Five reasons not to be worried that the Lions got a slow start on first day of free agency:

1. Martin Mayhew has a good track record in free agency, so he must be trusted.

2. Last year he signed MLB Stephen Tulloch and CB Eric Wright late in free agency and that seemed to work out just fine.

3. Mayhew had warned that the Lions would not be making a big splash in free agency with some of the high-profile players. He wasn’t kidding. He’s looking for more value for his dollar.

4. Not a lot of cap space to work with now. That could change with an extension for Calvin Johnson whose cap hit for 2012 is $22 million. That would change with a new deal.

5. The Lions emphasize that the roster is always a work in progress. It’s not done after free agency or the draft, Mayhew tweaks it throughout the season. It’s early.

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