Lions free agent prediction adds $70 million depth piece behind Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch

Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes has done a fantastic job finding talent on Days 2 and 3 of the draft. He has found multiple impact players in the middle and late rounds, including safeties Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch.

Joseph and Branch are the most versatile and dominant safety tandem in football, and the pair will patrol the backend of Detroit's defense at a high level for years to come. However, NFL Rumors' Logan Ulrich predicts the Lions will sign free agent safety Marcus Williams to bolster the depth at the dynamic duo.

"Detroit's depth at safety is thin at the moment behind starters Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch. Williams is coming off the worst year of his career, but he's easily an improvement over who the Lions have on the roster right now. Adding more depth at safety would also let the Lions move Branch around the secondary," Ulrich wrote.

Williams appeared in 11 games for the Ravens in 2024 and was a complete liability in pass coverage, allowing an 82.4% completion rate and a 158.3 passer rating when targeted. He was benched for Ar'Darius Washington in October, which eventually led to Baltimore releasing him ahead of free agency this offseason.

Though Williams has had injury issues over the last few years and was awful last year, the Lions should take a flyer on him. The veteran would serve as an excellent depth piece behind Joseph and Branch, and could step in as a starter if needed. The 28-year-old has started in 106 games since entering the league in 2017.

Additionally, Williams shouldn't cost too much to sign, as he is coming off a horrendous season and hasn't played more than 11 games in a year since 2021.

Having solid depth in the secondary is critical in today's aerial-centric NFL. Detroit still has around $42 million in cap space to work with, per Over the Cap, and the franchise should spend a couple million to bring in Williams and strengthen the safety room.

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