4 questions the Detroit Lions must answer before Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline, including one that could define Brad Holmes’ future
The Lions have won four straight and their defense is improving, but that doesn’t mean the roster is complete. Brad Holmes has four important questions to answer before Tuesday’s deadline, and the decisions could shape Detroit’s championship chances.
The Detroit Lions are coming off a win against the Miami Dolphins. It was an ugly one, but it was their fourth straight. The bigger news is the NFL trade deadline at 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday. Will Brad Holmes and the Lions make a trade? We don’t know. I think they should.
Before Detroit gets there, the front office has a few questions to ask and answer for itself.
Are the Lions good enough as they are?
The defensive turnaround has been unbelievable. Over the last five weeks, the Lions rank fifth in total defense and fifth in yards allowed per game. They’re third in points allowed per game and third in rush yards allowed per game.
They’re 17th in pass yards allowed per game, but that’s an illusion. When you take away the run game like this team has, passing is the only thing opponents can do. So the passing yards pile up.
Does Holmes look at that and decide the team is good? That mantra gets pinned on Holmes by fans, but it came from Dan Campbell about Za’Darius Smith, who retired a few weeks later.
My answer is no. Detroit shouldn’t feel that way. You’ve won four in a row, and everything is starting to come together. This is where you make the trade.
It doesn’t have to be a blockbuster. I’m not saying ship off two first-round picks. I am saying make moves, plural. I’d make at least two trades: a cornerback and either a linebacker or an edge rusher. The offense is fine. The defense is where you keep building, because the NFC North is an arms race. The Bears, Vikings, and Packers aren’t backing off. This will be a race to the end.
Have the Lions shown enough at linebacker?
Without Jack Campbell, I can see Holmes saying they’ll be OK. Maybe they will be. Derrick Barnes is a more than capable green dot, and Malcolm Rodriguez was outstanding against the Dolphins. Trevor Nowaske could be better. Eventually, Devin White should return, and that will help.
I’m not opposed to a linebacker trade. It just isn’t the top thing to fix. If I’m Detroit, I’d favor a cornerback and lean slightly toward edge rusher, even though the Lions don’t need one. They’re top-five in quarterback pressures and second in the league in sacks. Adding someone like Josh Sweat could make this an unstoppable unit.
Will many linebackers be available? Zack Baun has come up, but I think the Eagles hold on to him even after losing to the Giants on Sunday. Baun is under contract through 2028, and his cap number next year is only around $11.9 million. If the Lions land him, that’s a great deal. Maybe Detroit convinces Miami to send Jordyn Brooks back. Still, this is the position where I least expect a move.
Are the Lions willing to pay the price?
This has been the biggest question for Holmes all along. I don’t think there are real blockbusters available. Lions fans have wanted Maxx Crosby for years, but the Raiders have said they won’t trade him, and I don’t think Detroit would pursue it.
There are still meaningful moves. If the Eagles make Riq Woolen available, I’d offer a third and get it done. For Baun, I’d throw in a second.
Meanwhile, the Bears landed Jeffery Simmons and the Packers got Micah Parsons. The Lions haven’t made a gigantic trade under Holmes. The biggest in years was a third-round pick for Carlton Davis. Detroit got one season from him, and he signed with the Patriots and reached the Super Bowl. Now the Lions face Davis on Sunday in Munich, Germany.
Financially, Detroit is in the best position it could be. After extensions for Brian Branch and Sam LaPorta, there should be money left over. The disappointing 2024 class became a blessing in disguise because the Lions won’t pay Terrion Arnold or Ennis Rakestraw, and Christian Mahogany’s future is uncertain after he missed Sunday’s game for disciplinary reasons.
Fans don’t decide whether Holmes stays. At some point, though, the Ford family will want to see him do something extra to get this team over the hump. Balancing a budget is great, but they hired him to win a Super Bowl. If he won’t make that push now, I don’t know how much time he’ll have.
What does the draft offer that the deadline can’t?
Detroit could target safety early next spring, even with Kerby Joseph potentially returning this season. I wouldn’t trade for one. I know Budda Baker is out there, and Jessie Bates going to the Jaguars will make fans want a safety more. The Lions are in good shape there, although Chuck Clark is on the older end. Next year’s safeties look like second- and third-round options anyway.
The offensive line is good. The receivers are great. Tight end only matters if LaPorta and the Lions can’t reach a deal, which would shock me. You have the best running back in the league.
Defensively, Derrick Moore had a breakout game against the Dolphins opposite Aidan Hutchinson. Alim McNeill is playing All-Pro football, and Tyleik Williams has been one of the best nose tackles in the league.
That leaves cornerback. If you can trade for Woolen and re-sign him, that changes everything. So what is Detroit holding these picks for?
These are the questions Holmes and the Lions must answer before Tuesday. If they don’t make a trade, fans will be upset, and they’ll have good reason. We’ll see what happens.
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