Due to the dominance the Detroit Lions displayed during last year’s regular season, the conclusion of the 15-2 campaign was quite disappointing.
The Lions lost to the Washington Commanders in the NFC Divisional Round, and one of the biggest reasons for their defeat was the sheer number of injuries to their defense. Most notably, superstar pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson only appeared in five games.
This forced Detroit’s front office to bring in veteran edge rusher Za’Darius Smith before their playoff push, but he has now been released and is sitting in free agency. Instead of adding depth on the defensive line in free agency or the NFL Draft, the organization could trade for an AFC North superstar to pair with Hutchinson.
Lions Predicted To Acquire Trey Hendrickson
The Cincinnati Bengals inked the wide receiver duo of Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins to lucrative contract extensions, potentially leaving Trey Hendrickson in the dust. Frustration is building for Hendrickson even though the Bengals could still agree on an extension with the 30-year-old.
Because of this, Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox predicts the Lions will trade for Hendrickson, creating the NFL‘s top pass-rushing duo alongside Hutchinson. Knox projects Detroit would send the No. 28 pick to Cincinnati for Hendrickson and the No. 49 pick.”It’s no secret the Detroit Lions could use a high-end edge-rushing complement opposite Aidan Hutchinson,” Knox wrote.
“While trading back into Round 1 from 49th overall might not provide the Bengals with their desired compensation, it would give them the chance to add two rookie contracts that include the fifth-year option. That could be quite valuable as they look to financially juggle the top-end contracts of Chase, Higgins, and Joe Burrow in the coming years.”
There’s no question that Hendrickson would be happy to play for the Lions, assuming they pay him his desired contract. Detroit’s defense slotted at No. 5 in PFSN’s Defense+ metric last season, while the Bengals came in at No. 28.
If the 2024 campaign proved one thing to the Bengals superstar, it’s that he can’t carry an entire unit on his own. Playing alongside Hutchinson, who recorded 7.5 sacks in just five appearances last year, will alleviate pressure and allow the whole unit to thrive.
“Detroit’s tendency to draft and develop players will likely lead the team to the draft for its next pass rusher. If the right defensive prospect isn’t available in Round 1, general manager Brad Holmes may want to call Cincinnati to try swinging a draft-day trade,” Knox expressed.
There is nothing better an underachieving Lions team can do for the rest of this offseason than add the league leader in sacks from 2024.