Linebacker has been a long-time issue for the Detroit Lions. Even though Detroit pumped both draft (Jarrad Davis, Jahlani Tavai) and free agent (Reggie Ragland, Jamie Collins Sr.) resources into the position, it remains one of the weakest on the team.
Unfortunately for the Lions, this free agency class isn’t the deepest at the position, and it has even fewer players with connections to Detroit’s new coaching and front office staff. Detroit may, instead, try to reclaim the projects already here in Detroit, as head coach Dan Campbell has already expressed some interest in bringing back Davis, but if they decide to go shopping in a week, here are five free agent off-ball linebackers with ties to the Lions.