Detroit Lions Needs & Candidates Ahead Of The NFL Trade Deadline

The Detroit Lions are 6-1 and first in the NFC North.

They have won five straight games, scoring 31 or more points in each of the last four games.

Detroit is in the best division in the NFL with the Packers being 6-2, the Vikings 5-2, and the Bears 4-3.

The Lions lost their best pass rusher, Aidan Hutchinson, for the remainder of the season.

If the Detroit Lions hope to remain first in the NFC North, they should make a move at the NFL trade deadline.

Below, we take a look at the Detroit Lions’ needs ahead of the NFL trade deadline.

Detroit Lions Needs Ahead Of The NFL Trade Deadline

The Detroit Lions are one of the best teams in the league. However, they are in a tough division and have some glaring weaknesses, especially with the season-ending injury to star pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson.

If the Lions want to win their division and make a push for the Super Bowl, they need to make a move at the NFL trade deadline.

There are two glaring weaknesses the Detroit Lions have and must address.

Pass Rusher

This is a fairly obvious need for the Lions after losing star pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson for the remainder of the season.

Hutchinson was off to a terrific start, recording 7.5 sacks in five games. Unfortunately, he is out for the rest of the season, leaving Detroit with a major need for a pass rusher.

The Lions rank seventh in the league in sacks per game but with Hutchinson out, they will struggle to put pressure on opposing QBs.

If Detroit was not in such a daunting division, they may be able to get by with their roster. They have a very good team but losing Hutchinson hurts their defense.

Some players are highly unlikely to be moved at the trade deadline.

It is unlikely the Raiders will trade star pass rusher Maxx Crosby and also unlikely the Browns will trade Myles Garrett.

One player to keep an eye on is pass rusher Za’Darius Smith. Smith is unhappy with the Browns and they may move him at the trade deadline.

It is unlikely a star pass rusher is available via trade at the NFL trade deadline. However, Detroit should be able to acquire a solid pass rusher.

Detroit will not be able to fill the void of losing Hutchinson with one player but they will need to try and make up for losing Hutchinson as a collective group effort.

Cornerback

Another need for the Lions is the cornerback position.

Losing Hutchinson hurts the entire defense. The secondary will suffer as Detroit will be unable to put as much pressure on the QB.

The Lions rank 27th in passing yards allowed per game.

One player the Lions should keep an eye on if he is available is Saints CB, Marshon Lattimore.

With the Saints 2-6, they may be sellers at the trade deadline.

Detroit needs to add a cornerback and a pass rusher at the NFL trade deadline to improve their defense.

The offense is lights out for the Lions. However, their ultimate goal is the Super Bowl. They will need to improve their defense, especially with the injury to Hutchinson.