Dave Birkett

Detroit Free Press

The Detroit Lions have so far shied away from giving Calvin Johnson a deadline to make his decision on retirement, but with free agency fast approaching, the team is pushing to get an answer soon.

The Lions, in conversations with the representatives of various players across the league, have told people that they hope to know in the next 24 hours what Johnson's plans are for 2016.

Johnson confirmed in January that he was considering retiring from the NFL after nine seasons, but he has not yet spoken publicly about his decision and has not responded to multiple email requests for comment.

Lions general manager Bob Quinn explained at the NFL combine last month why the organization had decided against giving Johnson a deadline.

"That’s just the decision that we made internally to not put a deadline on Calvin," Quinn said. "That’s something that we’ve talked about, myself, Coach (Jim) Caldwell, Rod Wood. That’s just the way we’re going to go about business in terms of what Calvin’s decision may or may not be."

Johnson, who turns 31 in September, is a six-time Pro Bowler and one of the NFL's all-time great receivers, but his production has slipped in recent years because of health.

Still, he led the Lions with 1,214 yards receiving and nine touchdowns last year, and his retirement would leave a major void on offense.

The Lions have just one receiver under contract besides Johnson who has more than 20 career catches (Golden Tate), two other young pass catchers with undefined roles for 2016 (TJ Jones and Corey Fuller), and several more players on futures deals (Corey Washington, Austin Willis, Ryan Spadola).

They plan to address their receiver position in free agency and potentially the draft no matter what Johnson decides, though the caliber prospect they can afford might hinge somewhat on Johnson's decision.

The Lions entered today with about $30 million in available cap space, but they could gain another $11.1 million if Johnson retires.

Marvin Jones, the top receiver in free agency, may end up being too expensive for the Lions' liking no matter what Johnson does, but the Lions are expected to be in on the next tier of receivers that could include players like Jermaine Kearse and Anquan Boldin.

Along with receiver, the Lions hope to fill needs this week on the offensive and defensive lines, at linebacker and safety.

It's unclear what the Lions will do if they don't get an answer from Johnson by the time free agency officially opens at 4 p.m. Wednesday. For now, teams are allowed only to negotiate with players' representatives.

Pro Football Talk reported during the NFL combine that some in the league wondered if Johnson wasn't dragging out his retirement announcement in order to get the Lions to release him, the thought being he then could play for any team if the NFL if he decides to return.

Johnson's confidants angrily disputed that notion, and others close to Johnson have insisted over the past two months that Johnson's only motive for considering retirement is his health.

Johnson has undergone finger and knee surgeries in recent years, he barely practiced in the second half of last season because of an ankle injury, and he confided in people at that time that he was considering walking away from the game.

Joel Corry, a former sports agent who writes about league business issues for CBS Sports, said the Lions don’t need to cut Johnson to be active players in free agency.

“There’s an urgency,” Corry said. “They’d like to have a decision now. But it’s not time of the essence like Peyton Manning where you ask him, ‘We need to know,’ for the ramifications which make it impossible to delay the decision.”

Tate, who the Lions signed to a five-year, $31-million contract in free agency two years ago, has led the Lions in receptions each of the last two seasons. He's primarily an underneath receiver, though, and the Lions are looking for someone with more field-stretching ability and to be a target in the red zone.

The Lions have reached out to a handful of free agents today while they wait on Johnson's decision, including Cincinnati Bengals safety George Iloka, and remain in talks with several of their own free agents, including Haloti Ngata. According to NFL Network, the Lions also have shown interest in guard J.R. Sweezy of the Seattle Seahawks.

Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter@davebirkett.

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