Detroit Lions Mailbag: Why it's time to put the Trey Hendrickson stuff to bed, even if it seems more realistic than ever, plus the second-year player to buy stock on
We're about to enter the dead zone, Detroit Lions fans. Soon, there will be absolutely nothing going on. Until then, let's answer some questions. I wish it were like Madden, just like you do, but it's just not. There are so many factors here that point to the Lions taking a big pass on Hendrickson. […]
We're about to enter the dead zone, Detroit Lions fans. Soon, there will be absolutely nothing going on. Until then, let's answer some questions.
I wish it were like Madden, just like you do, but it's just not. There are so many factors here that point to the Lions taking a big pass on Hendrickson. Let's break them done beat by beat.
The Bengals are the most stubborn team in the NFL. They just don't make trades. For example, they've made five trades since 2020. The Lions have made 32.
The big thing Hendrickson rightly wants is security. He and his wife just had a child, and they'd like to know where that child is going to be raised. He's not looking for a one-year thing off this trade. He wants an extension to come with it.
He doesn't seem to want a cheap extension either. He brought up the likes of Myles Garrett, Maxx Crosby, and Danielle Hunter when he was talking about teams rewarding their players. That's the top of the market there.
At the league meetings in early April, Lions GM Brad Holmes said the Lions couldn't afford to pay Smith. He was due to make $11 million. If Hendrickson gets the deal he wants, we're talking about at least $30 million a year.
The Lions are in the process of trying to make Aidan Hutchinson one of, if not the highest-paid edge in the league, with a salary that could exceed $40 million a year. That is a lot to have tied up in two edge rushers. Especially with one of them being in his 30s already.
Then you have Brian Branch, Jameson Williams, Sam LaPorta, and Jack Campbell to get new deals for. It's just not likely in the cards.
Now, with that said, I do think it became a little more possible from the trade compensation side of things. There were rumors out there that Hendrickson's camp told the Bengals that they could get a first-rounder for him. Hendrickson says that's not true. If the price tag is a second or third, that's a little more palatable. Still, it's really hard to see the Lions doing it with all the reasons I laid out.
I know it's really easy to get wrapped up in the idea that mobile quarterbacks only beat up your team, but that's just not true. Lamar Jackson beat up every team he faced last year. It's a problem for every team because it's so unpredictable. You know he'll run, but you don't know when.
So yeah, there should be concern. With that said, I do think this defense is significantly better than the 2023 defense that Jackson beat up on. I think it's better than last year's, too. They'll give him some hell, but nobody is permanently stopping him.
I think this is going to be a big year for Giovanni Manu. I don't think he starts or anything like that, but I do believe you start to really see the vision with him this summer, and he'll get a little playing time during the regular season.
Christian Mahogany is going to have a big year, too, but that answer felt too easy. I'm all in on Manu right now. Buy your stock on him.
I am surprised by that, actually. I thought he played so well that he was the reason the Lions felt safe to let Carlton Davis walk. I thought he absolutely earned an extension.
He still may get one, it just might be one that happens during the season, like Alim McNeill's or David Montgomery's. If he goes out and balls out in the first quarter of the season, I can see them setting aside money for him to stay for a few more years.
Winning 15 games is really hard to do. Only 10 teams have won 15 or more games in a season, and none of them have done it more than once. So you have to expect that the Lions take a step back. It's just a natural thing.
I think the ceiling is 13 wins and the floor is 10 wins. That road schedule is daunting for sure. Ultimately, I'm meeting in the middle on this one with a 12-5 record to close the season.
‘There’s one spot, go earn it,’ get ready for the most fun battle of the Lions’ offseason, the fatal 4-way
The Detroit Lions training camp will be here before you know.m Since the team is playing in the Hall of Fame game, they're opting to cancel their mandatory mini-camp and start training camp early. There's going to be plenty of camp battles going down this summer. Kyle Allen vs Hendon Hooker for the QB2 spot […]
