It’s been a rough few days for Detroit Lions fans, even after a huge win over the Vikings on Sunday. Lions fans have some questions; we’re going to do our best to answer them.

Note: We won’t be answering any Jack Campbell questions this week. We do not want to speculate.

Why aren’t the Lions bringing in proven veterans at linebacker?

I understand what you’re thinking, but right now the Lions have a decent setup at linebacker, and they just need to stop the bleeding. Derrick Barnes is a more than capable green dot, and the Lions have starters in Malcolm Rodriguez and Trevor Nowaske.

With that said, I wouldn’t rule out the Lions making calls on linebackers this week. But you can’t organize a trade in just a couple of days. These things usually take longer than you might think.

As far as the guys you mentioned, Pratt was a healthy scratch and then was released by one of the worst teams in the league. That’s not exactly the kind of player you might want right now.

Bobby Wagner is 36 years old, and there are reports that he doesn’t want to play football anymore. Beyond that, he’s 36 years old! He’s not the same Wagner you’re used to seeing years ago, and his coverage ability is not what it used to be.

Baker is a possibility to keep an eye on, but with the signings of K.J. Britt and Owen Pappoe, the Lions might feel they’re fine there at the moment. At least for Sunday against the Dolphins.

What about bringing back C.J. Gardner-Johnson?

Gardner-Johnson did not have the best exit from Detroit, and since then, he’s had a hard time sticking anywhere. He’s been with five teams since leaving Detroit. The Bills released him a few days ago in part because he hasn’t played well, but also because he found himself in hot water with the league for spitting on a player. It just doesn’t make sense for the Lions right now. I actually think they’re pretty good at safety right now.

What is the boldest all-in trade the Lions could or should make?

What is the boldest all in trade rhe Lions could or should make?

— ProudDetroiter (@detroitstrong.bsky.social) November 3, 2026 at 5:37 PM

I’m not totally sure there is an all-in trade the Lions could realistically make right now. They need cornerback help, and there are some bigger moves they could make with guys like Riq Woolen or Charvarius Ward, but that’s the tippy-top of the cornerback trade market. Sauce Gardner is not going to be moved, so you can forget that one.

There’s the linebacker spot; I would call the Eagles about Zack Baun and try to get that one done. It’s not going to be a cheap one. The Eagles are likely to want as high as a second-round pick for him. But he would be a game changer. If it were me, I’d make a deal in that range. I’d offer a third and see what happens.

Another big trade worth looking into is Josh Sweat. That’s another guy who could be had for a third-round pick. It’s a move that would likey make the Lions defensive line the best in the league and they’re already pretty close as it is.

Will Brad Holmes even make a trade?

I believe he will. The thing is that even though you’ve seen a couple of big trades in the last couple of weeks, the frustrating truth of the trade deadline is that the overwhelming majority of trades don’t happen until the day before or the day of the deadline itself. It’s the end of the line for teams who are trying to hold out, hoping that things will get better. It’s also the pint in which of lot of them realize it’s not. This is when they decide to sell.

Will we see more Vaki?

I think he absolutely opened some eyes on Sunday and earned some trust as well. We’ve known that he can do some of the smaller things, like play really well on special teams and pass protection on offense; now he’s shown that he can run the ball with success, and that is going to matter going forward because the best thing he did on Sunday wasn’t just getting yards; it was also giving Jahmyr Gibbs some time off the field.

Will the Lions trade for a legit player or dumpster dive?

I want to first slightly push back on the dumpster-diving thing. I think the issue here is that fans might think that every player that gets signed is expected to be a starter or something. The Lions and all 31 other teams are going to make smaller transactions all year long. It’s why the transaction wire is full of them every single week.

Sometimes you find guys that can help, and sometimes you don’t. But that doesn’t mean you just abandon that idea. These are incredibly cheap moves to make.

In terms of the legit question, I do. Now again, if you’re expecting something that’s not realistic, that’s going to be on you when you get your heart broken. But to bring up guys like Woolen and Ward again, these guys are both career starters, and in Ward’s case, he’s a former All-Pro. Those are huge trades for the Lions. Not blockbusters, but guys who will start for them, and in Woolen’s case, a guy who could be more than a rental.

I’m not saying those guys are the guys the Lions are trading for, but I am saying it’s going to be something of that ilk, and that, in my opinion, would count as legitimate.