3. Riley Reiff
Both Larry Warford and Riley Reiff are pending free agents. Both have been consistent starters for the Lions in recent years, and both are certain to receive interest from other teams. It is unlikely that the Lions will bring both of them back, but if they were to keep one, keeping Reiff would make more sense.
The Lions have much more depth at guard than at tackle. Graham Glasgow impressed in his rookie season, and the Lions are excited about Joe Dahl’s potential. Former first-round selection Laken Tomlinson has struggled, but the Lions still hope that he can meet expectations. As for tackle, the Lions have Cornelius Lucas and Garrett Reynolds, who are both unproven.
Many Lions fans do not want Reiff to return to the Lions, but Reiff will likely cost less to re-sign than Warford. Reiff is by no means an elite tackle, but he does solidify a position that has been a weakness for the Lions in recent years. Pride of Detroit reports that Pro Football Focus ranked Reiff 48 out of 81 qualifying right tackles in 2016. This means that Reiff is an average player, but average is certainly better than what Detroit has had in the past (LaAdrian Waddle, Gosder Cherilus).
