The Detroit Lions are heading into Week 10, and the trade deadline has come and gone. Lions fans have a lot of questions, especially after Detroit didn’t make any moves outside of the Andre Cisco trade. We’re going to do our best to answer them.

Is Hank Fraley interested in becoming an offensive coordinator?

I’d suspect he is. Lions offensive line coach Hank Fraley has already interviewed for that position with multiple teams, including the Seahawks. A couple of years ago, the Lions gave him a raise and a promotion to stay. You can only do that for so long.

Detroit’s coaching staff is collaborative in how it comes up with plays, and Fraley is part of that. Teams notice. I think the Lions’ offensive staff is going to get picked apart this offseason. Drew Petzing could get head coaching interviews. Mike Kafka could get coordinator interviews, maybe even head coaching ones. Teams are going to come after Bruce Gradkowski and Marques Tuiasosopo, too. This offense is undeniable.

An interview doesn’t mean a hire. But I’d expect Fraley to be in line for an offensive coordinator interview this offseason. We’ll see where that goes.

Is the defensive turnaround sustainable?

Yes. Here’s the thing. People say the Lions defense only got good after Week 5 because it faced bad quarterbacks. But did Detroit face great offenses in Weeks 1-4? The Bills were the one real test. The Saints, Jets, and Panthers aren’t that good.

What changed was the scheme. Early in the season, the Lions tried zone and a bunch of different looks. It didn’t work. So they went back to what they’re good at, which is man coverage. They also got Brian Branch back, which is huge.

D.J. Reed was the highest-graded cornerback in the NFL from Week 5 until his injury, according to Pro Football Focus. The rotation of Ennis Rakestraw, Roger McCreary, and Rock Ya-Sin on the other side has worked. Chuck Clark has played well, even if people are still judging him on one game. Add Cisco, maybe get Kerby Joseph back, and the secondary looks far better than it did in September. The linebackers have improved, and the run defense has held up against decent rushing attacks.

The Lions also just shut down the Green Bay Packers, a top-10 offense. The Patriots game will be another test, but I believe in this.

That doesn’t mean Detroit didn’t need a trade. A coverage linebacker would have been great. Only one got moved, and the Lions couldn’t land him. Nobody got another cornerback at the deadline.

Shouldn’t Lions fans feel good about the rest of the NFC North?

There’s something to that. Outside of Branch and Sam LaPorta, who I believe will get extensions by the end of the season, the Lions are in a strong cap situation. They’ve drafted well, and they have all their picks. The Bears and Packers don’t have first-round picks in April.

Fans are frustrated watching Chicago make moves. But making a trade doesn’t guarantee a Super Bowl. The Rams went as all-in as you can go, to the point of not extending players, and this season is going horribly wrong. The Packers went all-in last year, it didn’t work, and now they’re waiting on Micah Parsons. They didn’t make a deadline move either. Minnesota had to make a desperation move for Kirk Cousins, and I don’t think he makes that offense unstoppable.

Detroit is the sixth-youngest team in the NFL, with its stars signed and a ton of money coming this offseason. I still think the Lions can win the Super Bowl this year. They also have a manageable remaining schedule compared with the rest of the division, with a lot of difficult NFC North games still ahead for everyone.

What are Kerby Joseph’s contract implications?

No matter what happens, there’s no scenario where the Lions save a ton of money. Joseph’s deal carries a lot of guaranteed money.

According to Over the Cap, releasing Joseph before June 1 would cost Detroit roughly $14.5 million in additional 2027 cap space and leave behind about $23.7 million in dead money. A post-June 1 move could change how the dead money is spread across seasons, but Joseph’s contract structure and injury guarantees make this much more complicated than simply cutting him to create cap space.

Joseph also has injury protection in his contract that could complicate things depending on his health at season’s end.

If the Lions move on, the timing and his health are going to matter. But it’s not a savings bonanza.

What’s the season grade for Blake Miller?

What’s your season grade for Blake Miller so far?

— dubceezway.bsky.social (@dubceezway.bsky.social) November 10, 2026 at 7:49 PM

I’m giving him a solid B-minus. Miller has a 76.2 pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus, 19th among all tackles. He’s allowed 17 pressures and one sack. That’s good for a rookie.

The run blocking is where he’s struggled. He looked good against Miami, but go back to the Minnesota, Green Bay, Carolina, and Jets games. That was expected for a rookie. He’s still just 22, and he’s only going to get better. Good pick.

Who could return from injury?

Who on the Lions injured list may come back this year and provide help or depth?

— ProudDetroiter (@detroitstrong.bsky.social) November 10, 2026 at 8:00 PM

Start with Joseph. He won’t play against the Patriots on Sunday, but there’s a chance he returns against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers the following week. Getting him back would be huge.

Ben Bartch is eligible to return soon, and he could really help off the bench. Devin White, who started at weakside linebacker for a good portion of the season, is also getting closer to being eligible to return. Malcolm Rodriguez played well against Miami, though, and I think the Lions stick with him.

Isiah Pacheco has a possible late-December return, but I don’t think he ever plays for the Lions. Sione Vaki is doing well as the backup running back.

There are quite a few guys Detroit could get back. Let’s see how it shakes out.

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