Overview
- Detroit declined RFA tenders for Tom Kennedy and Trevor Nowaske at the start of the league year, briefly making both unrestricted free agents.
- Kennedy agreed to return for an eighth season and could vie for the No. 4 receiver role after appearing in six games last year and contributing as a late-season kick returner.
- The minimum RFA tender was reported at $3.547 million, and re-signing after a non-tender allows the Lions to control cost and role fit.
- Nowaske, a special-teams regular who played 15 games in 2025 and has 31 career appearances with 25 tackles and 3.0 sacks, is reported as likely to re-sign.
- A wave of 24 Lions reached free agency as the new league year opened, with several already agreeing to deals elsewhere, including Kalif Raymond, Alex Anzalone, Amik Robertson, Roy Lopez, Kyle Allen and Tyrus Wheat.