Ranking the 2015 Impact of the Detroit Lions' Free-Agent Signings so Far

The Detroit Lions didn't enter free agency with the goal of getting markedly better through splashy signings. Instead, general manager Martin Mayhew took his time and sought out players who could help the Detroit Lions win in 2015 at the right price.

So far, so good.

Mayhew is likely hoping to add another piece or two via free agency, but the heavy lifting is done. We can safely tear into his moves and rank them by the impact each player will have next season, knowing any new signing probably won't shake up the list too much.

To do so, we're not looking at anything but what these guys can do to help win games. That's the only goal here, so there won't be any talk of contracts or compensation. So click through to find out who is ready to impact the Lions' 2015 season.

Missed the Cut

Rick Osentoski/Associated Press

Aside from some future deals and long snapper Don Muhlbach, here are the rest of the signings that didn't make the cut.

QBs Dan Orlovsky and Kellen Moore: After enduring a few years with the injury-prone label, Matthew Stafford has proved to be built of sturdier stuff. He hasn't missed a start since 2010, leaving few snaps along the way, and gobbled up every one in 2014. The only storyline involving these two will be who earns the right to hold the second-string clipboard.

LB Josh Bynes: Stephen Tulloch's return and Kyle Van Noy's hopeful ascension after a full offseason of preparation will limit the opportunities available to Bynes. He's a back-of-the-line backer that will primarily be used on special teams.

DE/OLB Darryl Tapp: If Tapp makes an impact in 2015, it'll be because of injury or at defensive tackle, where he should only be used as an ill-suited emergency option. It would be surprising if he surpassed last year's 17 tackles.

WR/KR Jeremy Ross: Detroit was able to retain Ross for a minimal investment that carries no dead money. There will be a competition for the return duties, and it remains to be seen if Ross will be around come September. He's not making this cut.

5. S Isa Abdul-Quddus

Jeff Haynes/Associated Press

Detroit's special teams took a nosedive over the second half of the 2014 season. Jeremy Ross lost his confidence and decision-making ability, and the coverage units started giving away lanes like a bowling alley. More importantly, players were missing opportunities to make the plays in front of them.

Chief among that last group was Isa Abdul-Quddus, who led all special teamers with six missed tackles, according to Pro Football Focus. But this was still a smart signing, as last year's teachable moments can be corrected, giving Detroit a salvageable special teams project.

However, there's other upside to be exploited here. He's only 25 years old and acquitted himself nicely when James Ihedigbo couldn't start the season. Peter Schrager of Fox Sports agrees:

"

Abdul Quddus, a Fordham grad, a favorite of Teryl Austin's. Started 1st 3 games for DET in 2014. Still just 25 years old. Both sides happy.

— Peter Schrager (@PSchrags) March 10, 2015"

Ihedigbo is 31 and plays with a physical style. Abdul-Quddus will provide insurance that the defense can maintain its high level of play if Ihedigbo goes down while giving Detroit time to determine if he can take over full-time down the road.

4. DT Tyrunn Walker

Gerald Herbert/Associated Press

Tyrunn Walker is similar to Abdul-Quddus in potential, the difference being Walker will get a chance as a starter much sooner.

There was a lot of interest in the young Louisiana native. He narrowed his options down to the New England Patriots and the Lions, picking the latter because defensive coordinator Teryl Austin likes to cut his defensive linemen loose, per Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com:

"

“(The Lions) give their d-line an opportunity to go out and make plays,” Walker said.

Lions coaches told Walker on his visit that they don’t plan to do too much two-gapping with him, which should squash the rumors of the Lions moving to a 3-4 scheme.

“They said I was versatile,” Walker said. “I played all the positions on the d-line (in New Orleans) and my production level went up every year.”

"

That last sentence carries a lot of weight here. Despite only playing 284 snaps, Walker finished 21st among defensive tackles in PFF's grading system by racking up 14 hurries and three sacks.

Walker was behind some good players in New Orleans. Now, he gets to start in a scheme that will ask him to attack one gap and make plays in the backfield. That's his wheelhouse. The big man is going to eat.

3. CB Rashean Mathis

Jeff Haynes/Associated Press

Rashean Mathis doesn't have the potential of the last two players. He doesn't need it for our purposes, as Mathis is an entrenched starter at a valuable position.

