4 safeties the Lions could trade for before the deadline, including an All-Pro who would be a big but affordable swing
Detroit’s uncertainty at safety could eventually force Holmes back into the market, where several veterans may become obtainable if their teams fall out of contention.
The Detroit Lions need a cornerback before the trade deadline. That much has been discussed at length. But is it really crazy to think the Lions might make more than one trade before the deadline? Because they probably need to fill the safety spot too.
Detroit just lost safety Avonte Maddox for the season. And I hate to say it, but it kind of feels like Kerby Joseph is not coming back. If he does, it might not be until late, because I’m in this spot where it feels like maybe the Lions are saving him for when they absolutely 100% need him, and he might only have a few games to play with that knee. We don’t really know until they get him back to practice, but right now it just feels like he’s not coming back.
So what I’ve done today is compile four safeties who could realistically be traded before the deadline and fit the Lions. Let’s break it down.
Isaiah Pola-Mao, Raiders
Probably the easiest one to make a case for. The Raiders have already started moving towards younger options at safety. They’ve got rookie Treydan Stukes listed ahead of Pola-Mao on the depth chart, and they’ve got Dalton Johnson. Pola-Mao is suddenly a veteran in a crowded room who is also in a contract year.
The Lions make a lot of sense here. He has starting experience, the size to play down in the box when needed, and the ability to handle the deeper part of the field. That’s something the Lions need, especially when you go back and watch the tape of the last two games. There are a lot of issues downfield with explosive plays, and part of it is coming at safety.
The best thing about this is it’s not a massive trade. You could probably call Las Vegas, offer a sixth-round pick, and get Pola-Mao. A guy with starting experience who can come in and play right away. He’s also played with Thomas Harper, for what it’s worth. I would definitely keep an eye on this one. You want the Raiders to be a bad team to help facilitate the deal.
Andrew Wingard, Cardinals
Wingard makes sense because Arizona only signed him for one year on a $3 million deal, so it’s going to be a cheap one. He’s actually starting for the Cardinals right now, but if Arizona’s season goes south, a 29-year-old safety on a one-year deal could become someone they’re willing to move.
He has a lot of starting experience, not so much for Arizona, but from his time in Jacksonville. He started a lot there. He’s a steady veteran who could come into Detroit and immediately give them competent snaps without forcing them into completely changing what they do defensively. You’re not taking on a giant contract either. Again, I think you could offer a sixth-round pick to Arizona for this.
The thing is, we expected the Cardinals to be a really bad football team this year. I expected them to be the worst team in football, if I’m being honest. But then they went out and beat the Chargers, and they’re playing kind of well. That could complicate things.
Geno Stone, Bills
Geno Stone has been a starter for a long time. He started for Cincinnati and Baltimore, and he’s been pretty good. The Lions probably wouldn’t even need to trade for him. He’s on the Bills’ practice squad right now. Detroit could poach him if they wanted.
They haven’t yet. That doesn’t mean they never will. If a situation arose where Buffalo put him on its 53-man roster, the Lions could maybe send a seventh-round pick over there. Stone isn’t what he necessarily used to be, and this would be a one-year rental, but he’s not bad. He’s a good coverage safety, he can ball hawk a little bit, and he’s been a sure tackler most of his career. Buffalo has him on the practice squad partly because they have a crowded safety room. If I’m Detroit, I might really entertain the idea of just poaching him.
Budda Baker, Cardinals
We couldn’t get out of here without taking one big swing. I mentioned there were two guys from Arizona, and here’s the second one.
Baker is a veteran, and he’s going to be more expensive. He’s got a cap number a little over $19 million, and the Cardinals could save $13 million against the cap if they traded him. He’s 30 years old. But I think by the end of the year Arizona might be the team with the No. 1 pick in the draft, looking for a full-on rebuild. A lot of their recent picks haven’t worked out, and they need a quarterback. They could be the place Arch Manning plays next year.
You call up the Cardinals and offer a fifth-round pick. I know I said big swing, but I think that is kind of the range. Maybe they ask for a fourth. I don’t think they could get anything higher than a fourth for Baker at 30 years old. He’s a good player though, and you’d have him under contract until 2027.
I don’t know if the Lions would want to trade for a 30-year-old safety they’re going to have to hold onto until 2027. I’m sure there’s probably an out after this season. I see the Lions definitely drafting a safety early next year, so I don’t know if they necessarily want anything more than a one-year rental. But if you can get him for an extra year, why not? If it’s only a fourth- or fifth-round pick, I say you do it.
If I’m the Lions, I’m probably calling for Budda Baker. But that’s just me.
You never know. Maybe Bishop Fitzgerald, who Detroit just claimed, might be a dog. He looked good coming out. I know he went undrafted, but the Lions were interested in him, and a lot of teams were interested in him as a priority free agent. Sometimes these guys show up and just need to be in the right spot.
We’ll see where it goes. Those are some safeties I think the Lions could trade for. Let’s see if they do it.
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