The Lions have won two games without Aidan Hutchinson, the most recent a dismantling of the Titans. Detroit holds the NFC’s best record and the tiebreaker over Minnesota by virtue of a narrow Week 7 win, but the team may well need another piece to help cover for losing Hutchinson, who went down with a broken leg while holding the NFL’s sack lead.
Detroit has notched five quarterback hits in each of its past two wins, turning four from the Minnesota matchup into sacks. The Lions notched one sack against the Titans. The team, however, is playing without Hutchinson and the player added to be his primary sidekick. Marcus Davenport, who came over after missing most of last season with the Vikings, is out for the year as well due to an elbow injury.
Considering the problems the Lions have run into finding an EDGE complement to Hutchinson since drafting the standout player in 2022, it would make sense for the team to bring in help before the Nov. 5 trade deadline. Dan Campbell offered a hint that will be coming. Acknowledging the deadline as a viable tool to address this prospective concern, the fourth-year Lions HC said (via the Detroit Free Press’ Dave Birkett) a move could be imminent when asked about a potential transaction.
A weekend report named the Lions as a team that would love to acquire defensive help, and after Za’Darius Smith made interesting comments about a Detroit fit, the NFC North leaders are believed to be interested in the ex-NFC North staple-turned-Browns trade chip. The Jets reached a resolution with Haason Reddick, whom the Lions checked in on. It is worth wondering, however, if New York — which faces Houston on Thursday — could revisit trade talks involving a player whose holdout produced a seven-game absence. The Jets sit 2-6 before that Texans matchup and may find themselves, even after the Davante Adams trade, in a strange position as a potential seller.
The Lions used journeyman Al-Quadin Muhammad as an EDGE starter Sunday. No one besides Hutchinson has more than seven QB hits on their roster, and no non-Hutchinson performer has produced more than 2.5 sacks. Among pure Lions edge rushers, no one has collected more than one sack. It would seem a move will happen, and given the Lions’ surge over the past two seasons, how they go about filling this need will be one of the trade deadline’s top subplots.
This is something the Lions definitely need to do. I have to believe everyone in the organization from Sheila on down knows this and with the team being a bona fide Super Bowl contender they will make it happen. This is definitely not the time to be worried about the future as the future is NOW! Go Lions!!!!!
Max Crosby for a 1st and something else? Not sure what it will take beyond the 1st but that seems like an obvious fit to me.
Crosby or Garrett likely aren’t happening. They cost too much. With Uche getting trade to KC, Smith seems like the most logical choice. Of course, Holmes could always have something else up his sleeve.
That’s true, and you are probably correct, but it does seem worth it. Neither is old enough to think that they couldn’t be a part of the team after this year or even potentially earn a second contract in the best case for Detroit. Hutchinson and Branch are probably the next two Lions to earn a new deal, if I remember correctly. One or two years on the rookie deal, plus a backloaded contract that most teams do these days, could give the Lions two or three years of a premier pass rushing tandem with one of their own stars and one of the best pass rushers of the last decade in either Garrett or Crosby. The Lions don’t need much more with that first round pick, as they’re set at most of their positions. The return here is definitely worth the cost.
The issue is, as always, contracts. Crosby is playing for a cheaper deal than he’s worth, but as I said, other Lions will need extensions in a few years. I haven’t looked in depth to see how this could possibly work or what the issues will be, because I’m sure that there are several. But in this particular case I do think that it’s worth the headache.
Detroit doesn’t need a Crosby or Garret-a Z. Smith, Clowney, or Reddick would probably do just fine-but it would make them incredibly dominant and I think that they’re one of the few contenders who could swing it for more than a half year rental. This is hypothetical, of course, and I haven’t done any checking that I might do normally, but I don’t hate the idea outright.
No trade needed. Ziggy Ansah is ready to launch a comeback 🙂
I honestly think the Lions will come up with a trade that works that will net them Z. Smith and Garrett. From a trusted Lions source comes news that the Lions and the Browns have discussed this very trade almost daily, but compensation keeps it from happening. Word is that the Browns want an extra early round pick in 2026 and insist the Lions throw in QB Hendon Hooker. Could this all be BS? Absolutely. But Jeff Risdon has inside knowledge and I trust what he says and he also believes that this could very well happen. I guess only time will tell….
I don’t see this one happening. Smith maybe but not Garret and definitely not both
Yeah, I could easily see Smith, I could even potentially see Garrett, but certainly not both. That’d be overkill, and a lot of assets to give for what would be a half year rental of at least one of those guys if Detroit is taking two instead of one.
This scenario reminds me of the day when Lions went all in and traded for edge Pat Swilling who was already at his prime. Gave us one good year here and that was it. Cost us a 1st rounder that the Saints used to draft all world HOF player Willie Roaf. That marked the beginning of the end for that Lion’s group and they never recovered.
This is nothing….like, at all…similar to the Swilling trade/situation. This Lions team has actual real Super Bowl aspirations and has ONE obvious hole on the Roster that could derail those hopes. A 1st round pick of theirs would be like #30, 31, 32. There’s just nothing remotely similar other than Swilling was a strong side linebacker who pass rushed on 3rd down, and even that isn’t overtly the same as Lions need a true end that can set the edge for their existing lineback group
Joey bosa needs a new team. Why not the lions.
I hear New Orleans is about done with Chase Young.
I think there is a reason why Holmes passed on Young last year at the trade deadline & this off season during free agency
Azeez Ojulari has played well for the Giants the last few weeks.
With the team likely to let him walk after the season, he could become a valuable (expiring contract) trade chip.