The Detroit secondary was a strength last season because all the starters were performing at a high level. And surprisingly, there's an argument that Mathis was the best among the group by virtue of his high PFF grade—12th-highest among cornerbacks—and consistency.

The major concern with Mathis is his age. He'll be 35 before the season kicks off and his renaissance has already been defying the odds for the past two years. But even if his play slips a bit, Mathis will still provide real value, as Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com explained:

"

Teryl Austin on Mathis: "He’s like having an extra coach, so it’s good. I’m really excited to have him back."

— Tim Twentyman (@ttwentyman) March 19, 2015"

Of course, the possibility of a Champ Bailey-level crash exists; it just doesn't seem likely enough to knock him back past semi-proven backups.

2. K Matt Prater

Charles Rex Arbogast/Associated Press

The Lions kicking game found its savior in Matt Prater. That's not hyperbole; it's the bare truth.

Once Alex Henery missed his final field-goal attempt in the Week 5 loss to Buffalo, the pressure to sign Prater became unbearable. Six months later, Detroit has inked him to another deal, and Bleacher Report's Ty Schalter avoided blowing smoke in his analysis:

"

After three decades of unrivaled stability at the kicker position and then THAT nonsense, the Lions bringing back Matt Prater feels huge.

— Ty Schalter (@tyschalter) March 6, 2015"

Again, it is that big of a deal. The offense needs all the help it can get, and a consistently accurate kicker will elongate the "scoring zone" (the area where Detroit can score points) while freeing up offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi to take more chances knowing he can rely on Prater to pick up three points.

Still need more convincing? Check out this excerpt from an article by Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com:

"

That rediscovered stability reinforced why having a consistent, competent kicker was so important and it made Prater one of the team's highest-priority free agents not named Ndamukong Suh. It could easily be argued that other than Suh, bringing back Prater was thehighest priority because Detroit couldn't afford to try another rookie at the position or roll with another kicker the team had no experience with. 

"

Now do you believe me?

1. DT Haloti Ngata

Nick Wass/Associated Press

Remember that quote from Michael Rothstein on the Prater slide? Remember the first name on Detroit's offseason list?

No, it wasn't Haloti Ngata, but he's the guy who is replacing Ndamukong Suh, both on that list and on the field. And his impact will be just as varied, per Paula Pasche of The Oakland Press:

"

Newest #Lions DT Tyrunn Walker said team hasn't discussed his role. Plans to pick Haloti Ngata's brain.

— Paula Pasche (@paulapasche) March 16, 2015"

There is some concern that the 31-year-old nose tackle is on the downside of his career. That could be true, but it didn't affect him last year when he put up the highest PFF grade (23.1) of his career. 

He's going to take up two blockers on run downs and be frisky against the pass. His presence will free up guys like Walker to make plays in the backfield. And friends and foes are already weighing in on Ngata's value to Detroit, per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press:

"

"He's a double-team guy," [Calvin] Johnson said of Ngata. "You've got to put two guys on him, because he'll disrupt the whole offensive line. … I definitely consider it like blocking someone like a Suh."

Tell me about it, said offensive guard Matt Slauson of the rival Chicago Bears.

"Just when I think life was going to get a little easier in our division, with Suh going to the AFC East, things got a whole lot worse: The Lions got Haloti," Slauson said. "As Baltimore fans know, Haloti's a beast. I've been playing against that guy my whole entire career, and he's just ridiculous. So life has not gotten any easier in the NFC North."

"

So let's not make this difficult. Ngata is a five-time Pro Bowler who can step into a spot vacated by a future Hall of Famer and excel. What other recently signed Lion can say that?

Glad we agree there, because Ngata wasn't technically a "free agent." He was, however, an acquisition with the possibility of signing a new deal soon, so he sneaks in based on that potential technicality.

All salary-cap numbers are sourced from Spotrac unless otherwise noted. All advanced stats, grades and positional rankings are sourced from Pro Football Focus.

Brandon Alisoglu is a Detroit Lions Featured Columnist who has written about the Lions on multiple sites. He also co-hosts a Lions-centric podcast, Lions Central Radio. Yell at him on Twitter about how wrong he is @BrandonAlisoglu.