ALLEN PARK -- The Detroit Lions really needed a new starting offensive lineman, cornerback and defensive tackle heading into free agency. Then they spent the last couple weeks signing a new offensive lineman and a couple new defensive tackles and a Pro Bowl corner and, hey, they even traded for another safety for good measure.

And after all that, their needs remain almost unchanged.

Still need a starting corner. Still need a starting defensive tackle. Still need a starting offensive lineman.

That’s not to say the Lions haven’t done some good things in free agency. Jamie Collins should upgrade the edge of the defense, the depth on the interior has been solidified and the special teams should be vastly improved. But there’s still work to be done across this roster heading into a critical season for the franchise.

With that, here’s a look at the biggest remaining needs:

Cornerback: The Lions signed former Pro Bowler Desmond Trufant, which helps. But they also traded Darius Slay to Philadelphia, and Trufant is no Darius Slay. The Lions are worse at cornerback right now than they were at the end of the season, no doubt about that, which is no place to be when you’ve just allowed the most passing yards in the league. Sure, maybe Amani Oruwariye turns out to be ready to step into a full-time role. He showed some development down the stretch as a rookie last season. But rolling into 2020 with the fifth-round pick penciled in as a starter -- and no serious competition -- seems imprudent. It’s no wonder Jeff Okudah has become such a trendy choice for Detroit at the top of the draft. Okudah is a big, physical corner (just how the Lions like them) who has experience playing in press man (which is the Lions’ preferred coverage scheme). It’s a matter of need matching up with the best player expected to be available, and it’s hard to see it not happening if the Lions sit on the third overall pick. Because there is still a dire need for immediate help in the secondary.

Defensive tackle: The Lions were nearly historically bad on defense last year. They allowed the most passing yards while picking off the fewest passes. And while there are a lot of reasons for that, the fall of the defensive line was foremost among them. Nobody had a less effective pass rush than Detroit. It was especially bad on the inside, where Mike Daniels and Da’Shawn Hand combined to play just 12 games because of injuries. Throw in the struggles of Snacks Harrison, who wasn’t himself until the season had already turned, and that group just plain sucked. Now a rebuild is underway, with Harrison (cut) out and Daniels (unsigned) and A’Shawn Robinson (Rams) allowed to hit free agency. The Lions have replaced them by signing Danny Shelton and Nick Williams, which should help build some depth. There’s a lot to like about the Shelton signing in particular, as a nose in the prime of his career and experience in this scheme. But neither Shelton nor Williams is the sort of guy who is going to take over a game -- the kind of guy an offensive coordinator has to plan for -- and that’s what Detroit still badly needs. Someone who can actually rattle an offense. The Lions seem like an awfully good bet to draft a guy like that early.

Offensive line: Detroit spent more money here than anywhere else, handing Philadelphia backup offensive tackle Halapoulivaati Vaitai a five-year, $45 million contract on the first day of free agency. Vaitai is now penciled in as the replacement for Rick Wagner at right tackle, which should save Detroit some money and beef up the run blocking. But there are questions about Vaitai’s pass blocking, and the matter of who will start alongside him. Graham Glasgow was allowed to walk in free agency -- signing a four-year, $44 million deal with Denver -- and the Lions’ only move there has been to bring back Oday Aboushi. While Aboushi’s experience could be valuable coming off the bench, here’s betting the Day 1 starter at right guard isn’t on the roster. Expect to see the Lions take another interior lineman no later than the middle rounds of the draft.

Running back: While no one wanted to see Kerryon Johnson go back on injured reserve with another knee injury, it did lead to the emergence of Bo Scarbrough. Now both are back, giving Detroit some hope it can climb into the top half of the league in rushing for the first time since the Barry Sanders era. (Seriously.) Ty Johnson, a sixth-round pick, is also back. But after watching Kerryon Johnson go down each of the last two years, don’t expect the Lions to stand pat. They are very serious about trying to rebuild that running game -- the Vaitai signing is yet more evidence of that -- and still need better depth in the offensive backfield. They especially need a guy who can replace J.D. McKissic as a pass-catcher out of the backfield. They didn’t sign any running backs in free agency, but going younger -- and cheaper -- at the position is usually for the best.

Receiver: It’s certainly not the most pressing need, with Kenny Golladay, Marvin Jones and Danny Amendola all back from last year’s starting lineup. Marvin Hall, the No. 4 receiver, is back too. So is Travis Fulgham, a sixth-round pick. Throw in the signing of Geronimo Allison and Geremy Davis in the last week, plus the return of end-of-the-bench guys like Chris Lacy, Tom Kennedy and Jonathan Duhart, and it’s already a crowded room. But don’t underestimate the long-term need at the position either. Nobody -- not a single receiver -- is signed beyond this season. Of course, that could change if Golladay and the Lions can reach an agreement on an extension. Still, the team needs to ensure the long-term depth of the position. Because for all this talk about building a viable running game, Detroit is still living and dying by the right arm of Matthew Stafford. And right now, there isn’t a single guy under contract to catch passes from him in 2021.