The Detroit Lions have once again solidified themselves as one of the NFL’s premier contenders in 2025, sitting tied with the Green Bay Packers at five wins atop the NFC North. However, with Green Bay holding just one loss to Detroit’s two, the race for the division crown is shaping up to be a wire-to-wire battle.
Detroit has been impressive on both sides of the ball, and on paper, they don’t appear desperate for reinforcements at the trade deadline. Still, if the Lions choose to operate as buyers, one analyst believes they could look to bolster their pass rush to prepare for a Super Bowl push.
Lions Linked to Dolphins Pro Bowl EDGE
The Lions’ defense currently ranks sixth in PFSN’s Defensive Impact metric and boasts an impressive 8.8% sack percentage, the fifth-best mark in the NFL. Still, PFSN’s Josh Weil believes Detroit could benefit from additional investment along the defensive line, even with Al-Quadin Muhammad breaking out off the edge opposite Aidan Hutchinson.
Hutchinson, fresh off a record-breaking extension, leads the team with six sacks, while Muhammad has added five of his own. According to Weil, adding two-time Pro Bowler Bradley Chubb would make Detroit’s already formidable front nearly impossible to handle as the Lions push toward a potential Super Bowl appearance.
“When Bradley Chubb was traded to the Dolphins, he was expected to terrorize defenses and stabilize things up front in Miami,” Weil wrote. “He has been a good player, but he hasn’t been earth-shattering to the point where he shouldn’t be traded. Look for him to rise to the top of the standings and play exceptionally well, with increased motivation and drive.”
Originally drafted fifth overall by the Denver Broncos in 2018, Chubb was acquired by Miami in 2022 to boost their pass rush. When healthy, the 6-foot-4, 268-pound edge defender has shown he can be one of the league’s most physically dominant forces, combining power, length, and explosiveness to consistently collapse pockets and set the edge against the run.
This season, Chubb has totaled four sacks through nine games, showing flashes of the disruptive talent that once made him a centerpiece acquisition. A move to Detroit could reinvigorate his production while giving the Lions a proven veteran presence.
Chubb signed a three-year, $54,490,000 contract with Miami this offseason, but with the Dolphins sitting at 2-7, exploring a trade makes sense. The Lions, meanwhile, have more than $21 million in available cap space, enough to comfortably absorb his contract and make a deep playoff push.