The Detroit Lions have gotten off to a 3-1 start after beating the Green Bay Packers in Week 4 NFL action.
While the Lions have looked solid over the first four weeks, there are undoubtedly some questions about the team moving forward this season.
Yes, Detroit plays in a very winnable division, so it can certainly contend for a playoff spot as currently constructed, but it probably won’t accomplish very much if it gets to the postseason.
What are some moves the club can make between now and the Oct. 31 NFL trade deadline in order to bolster its roster?
Here are two trade targets for the Lions in the coming weeks.
The Lions lost defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson to the injured reserve list due to a torn pectoral muscle, leaving a gaping hole in the Lions’ secondary.
Head coach Dan Campbell says that Gardner-Johnson could return at some point this season, but Detroit can’t bank on that, and even if he does return, there would be a massive crater in the Lions’ defensive backfield until then.
Kareem Jackson may be 35 years old, but he is still productive and his contract with the Denver Broncos expires after this season. The Broncos are 1-3, so they could certainly sell off some pieces over the next month. If they decide to do that, Jackson may very well be on the move.
Jackson is not Gardner-Johnson, at least not at this stage of his career. However, he brings experience and versatility to the table and would be able to hold the fort down while Detroit awaits Gardner-Johnson’s potential return (which may not even happen).
The Lions lost a massive piece of their pass rush when linebacker James Houston went down with a fractured ankle in Week 2. He is sidelined for 6-8 weeks, meaning that Detroit could certainly use another player to get after the quarterback.
Enter Chase Young, the former No. 2 overall pick who is in the final year of his deal after the Washington Commanders declined to exercise his fifth-year option.
Young’s NFL career got off to a great start in 2020 when he racked up 44 tackles and 7.5 sacks en route to a Pro Bowl appearance. Since then, however, injuries and underwhelming performance have been the story for Young, who tore his ACL in 2021 and has played a grand total of 14 games since then.
Still, there is no denying Young’s potential, and perhaps a change of scenery could do him some good. Along with Aidan Hutchinson, he would provide the Lions with a pair of talented pass rushers that could wreak havoc in opposing backfields.
Of course, Young will be a free agent at year’s end, but Detroit could cross that bridge when it gets there.
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