With the Free Agency market opening Friday, the Lions are keeping a tight lid on their plan: the positions they hope to address and the players they want to target. Lewand, though, said fans could expect the Lions to move quickly in Free Agency.

"My sense is that it's a three-day market, and by Monday, it'll be very well defined," Lewand said. "A lot of guys are going to move, then the market's going to dry up."

In the past, high-ticket players generally were signed during the opening weekend and mid-level free agents were signed later. Lewand said that would change leaguewide this season.

"If you're a mid-level guy, moving quickly might be in your best interest," he said.

The Lions have about

$35 million under the salary cap, and several other teams have just as much -- if not more -- money available. Lewand said those numbers are misleading because the rules have changed.

Because NFL owners opted out of the collective bargaining agreement, the 2010 season will be an uncapped year, and that will have a profound impact on how contracts are written.

"It isn't necessarily the cap room it was in previous years," Lewand said, "$35 million of cap room isn't what it once was. Deals need to be more front-loaded than they were in the past."

Uncertainty looms about whether the Lions will make a run at the biggest free agent on the market: Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth.

New Lions coach Jim Schwartz was Haynesworth's defensive coordinator at Tennessee and said one of his first goals was to improve Detroit's defense and stop the run.

The Lions, however, also indicated they would not make any moves with

high-dollar free agents.

"It's not like we're one player away (from a Super Bowl)," Lions general manager Martin Mayhew said.