LB Tremaine Edmunds Listed as 'Perfect Fit' for Detroit Lions

Lions will be in search of upgrading their defense this offseason.

The Detroit Lions finished the 2022 season on the brink of the postseason. Their strong finish has generated momentum that is expected to carry over into the 2023 campaign.

If Detroit wants to be competitive among the best the NFL has to offer, though, it will need to continue adding young talent. Free agency will give Lions general manager Brad Holmes an opportunity to do so.

ESPN’s Matt Bowen proposed a big-time addition for the Lions during the upcoming free agency cycle, in an article published Tuesday. Ranking and proposing best fits for each of the top 50 free agents, he paired Detroit with linebacker Tremaine Edmunds.

Edmunds was the only player matched with the Lions among Bowen’s top 50 free agents, and is the No. 18 ranked player on the list.

“Detroit needs to add more difference-makers on defense, and I see Edmunds as a prime fit at the second level of the Lions’ system,” Bowen wrote. “He’s a long 6-foot-5 linebacker with coverage range and downhill acceleration against the run game.”

Edmunds has spent his entire career to this point with the Buffalo Bills. He was drafted No. 16 overall in 2018, and became an immediate contributor. Already a two-time Pro Bowler, he’s logged over 100 tackles in each of his first five seasons.

In addition to his prowess as a tackler, he’s shown to be a playmaker all over the field. He has five career interceptions, 32 tackles for loss and six-and-a-half career sacks. That dynamic range of skills is something the Lions have been missing.

Had Edmunds been a member of the Lions in 2022, he would’ve ranked near the top in every defensive category. Pro Football Focus graded him as the Bills’ second-best defender on what was an excellent defense, as he finished with an 81.9 overall grade.

Currently, the Lions have Malcolm Rodriguez and Derrick Barnes as the top two players on the roster at linebacker. Alex Anzalone, who has started each of the past two seasons, is set to be a free agent.

Buffalo Bills linebacker Tremaine Edmunds / © Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

Rodriguez emerged as a starter in his rookie season after being drafted in the sixth round, while Barnes went through ups and downs as his playing time fluctuated. Should the Lions add Edmunds, they’d bring star talent and stability to an otherwise young linebackers room.

One area in particular where Lions linebackers have struggled is in pass coverage. Anzalone’s 58.9 pass coverage grade was highest among the group. Edmunds, on the other hand, finished with a coverage grade of 90.0, which led the Bills.

“He’s a young player at age 25, but Edmunds has already started 74 games over five pro seasons,” Bowen continued. “He would be a strong addition to a Detroit team that was among the worst on defense last season but will have the opportunity to compete for the NFC North title this fall.”

Sportrac.com currently estimates Edmunds’ market value to be around $11 million annually. It would be a sizable investment for Detroit, but one it would benefit from. In adding Edmunds, the Lions would be getting a plug-and-play starter who could anchor the second level of their defense.