The 2025 season has officially come to a close for the Detroit Lions, and it’s time to look ahead.

When the new league year begins in March, the Lions are set to have 29 players from their active roster hit free agency, with 25 of them being unrestricted free agents. The four exceptions are receiver Tom Kennedy, linebacker Trevor Nowaske and defensive lineman Tyrus Wheat, as well as kicker Jake Bates.

Kennedy, Nowaske and Wheat are restricted, so the Lions have the right to match any offer they receive from another organization. Bates is an exclusive rights free agent (ERFA), meaning he cannot negotiate with any other teams, so long as the Lions offer him a one-year deal at the NFL’s minimum salary.

Running back Jacob Saylors, offensive lineman Michael Niese and cornerback Nick Whiteside were re-signed to the roster Monday. Each of them were ERFAs.

Five of the Lions’ upcoming free agents — defensive tackle D.J. Reader, linebacker Alex Anzalone, cornerback Amik Robertson, defensive end Marcus Davenport and Bates — began 2025 as starters, and a number of others (ranging from defensive backs Rock Ya-Sin and Avonte Maddox to defensive linemen Al-Quadin Muhammad and Roy Lopez) were key contributors throughout the season.

Change is inevitable in the NFL, especially coming off a season that fell way short of expectations. The Lions, with a few position groups in flux, have a chance to reimagine their roster, depending on their moves over the next handful of months. The biggest example of this is on the edge, as Aidan Hutchinson is the only defensive end currently under contract beyond 2025.

Here’s a look at Detroit’s soon-to-be free agents, listed in order of their cap hits in 2025.

*Exclusive rights free agent

**Restricted free agent

DT D.J. Reader ($12.9M, according to Over The Cap)LB Alex Anzalone ($7.45M)WR Kalif Raymond ($6.95M)CB Amik Robertson ($6.4M)DL Levi Onwuzurike ($4.22M)DT Roy Lopez ($3.64M)DL Josh Paschal ($1.8M)DE Marcus Davenport ($1.75M)LB Grant Stuard ($1.7M)S Daniel Thomas ($1.47M)OL Kayode Awosika ($1.31M)DE Al-Quadin Muhammad ($1.2M)DB Avonte Maddox ($1.2M)LB Malcolm Rodriguez ($1.15M)QB Kyle Allen ($1.13M)OT Jamarco Jones ($1.1M)K Jake Bates ($1.09M)*CB Rock Ya-Sin ($1.03M)LB Trevor Nowaske ($1.03M)**DL Tyrus Wheat ($1.03M)**OL Trystan Colon ($965,556)OT Dan Skipper ($743,889)TE Shane Zylstra ($743,333)LB Zach Cunningham ($730,556)LB Ezekiel Turner ($540,000)WR Tom Kennedy ($366,667)**TE Anthony Firkser ($343,333)CB Arthur Maulet ($228,889)S Jalen Mills ($228,889)Practice squad

The Lions on Monday signed nine players to futures contracts: RB Jabari Small, WR Malik Cunningham, TE Zach Horton, OL Mason Miller, OL Devin Cochran, DE Ahmed Hassanein, DL Chris Smith and S Loren Strickland. A futures contract doesn’t go into effect immediately, but players signed to them are set be added to a team’s 90-man roster when the new league year starts.

Others who finished the season on Detroit’s practice squad but were not signed Monday include QB C.J. Beathard, TE Giovanni Ricci, OT Chris Hubbard, DL Pat O’Connor, DL Myles Adams, CB Keenan Garber and S Damontae Kazee.

Want to comment on this story? Become a subscriber today. Click here.

rsilva@detroitnews.com

@rich_silva18