Every offseason, the same question pops up around the NFL: Who’s getting franchise-tagged? And for the Detroit Lions, it’s a fair thing to wonder, especially with several familiar veterans headed toward free agency.

But when you dig into the numbers and the context, it becomes pretty clear why the franchise tag is more theory than reality for Detroit this year.

The Lions Do Have Tag-Eligible Veterans

If general manager Brad Holmes wanted to use the franchise tag, he wouldn’t be short on candidates. Three veterans from the 2025 roster stand out as logical possibilities based on role and experience:

• Defensive end Al-Quadin Muhammad
• Linebacker Alex Anzalone
• Defensive tackle D.J. Reader

All three played meaningful roles for Detroit and all three are set to hit the open market. In a vacuum, keeping any — or all — of them would make the roster better.

That’s where the vacuum ends.

The Franchise Tag Comes With a Catch

The problem isn’t player value, it’s price.

The franchise (and transition) tag doesn’t care what a player’s true market value is. It automatically bumps them into the upper tier of salaries at their position, which means a massive raise compared to what each of these players is projected to earn in free agency.

For a team swimming in cap space, that’s manageable.
For the Lions? Not so much.

Detroit is currently projected to be over the cap heading into the 2026 offseason. That reality alone makes the franchise tag a tough sell.

Using it would require additional moves just to get compliant — and then you’re still committing top-of-market money to a player whose expected free-agent deal likely comes in much lower.

Why Holmes Is Unlikely to Overpay

Brad Holmes has been consistent since arriving in Detroit: he doesn’t overextend financially just to keep a name around.

Tagging Muhammad, Anzalone, or Reader would almost certainly qualify as a MAJOR overpay relative to their expected contracts. Even though each player brings value, the cost of the tag would limit flexibility elsewhere — and Detroit has bigger-picture decisions to make across the roster.

This is especially true with younger players approaching extension windows and premium positions still needing attention.

Smart Cap Management Over Splashy Moves

Could the Lions technically use the franchise tag? Sure.

Will they? Almost certainly not.

Detroit’s approach is more likely to involve:

• Letting the market set prices
• Negotiating team-friendly deals where possible
• Being willing to move on when the numbers stop making sense

It’s not flashy, but it’s exactly how this front office has helped turn the Lions into a perennial contender.

In short: don’t expect a franchise-tag headline out of Allen Park this spring. The math — and the philosophy — just doesn’t support it.

The post 3 Players the Detroit Lions COULD Use the Franchise Tag on in 2026 appeared first on Detroit Sports Nation.