Detroit Lions: Myles Jack, Bobby Wagner Top Free Agent Target List
By Kyle Edmond
Detroit Lions Free Agent Target #3: Takkarist McKinley, EDGE
The pass rush of the Detroit Lions ranked 30th in the NFL last season. The Lions tallied just 30 sacks. Only the Philadelphia Eagles and Atlanta Falcons had fewer. This is an area that the team needs to invest in, but the salary cap restraints are going to make that difficult.
On the other side of this deal is a player coming off an injury. A December Achilles injury saw Takkarist McKinley carted off in Cleveland. That means McKinley probably isn’t going to be back on the field until August at the earliest. What type of player will he be at that point?
McKinley is going to need a one-year prove it deal. No team is going to offer anything beyond one season without knowing what he can do post-injury. That could make the Lions a strong contender to land McKinley.
Detroit has the opportunity available for McKinley to showcase his skills and McKinley could be looking for a deal that falls into the cap range of the Lions. He isn’t the best prospect on the market, but he fits the bill for what the Lions need. Adding McKinley to whoever the Lions take at number two, depending on the Jags, could transform this pass rush in Detroit.