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The Lions have a lot of impending free agents in the 2018 season. Players like Glover Quin, Ziggy Ansah, and Matthew Stafford, and Eric Ebron all need to be re-signed. In most of those cases, the Lions will absolutely want them back. There are however instances in which player demands are unreasonable, or friction with coaches or other players make moving on the best option. Franchise tags, fifth-year options, and plain old contract extensions are options, but so is drafting a replacement. The fourth tier of players are the ones that will not start in 2017, but likely will in 2018.

Some are simply in need of development, others play positions that do not transition well to the NFL. Some play positions in which the Lions just do not need a starter in 2017, but need a plan for the future. These players are not going to have an impact immediately but will save the team salary cap space in the future. Their salaries are much lower than equivalent veteran players, so the team may choose to move on. The previous tiers have been: Most Impactful, Day One Starters, and Starters by the End of 2017.

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The Fourth Tier

Mitchell Trubisky: QB, North Carolina – Games – Highlights – Combine Takkarist McKinley: DE, UCLA – Games – Highlights – Combine DeShone Kizer: QB, Notre Dame – Games – Highlights – Combine Tarrell Basham: DE, Ohio – Games – Highlights – Combine David Njoku: TE, Miami – Games – Highlights – Combine Adam Shaheen: TE, Ashland – Games – Highlights – Combine Patrick Mahomes: QB, Texas Tech – Games – Highlights – Combine Evan Engram: TE, Ole Miss – Games – Highlights – Combine Nathan Peterman: QB, – Games – Highlights – Combine Marcus Williams: S, Utah – Games – Highlights – Combine Pat Elflein: C, Ohio State – Games – Highlights – Combine TJ Watt: LB, Wisconsin – Games – Highlights – Combine Duke Riley: LB, LSU – Games – Highlights – Combine Charles Harris: DE, Missouri – Games – Highlights – Combine Jordan Willis: DE, Kansas St. – Games – Highlights – Combine ArDarius Stewart: WR, Alabama – Games – Highlights – Combine Davis Webb: QB, Cal – Games – Highlights – Combine Montravius Adams: DT, Auburn – Games – Highlights – Combine Cameron Sutton CB, Tennessee: – Games – Highlights – Combine Derek Rivers: DE, Youngstown St. – Games – Highlights – Combine Carlos Watkins: DT, Clemson – Games – Highlights – Combine DeShaun Watson: QB, Clemson – Games – Highlights – Combine Jaleel Johnson: DT, Iowa – Games – Highlights – Combine Demarcus Walker: DE, FSU – Games – Highlights – Combine Ethan Pocic: C, LSU – Games – Highlights – Combine Jake Butt: TE, Michigan – Games – Highlights – Combine Bucky Hodges: TE, Virginia Tech – Games – Highlights – Combine Gerald Everett: TE, South Alabama – Games – Highlights – Combine Eddie Jackson: S, Alabama – Games – Highlights – Combine Kendell Beckwith: LB, LSU – Games – Highlights – Combine Tanoh Kpassagnon: DL, Villanova- Games – Highlights – Combine Tanzel Smart: DT, Tulane – Games – Highlights – Combine Kenny Golladay: WR, Northern Illinois – Games – Highlights – Combine DeDe Westbrook: WR, Oklahoma – Games – Highlights – Combine

This has been one of the biggest tiers in the draft, and part of the reason is because many of these players are going to be drafted early, but not by the Lions. Any of the quarterbacks on this list wearing a Lions jersey would be a shock, to say the least. This list is an odd mix of first round picks and day three players, but their role in the future of the Detroit Lions would be the same. Players who would have the ability to play special teams while they waited for the seat atop the depth chart to open got a push-up. There are a lot of players that could replace current Lions starters, but only if given a year to learn under them.