Lions free agent countdown: No. 13 Ashlee Palmer

The Detroit Lions have 20 pending unrestricted free agents, and we're spending 20 days counting down each player and examining whether and how they fit into the future of the team.

Free agency opens March 10, the Lions can re-sign any of their players before the start of the new league year, and they can use the franchise or transition tag on one player between today and March 2.

Ashlee Palmer

Age: 28

Position: LB

Other LBs under contract for 2015: DeAndre Levy, Stephen Tulloch, Tahir Whitehead, Kyle Van Noy, Julian Stanford, Travis Lewis, Jerrell Harris

Other LBs entering free agency: Josh Bynes (restricted free agent)

How acquired: Claimed off waivers from the Buffalo Bills in February 2010

2014 stats: 16 GP, 5 GS, 12 tackles, 1.5 sacks

2014 salary: $1.25 million

The future: One of the Lions' most invaluable role players the last five years, Palmer is at a bit of a crossroads. He lost his starting outside linebacker job to Whitehead last year, then regained it after Tulloch got hurt. He also watched last spring as the Lions traded up to get Van Noy in the second round. Van Noy has to be in the playing group next season, so if Palmer returns, he'll do so strictly as a special teams player. He has been very good in that role throughout his career, but the Lions might be able to save money by using Lewis, Whitehead and Bynes instead.

Next up: Jed Collins

Previously:

No. 14 Corey Hilliard

No. 15 Dan Orlovsky

No. 16 Cassius Vaughn

No. 17 Garrett Reynolds

No. 18 Andre Fluellen

No. 19 Kellen Davis

No. 20 Josh Thomas

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