The NFL trade deadline is rapidly approaching, with just two more weeks of games before teams have to make some final decisions on what direction they want to move in with their rosters.
Some of the contenders will be shopping around the league to try and fill a few holes as they make a playoff push. Other teams who are struggling will start looking to get rid of some veterans in order to collect more draft capital.
There has already been plenty of movement on the wide receiver market as teams look for more explosive options on the perimeter. Davante Adams was traded from the Raiders to the Jets, followed by an Amari Cooper trade to the Bills a few hours later. Early on Wednesday morning, the Chiefs added DeAndre Hopkins in wake of injuries to Rashee Rice and JuJu Smith-Schuster.
The Detroit Lions are one of those teams who is likely going to be searching for a little help come the trade deadline. The Lions currently sit at 5-1 and are in first place in the NFC North after knocking off the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.
The Lions have been humming on offense of late, and quarterback Jared Goff has emerged as a legitimate MVP candidate. Defensively, Detroit has been a bit more up and down, and they suffered a massive blow when superstar pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson suffered a season-ending broken leg against the Cowboys.
Even without Hutchinson, the Lions are legitimate Super Bowl contenders and could be one of the teams looking to bolster their roster before the trade deadline hits on Nov. 5. Here are two trades that they can target in order to improve as the playoff race heats up in the NFC.
Add pass rush help to replace Aidan Hutchinson
There are a few teams that are sliding out of playoff contention quickly that could be willing to deal a star pass rusher to Detroit for the right price. The most obvious option is Maxx Crosby of the Las Vegas Raiders, who would be a massive boost to Detroit’s pass rush.
The Raiders already established themselves as sellers when they dealt Davante Adams, and they are now navigating an injury to quarterback Aidan O’Connell in the midst of a three-game losing streak. It’s pretty clear that this version of the Raiders is not equipped to make a playoff push, and they could get quite a haul for Crosby that would likely include multiple first-round picks.
If they are able to swing this deal, the Lions would be getting an iron man who is elite against both the pass and the run and has only missed one game in his entire career. Crosby almost never comes off the field and has accumulated 33.5 sacks in 40 games since 2022. He also led the NFL in tackles for loss in each of the last two seasons and is currently doing so once again.
The Raiders could also send a similar offer to the Cleveland Browns for Myles Garrett, although it seems unlikely that the Browns will be willing to trade Garrett this season. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year has reached double-digit sacks in each of the previous six seasons and id a five-time All-Pro, so it will take a massive offer to lure him away.
If the Lions don’t want to take as big of a swing, they can call the New York Giants for a guy like Azeez Ojulari (20 sacks in 42 career games) or they can see if the New England Patriots are willing to part with Josh Uche (11.5 sacks in 2022). Regardless, pass rusher is now the Lions’ biggest need at the deadline, so expect them to be aggressive in trying to find one.
Find another cornerback to lean more into aggressive style
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This offseason, the Lions made big moves to bolster their cornerback room. They brought in Carlton Davis III in free agency and drafted Alabama’s Terrion Arnold in the first round, and their defense has taken a step forward as a result.
One more reliable option on the outside has a chance to take this group to the next level. The Lions are playing man coverage on more than 40% of opponent dropbacks so far this season, one of the highest marks in the league, but it has been a bit of feast or famine thus far. Arnold has shown promise for a rookie, especially in a very difficult scheme to come in and play in right away, but he is one of the most penalized corners in the NFL right now.
Most of the solid corners on bad teams who will be willing to trade away players are very young — think Christian Gonzalez in New England, Jaycee Horn in Carolina, etc. — and are guys who those teams will want to hold on to. However, there is one call that the Lions can make.
Denzel Ward is in his seventh season with the Cleveland Browns, who are just 1-6 and just lost quarterback Deshaun Watson for the season. Ward has been frustrating at times during his career, but he currently leads the NFL in pass breakups (12) and has 15 career interceptions. The Browns are one of the few teams playing more man coverage than the Lions right now, so Ward would fit right into Aaron Glenn’s defense.
A package for Ward would likely not go for nearly as much as some of the elite pass rushers who may be on the market, so this could be a cheaper way to upgrade the defense at the deadline if the Lions want to hold on to their picks.