Entering into the 2021 NFL season, it was known that the Detroit Lions would be rebuilding under new head coach Dan Campbell. Seven games into the season and still searching for their first win of the year, it is fair to say that that process has been a bit tougher than expected.

While Jared Goff and D’Andre Swift have begun to create some synergy on the offensive side of the ball, not many things are going the right way for the Lions, so selling off some key pieces to contenders would be a smart path for them to take. Plus, piling up draft picks is the easiest way for a bad team to become better, a tactic Detroit should try to embody.

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Lions Trade

Trey Flowers

As one of the most expensive members of this struggling team, defensive end Trey Flowers may be better suited in a new home for the rest of the season, and he offers up some of the best trade value of any of the trade pieces for Detroit, making too much sense for them to move him.

The former New England Patriot star who came over and joined former head coach Matt Patricia, Flowers has struggled this year so far, to the tune of only 11 tackles and 1.5 sacks. Flowers has struggled to stay healthy ever since signing with the Lions, as he only suited up for seven games last season and only five so far this year.

Contending teams can never have too much pass rush help, and Flowers is still on the right side of 30 years old to justify a move. With an out in his five-year contract after this current year, he could look like an important target for any postseason hopefuls who have a mid-round pick to shell out for him.

Getting a fourth-round selection for Flowers and a sixth would help the Lions start to pile up picks on their way to their rebuild.

Michael Gallup

An intriguing target for them to buy low on could be Dallas’ Michael Gallup, who is entering into his final season of his current deal and is close to returning from his calf strain suffered in Week 1.

The emergence of CeeDee Lamb in Gallup’s absence certainly makes Gallup expendable and likely a target for many contenders looking to add the final offensive piece to their puzzle. The Lions would be smart to get in on this opportunity, but there are two paths that they could take.

If they wanted to see how Gallup looks in the offense, they could simply acquire him but not offer him an extension at this point, seeing how he bounces back from his calf injury and assessing his interest in returning during the offseason.

The team could also acquire him with an extension agreed upon, justifying the move for Gallup and helping him fall into what could very well be the WR1 of this offense, with no real competition around him on the depth chart.

Detroit is in a position of rebuilding with no real end in sight – and being a member of the strong NFC North makes any sort of competitive window tough to reach, so the Lions need to jumpstart that rebuilding process right now.