As the Detroit Lions look to resolve their pass rush woes, they'd be wise to stick to their formula and resist the temptation of a blockbuster deal
The Detroit Lions are, as a franchise, in uncharted waters. Fifteen wins in 2024, another twelve the year before. The Lions have become one of the NFL’s elites while winning double-digit games in consecutive seasons for the first time in franchise history. It’s quite the turn for a long downtrodden franchise, but how this team […]
The Detroit Lions are, as a franchise, in uncharted waters. Fifteen wins in 2024, another twelve the year before. The Lions have become one of the NFL’s elites while winning double-digit games in consecutive seasons for the first time in franchise history. It’s quite the turn for a long downtrodden franchise, but how this team responds in turn after a historic 2024 regular season campaign will be telling.
The Lions, for the first time in forever, are full of expectations. And pressure. Detroit’s playoff appearance last year was, in a word, underwhelming. A defensive collapse and offensive implosion both rolled into one night — the Washington Commanders blew the doors off of a banged up Lions team to bring the season to a crashing halt.
Detroit has spent the aftermath trying to pick up the pieces and get healthy. No one player is more important to Detroit’s outlook this season than star pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson, who appeared on his way to a Defensive Player of the Year campaign before breaking his leg early in the year.
Hutchinson’s recovery video went viral recently, highlighting his latest steps in a return to 100 percent health and functionality on the field. But how realistic is it to expect Hutchinson to play at his pre-injury level right away? Further complicating matters is when you look upon the rest of his line mates this offseason, all you’ll find is more questions.
Alim McNeill suffered a major knee injury late in the season. He is expected to miss at least the start of the regular season. Za’Darius Smith is gone, a cap casualty earlier in the offseason. Marcus Davenport missed nearly the entire season in 2024 with a triceps injury. Are the likes of Al-Quadin Muhammad, Josh Paschal, and Day 3 rookie Ahmed Hassanein serious answers to alleviate the pass rush workload around Hutchinson and Davenport?
Not likely. And, as such, there’s plenty of buzz and speculation that the Lions will be shopping for some pass rush help in the weeks ahead. They should. But one name who may end up being on the market is one that the Lions should choose to pass on. The irony? It’s likely the best opinion on the market.
Cincinnati Bengals star Trey Hendrickson has been granted permission to seek out a trade this offseason and the progress towards a new contract seems to have stalled out. The Bengals had to deal with the sideshow of Hendrickson calling the team out during a media session last week, blasting the team for allowing things to become personal while not negotiating and communicating in good faith towards a deal. The result? Renewed speculation that Hendrickson could be on the move.
But while the temptation for Detroit to make a big splash is understandable, it’s not the right formula for the Lions to attack as they try to balance the pressure of getting over the hump with sustaining a long-term competitive window.
Trading for Trey Hendrickson would be a costly endeavor that flies in the face of everything the Lions have built their foundation on as a football team. This build was kickstarted and fueled by successful drafting. And, just as importantly, making picks at above average pace. Hendrickson’s cost, not only in new cash but also in draft capital, would veer far off the path of the Lions’ blueprint. And it would reek of a desperation that the Lions have no reason to resort to.
Consider the state of the Lions roster. They’ve paid out contract extensions to names like Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Penei Sewell, Taylor Decker, Alim McNeill, and Kerby Joseph in the past year and a half. Hutchinson is due for a contract extension, although the team could wait until he returns to form before paying up on that front. Jameson Williams is also eligible for an extension after a breakout campaign in 2024. After 2025, the Lions will also have star players like Brian Branch and Jahmyr Gibbs eligible for new contracts, same as Sam LaPorta and Jack Campbell.
With so much of the nucleus of Detroit’s roster either on new contracts or due for them, moving premium draft capital and losing the subsequent cost controlled talent that could be acquired with those selections hurts Detroit’s outlook of replacing the inevitable attrition the roster is set to face. And that’s before you get to the new contract Hendrickson is fishing for. The best franchises reward their own ahead of paying marquee money to a talent who hasn’t played a down for the team.
That’s no slight on Hendrickson, that’s just a matter of team culture. Hendrickson is likely seeking compensation in the ballpark of what Maxx Crosby and Myles Garrett collected this offseason — between $35 million to $40 million annually. He should be, too. Hendrickson has been among the best pass rushers in football since his arrival in Cincinnati.
That kind of investment hits Detroit threefold. It’s not just the cash and subsequent cap commitments, it’s also the opportunity cost of re-signing a young piece of the current nucleus long-term and the team will have less assets to reload their roster with cheap talent.
For the cost of what Hendrickson would potentially cost the Lions, they could secure two more of their young players on rookie contracts and sign a veteran pass rusher (or two) for the 2025 season. All while keeping their draft picks.
As tempting as it is, the Lions should keep their picks in their pocket and call up Jadeveon Clowney, Von Miller, Za’Darius Smith (again), or Matthew Judon to answer the call and boost the outlook of this pass rush unit for the year ahead.
Former Lions edge rusher Za’Darius Smith is currently in Detroit, could a reunion happen?
Right before free agency, the Detroit Lions decided that they were going to release Za'Darius Smith. The move made sense at the time because the Lions really wanted ot get out of that 2026 void year before it wound up turning his just over $5 million deal into $11 million. At the Annual League Meetings, […]
