The Detroit Lions will have another opportunity to add premium talent through free agency next week when the new league year begins.

Under general manager Brad Holmes, the Lions have prioritized adding supplementary pieces in free agency as opposed to chasing superstars and handing out high-profile deals. While many of the moves he’s made have been low-risk, there have been some misses throughout his four years in the position.

Here is a ranking of Holmes’ five worst external free agency signings. Players who were acquired via the draft, trades or free agency and subsequently re-signed were excluded from the ranking.

5. WR Breshad Perriman

Perriman was brought in with an opportunity to contribute to the Lions on a one-year deal in 2021. He had been previously playing a limited role with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for two years and was trying to find his footing after originally being a first-round pick of the Baltimore Ravens in 2016.

His contract carried $2 million guaranteed, and there was optimsim that he would be able to contribute on a Lions roster that was light on wide receiver depth. However, he struggled in the preseason and was ultimately left off the 53-man roster at the conclusion of training camp.

4. WR Tyrell Williams

Williams was part of the Lions’ first free agency class under Holmes, as he signed a one-year, $4 million contract to join the team in 2021. He had missed the entire previous season due to a torn labrum, but had upside with a 1,000-yard season in 2016 and three consecutive seasons with at least 650 yards in the following years.

However, Williams’ tenure with the Lions was short-lived. He caught two passes for 14 yards in the season opener against San Francisco, but suffered a brain injury that would send him to injured reserve. Williams would not return for the remainder of the year and was not re-signed.

3. S C.J. Gardner-Johnson

After the long-term contract that Gardner-Johnson desired did not materialize, the Lions brought him in on a one-year contract. It was a shrewd move, as he had led the NFL in interceptions the year prior with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Things turned sour for Gardner-Johnson in Week 2, when he suffered a torn pec that was initially believed to be season-ending. To his credit, though, he rehabbed vigorously and returned to action in the regular season finale. However, by that time Ifeatu Melifonwu had been performing well enough to earn a starting role. Gardner-Johnson did record an interception in the Divisional Round, but infamously struggled in the NFC Championship game and left Detroit for a three-year deal with the Philadelphia Eagles in the following offseason.

2. CB Emmanuel Moseley

The Lions added Moseley in the offseason leading into the 2023 season on a one-year deal. He was coming off a torn ACL, but had been performing well prior to the injury for the San Francisco 49ers. However, from the start injuries were set to doom the partnership.

Moseley required an additional procedure during his recovery that postponed his Lions debut until Week 5, and he suffered a torn ACL on just his third snap in that game. Detroit elected to give him another chance with another one-year deal in 2024.

He worked hard to recover for the 2024 season, but was dealt even more adversity when he suffered a torn pec in joint practices against the New York Giants. Moseley battled back to be activated in Week 12 against the Colts, but spent most of the remainder of the season as a healthy scratch and finished the year on the NFI list. In two years with the Lions, he has appeared in just three games.

1. CB Cam Sutton

In Holmes’ first two years as general manager, he did not hand out a single multi-year contract to an external free agent. That changed in 2023, when the team inked Sutton to a three-year, $33 million contract.

Expected to be a top contributor for the defense, Sutton started every game for the Lions during their run to the NFC Championship game. He tallied one interception and 65 combined tackles in the regular season.

However, Sutton was accused of domestic abuse in the following offseason. Upon learning of the matter, the Lions promptly released the veteran defensive back. Sutton signed with his former team, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and played in nine games after serving an eight-game suspension to begin the 2024 campaign.

This article was produced by the staff at Detroit Lions On SI. For more, visit si.com/nfl/lions