Joe Schobert

Schobert is the best off-ball LB in the free agent class. He’s arguably the best coverage LB in the league, and he proved in 2019 he can handle being more of a playmaker. So why wouldn’t the Lions want a player who has averaged over 125 tackles a year in the last three seasons while providing great coverage and some ability to generate pressure off the blitz?

Part of the reason is the current investment in his position. The Lions just gave Christian Jones a contract extension. They drafted Jahlani Tavai in the second round last April and Tavai played well enough the coaching staff trusted him to call the complex defense. Devon Kennard is the JACK, with young Austin Bryant grooming under him in a role that Schobert doesn’t really play anyway. Jarrad Davis still looms, too.

Part of the reason is the expected contract. Recent contracts signed by Shaq Thompson and Kwon Alexander put Schobert’s presumed asking price in the $14-$16 million per year range. That’s an awful lot of money for an off-ball LB who almost never made “splash” plays until his contract season, a player who led the NFL in missed tackles in 2018 and tops the league-wide list over the last three years, too.