Detroit Lions: Making the Call on Impending Contract Decisions

"The season isn't underway, and this dude already wants to talk about which players the Detroit Lions should extend, re-sign or let walk? Does he have anything else in his life besides football?"

Yes and no.

I do, but it's a relationship-crippling addiction to a certain NFL-themed video game and its franchise mode. And in said gaming mode, you won't find sustained success without keeping one eye on the future.

The same holds true for the real-life franchises. You can keep players for lower costs if you give them long-term security earlier than necessary, but that carries the obvious risk that the player may lose motivation or not develop as projected.

It's all a guessing game that takes place before and after the real games, so there's never a bad time to evaluate the potential free agents. Let's check in on five Lions who could hit the free market next spring.

DT Haloti Ngata

Rick Osentoski/Associated Press

The Lions were aggressive about acquiring Haloti Ngata, as evidenced by the short time frame between Ndamukong Suh's Miami announcement and Ngata's arrival. But that enthusiasm hasn't spilled over to contract discussions.

Ngata is heading into the final year of a massive four-year, $48.5 million contract, per Spotrac. The Lions, however, are on the hook for only $8.5 million and haven't looked to make any further investment yet.

This will perturb some fans. Ngata is coming off a season in which he played out of position as a 3-4 defensive end and still posted his highest Pro Football Focus grade ever (23.1 including playoffs) with 20 quarterback hurries. And Detroit's followers don't want to go through another Suh experience so soon.

The number of hurries is encouraging, since the Lions will ask him to do more penetrating than he ever did for Baltimore. That switch is one of the reasons Detroit would be wise to wait on an extension, per Justin Rogers of MLive.com:

"

The benefits of waiting are seeing how he fits in Detroit's scheme, seeing how his body is holding up at his advanced age and seeing how ready Caraun Reid and rookie Gabe Wright are to have bigger roles. Overspending on Ngata, who will be 32 years old in January, wouldn't be financially prudent.

"

Rogers has the right take here. Ngata has put together an All-Pro career, but we can't be certain as to how he'll adjust in Detroit and whether his body is made for this style of relentless play.

Verdict: Wait and See

OT LaAdrian Waddle

Jeff Haynes/Associated Press

The LaAdrian Waddle of two years ago would be an easy call. In fact, if he had continued to tear up the league at his rookie pace (30th-best tackle), he'd already have a raise and an extension in hand.

Alas, the injury bug didn't just bite Waddle; it clamped down and went into a death roll.

Waddle injured his calf a few plays into the season opener against the New York Giants. He returned a month later but was in and out of the lineup before an ACL tear finished his season in Week 15. He never looked completely comfortable, though he occasionally flashed his old form.

Now he's in a fight to get back onto the field:

"

Lions RT LaAdrian Waddle (ACL): "I'm doing everything I can to be out there Week 1 and kick some ass" http://t.co/OiESQpcf8h via @freep

— Dave Birkett (@davebirkett) May 15, 2015"

And once he re-enters the fray, there's no guarantee his job will be waiting for him. Cornelius Lucas will be battling with former tight end Michael Williams and seventh-round pick Corey Robinson for the next few months. And if Lucas looks good enough, Waddle may be blocked from the field by another former undrafted free agent.

Waddle has been a solid player in the past. He'd be a fine addition to the future. So long as it's for the right price.

Verdict: Wait and See

S James Ihedigbo

Paul Sancya/Associated Press

The James Ihedigbo story could have been drowned out by the draft for some. If you missed it, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport sums it up well here:

"

#Lions S James Ihedigbo is reporting to the team today for OTAs, source said. A show of faith in the team, perhaps? He wants a new deal

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 26, 2015"

There was no indication that general manager Martin Mayhew felt any pressure from Ihedigbo skipping early voluntary workouts. Now that he's at OTAs, you can rest assured that Mayhew won't be working out a new contract for the 31-year-old safety.

Ihedigbo thrived in defensive coordinator Teryl Austin's system last year. He graded out as a top-15 safety, per PFF, allowing a quarterback rating of only 66.9 when opponents targeted his assignment.

Unfortunately for him, players aren't paid for past performance but for what they can do in the future. Considering the contracts the Lions already have to honor, with a couple of other big ones coming up, it's unlikely that he'll get a big enough offer to stay.

Verdict: Let Him Walk

LB DeAndre Levy

Brandon Wade/Associated Press

At what age does a player usually decline? Running backs, for instance, are regarded as annoying friends by the time they hit 30, only to be kept around due to desperation (or loneliness) and a lack of better alternatives.

I ask because that's the only logical argument against not paying DeAndre Levy. And since he'll be only 28 when the next season ends, it's a weak one at that.

He was the team leader last season in tackles with 151. He's had at least one interception in each year of his career, with a ridiculous six in 2013, proving his instincts are in tune. And then there's this gem:

"

Top 3 linebackers in terms of tackles for a loss: DeAndre Levy and Lavonte David (16) followed by Khalil Mack (14). pic.twitter.com/s3762XzBmu

— Pro Football Focus (@PFF) June 1, 2015"

Plus, the dude grows a sick beard. That has to count for something.

Detroit will eventually have to work out deals with defensive end Ezekiel Ansah and cornerback Darius Slay, so there is some concern about tying up so much money in a few players. However, Levy has proved to be a game-changing linebacker, and Detroit needs to retain its second-level stud.

Verdict: Pay the Man Now

LB Tahir Whitehead

Tony Gutierrez/Associated Press

Tahir Whitehead had a breakout 2014 campaign. He stepped in for Stephen Tulloch brilliantly in the middle after sliding over from the strong side, racking up 86 tackles and finishing as the 12th-best linebacker grade-wise.

He was also solid against the passing game. He allowed a quarterback rating of only 85.9 on targets to his man.

A key element to any negotiations with Whitehead—as with every player—will be the price. He's starting to convert his potential to production, and he has a veteran's mindset, per Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press: "I got up to 245 this offseason. Tried to bulk up a bit, being as though I'm going to be back on the line of scrimmage playing Sam. Just try to be more stout in the run. I'm not saying I was terrible last year, but I'm my biggest critic and I feel like I could have been better."

That could entice other teams to drive up his price, should Whitehead get past the exclusive negotiating period (see: Suh, Ndamukong). There isn't much room left in this year's budget (about $4 million in cap space, per Spotrac), so Detroit may need to get creative to hold on to its Tulloch replacement.

Verdict: Start Negotiating Now to Feel Things Out

All advanced stats, grades and positional rankings are courtesy of 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.