Detroit Lions fans should have been ecstatic following their 47-9 demolition of the Dallas Cowboys, but following a season-ending injury to Aidan Hutchinson, they’re understandably worried going forward.
Hutchinson was in the midst of an all-pro season. He was leading the league in sacks and pressures despite having an early season bye and was looking like he had moved into the elite tier of pass rushers. But a freak accident has cut his season short and Lions fans must hope that this injury doesn’t undermine his career going forward.
Before Hutchinson’s injury, the Lions were already thin on the defensive line following the injuries to John Cominsky and Marcus Davenport. For them to be considered surefire Superbowl contenders, trading for pass-rushing help should have been considered. After the injury, it’s a necessity.
We are still several weeks from the trade deadline, but social media commenters and NFL talking heads are already sharing their two cents regarding who the Lions should move for. Here is who Vavel believes should be on the Detroit Lion's radar.
Longshots and Pipedreams
Ideal trade candidates that are incredibly unlikely, but would be a perfect replacement if not an upgrade over Hutchinson. They would require multiple first-round picks to land, however.
Maxx Crosby
This was the player whose name was mentioned the most in the immediate aftermath of the Lions-Cowboys game. Crosby has long been seen as a dream trade for the Lions due to his Michigan roots and an attitude that seems symbiotic with the Dan Campbell School of Coaching.
The Las Vegas Raiders poor start to the season paired with a weak long-term outlook makes this trade viable. Crosby is entering his late twenties and is in danger of spending his entire prime on an uncompetitive team.
What makes this trade unlikely is that Crosby is the face and identity of the Raiders, and losing him represents giving up. On the other hand, Tom Telesco is in his first year as the general manager of the Raiders, and a total tear-down could be in order.
Myles Garrett
Like Crosby, Garrett is wasting away his prime on an uncompetitive team. The Cleveland Browns have anchored themselves to Deshaun Watson and are stuck with him, and his league-worst quarterback play, for the foreseeable future.
Garrett is every bit as good as Crosby, if not better, and he would come in at $10m cheaper in terms of this year's cap hit. So for the 2024 Lions, he would be the most straightforward option. But again, like Crosby, he is the face of the team and represents one of the few positives for its fanbase.
The Browns are also in a position where they cannot accept that the Deshaun Watson deal was a failure, otherwise, Andrew Berry and Kevin Stefanski may be relieved of their duties. Although it does show the poor situation the Browns have found themselves in when the reigning defensive player of the year is a candidate for a midseason trade.
Could be Spicy
Players that could kick the defensive line, but they could also be non-factors.
Travon Walker
It might be harsh for the player always associated with being taken over by Aidan Hutchinson in the draft to come in and replace him, but it makes sense. ESPN’s Ben Solak recently suggested this as a trade possibility, with the Lions sending two-fourths in return for the former first-overall pick.
Trent Balke is likely to balk at that offer as Walker is finally showcasing some of his potential and he, like Doug Pederson, is currently fighting for his job. Should the regime be changed in the upcoming weeks though, perhaps a trade would be on the table.
Tyree Wilson
The second underwhelming first-round pick in this tier and a true reclamation project. Tyree Wilson showed very little last season after being selected 7th overall, finishing his rookie season with 3.5 sacks and not making much of an impression.
Like the Jaguars, the Raiders seem in need of a rebuild and Wilson looks like an instant draft bust. There is a reason why he was taken as high as he was, with many analysts, such as Chris Simms, having Wilson as the top defensive prospect in the 2023 draft.
Under better coaching, there’s a chance he can make some positive development and on top of that, he wouldn’t cost much to trade for.
Chase Young
Not many players have seen their stock plummet as fast as Chase Young over the past several years. Since winning the 2020 Defensive Rookie of the Year, Young has seen a drastic downturn in form and is currently on his third team in as many years.
Young hasn’t had the flashiest start to his career at the New Orleans Saints with 1.5 sacks over the first six games, but he represents a low-risk high-reward trade target. With the Saints season fizzling out, trading Young would allow them to cash in on a player that won’t even be on their roster next season.
Realistic Options
They may be the least exciting options, but they make the most sense and would be mutually beneficial.
Za'darius Smith
During his time in the NFL, Za’darius Smith has been an underrated talent. He has been productive wherever he has signed and is always a valuable addition to the defense.
Before the 2023 season, the Cleveland Browns traded for Smith, parting ways with four day-three picks. Now that Smith is 32 the Lions would have to give up very little to acquire his services.
In return, they would get a productive pass rusher who has experience in the postseason.
Jadaveon Clowney
The ultimate defensive line mercenary is currently plying one's trade for the Carolina Panthers, which is surely one of the most thankless jobs in the NFL.
Like Smith, Clowney is now in his 30s and may look to ring chase in this current career stage. Also like Smith, he has been productive wherever he has gone in his NFL career, even if he has not lived up to the expectations of when he was drafted.
Hassan Reddick
Who would have expected Hassan Reddick to be one of the main characters of the early NFL season? The veteran pass rusher has made headlines for refusing to report for the New York Jets training camp in search of an improved contract.
His holdout has extended into the regular season where he has lost out on millions in game cheques because of it. This move appears to have backfired as his own agency has parted ways with him. This has led to superstar sports agent, Drew Rosenhaus, to partner with the pass rusher in an attempt to find an amicable solution.
Reddick proved that he could be an extremely productive pass rusher during his time at the Eagles. While he wouldn’t be a direct one-for-one replacement for Aidan Hutchinson, he could be paired with other pass rushers to replace him in the aggregate.
A point of difficulty would be Dan Campbell’s insistence on avoiding locker room headaches, but Reddick represents the most obvious, ‘come and get me’ situation on the market.
The Wildcard
Even if the Detroit Lions were to make a move for one of these pass rushers, they'd still be undermanned going forward. Realistically, they would need to make multiple moves to have a dominant D-line.
Surely, if the Cleveland Browns were to move off from Myles Garrett then they'd be resigning themselves to a lost season. So why not double down and go after both him and Za'darius Smith? If Garrett is worth around two first-round picks, then obtaining both of them would only involve adding fourth or fifth.
The Detroit Lions understand that they are in a competitive window before they have to pay all of their star talent. So why not capitalize and build the strongest team possible for this season?
