ALLEN PARK, Mich. – When the Detroit Lions declined Nick Fairley's fifth-year option prior to the 2014 season, one of the factors involved was trying to motivate the 2011 first-round draft pick to become more consistent and accountable.

Now, with the Lions' 2014 season concluded and Fairley headed toward free agency in March, it appears the Lions' message worked -- at least for getting Fairley in shape and focused on football and his future.

He missed the last nine games of the season due to a knee injury, but here's where Fairley might have surprised a lot of people. Instead of letting his weight balloon up, Fairley actually showed up fitter and thinner than he has been at any point during the prior two seasons with Detroit.

Even though he didn't play in a game during the second half of the season, Fairley enters the offseason at 290 pounds and excited about his future.

"I think it's bright," Fairley said. "I think I can still make my name on this league as far just being a consistent player each and every year, no matter where I'm at. That's going to be my goal, you know what I'm saying. Just stay consistent and just be there for the team and help them win and do whatever I got to do."

Where his future is remains the bigger question. Fairley said Monday he would like to remain in Detroit, but the reality is where Fairley ends up could be tied to the man he lined up next to at defensive tackle the last four seasons – Ndamukong Suh.

The Lions likely won't have the money to bring back both Suh and Fairley and Lions coach Jim Caldwell said Suh is going to be one of the team's top priorities in the offseason.

Fairley said some of Suh's work habits and offseason conditioning has worn off on him. While the two player's futures are intertwined, this might be one of the most important things for Fairley -- be it in Detroit or elsewhere.

Throughout the season, Fairley watched what Suh did to prepare for a game and to get ready for the year. He said while he isn't planning on joining Suh in Oregon during the offseason to prepare, he is hoping to emulate some of the things he has done.

"We talked throughout the season and seeing the things he did in the offseason, I wanted to pick up on it," Fairley said. "I told him show me some things that you're doing and I'm going to add it to mine because I think it will help me out.

"...There's multiple things as far as how he worked out and went by lifting weights, he don't just probably go in there and lift a whole bunch of weight. He might do something different, just different things that he [does]."

Fairley wouldn't expand on it, but that's perhaps part of his learning process. Suh has always praised Fairley and talked about how much talent he has. Now, as they both prepare to hit the free agent market, he might try to be like him more than ever.

And that decision, in more ways than one, could pay off.