 19 interceptions, 65 passes defensed, 12 forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries in 55 games with the Lions, en route to making two trips to the Pro Bowl.

The addition of Bly in ’03 marked the best free-agent pickup of the lowly Matt Millen era.

2.) K Matt Prater

A 2014 free-agent acquisition of the Lions, Prater's big leg was on target more often than not during his seven seasons and 107 games spent with the franchise. 

In fact, he executed on 84.4 percent of his field-goal attempts while in Detroit, which would be even higher if it wasn’t for his 75 percent field-goal percentage in his final campaign in Detroit (2020).

He also never missed a kick from 20-29 yards out (48-of-48) during his time with the Lions, and made kicks of both 58 and 59 yards on multiple occasions while suiting up for Detroit.

All in all, Prater consistently gave the Lions a “leg up” -- no pun intended -- on the competition.

1.) WR Golden Tate

Tate signed with the Lions in 2014, and proved to be a perfect complement to Calvin Johnson and then some. 

The 5-foot-10, 197-pound wideout proceeded to put together the best seasons of his career in Motown. He recorded 1,000 or more receiving yards in three of his first four years in Detroit, before being traded to the Philadelphia Eagles midway through the 2018 season. 

Outside of Megatron, he was the most productive receiver during Matthew Stafford’s 12-year tenure with the Lions.