The Detroit Lions are 5-1 heading into Week 7 and should be buyers at the 2023 NFL trade deadline on October 31. The roster is already stacked at most positions, but there are a few spots, especially on defense, where Detroit can use an upgrade. With that in mind, here are the two Lions’ early trade candidates before the NFL deadline, Washington Commanders DE Chase Young and New York Giants CB Adoree’ Jackson.

DE Chase Young from the Washington Commanders

The Lions could use another pass rusher to supercharge their defense. The unit is currently tied for 11th in the league in scoring D and T-7 among the teams that have played six games already.

One of the Lions’ issues, though, is that they are in the middle of the pack (T-15) in sacks with 15.

Defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, is among the most dangerous pass-rushers in the league right now and is playing at an NFL Defensive Player of the Year level. He has 4.5 sacks so far and eight quarterback hits.

The rest of the Lions' defensive line isn’t producing at that high a level. Defensive tackle Alim McNeil is second on the team with 2.5 sacks, and DE Charles Harris is the only other player on the team with more than one sack (1.5). Pass rushers Julian Okwara and John Cominsky each have 1.0, Romeo Okwara has none, and Josh Paschal and James Houston are both on IR.

If the Lions got another high-end pass rusher, it would take the defense to another level.

That’s where the No. 2 overall pick of the 2020 draft, the Commanders’ Chase Young comes in.

Young is in the last year of his rookie deal, and the team didn’t pick up his fifth-year option. After a 7.5-sack, Defensive Rookie of the Year, Pro Bowl season in 2020, a knee injury limited the DE to just 12 games in 2021 and 2022.

The former Ohio State Buckeye is having a solid season this year with 3.0 sacks so far, but he’s just not the difference-maker the Commanders hoped for. Instead of losing him for nothing (except possibly a compensatory pick) this offseason, Washington may opt to move him at the NFL trade deadline.

Lions fans should salivate at the idea of having two No. 2 overall picks on opposite sides of the D-line, and for Young, not having to be “the guy” may help him find more sustained success and get him back to his rookie form.

CB Adoree’ Jackson from the New York Giants

The other place that the Lions could stand to upgrade ahead of the 2023 NFL trade deadline is in the secondary. Injuries have struck the unit hard, and getting more help in the back end of the defense would go a long way to making the D a top-10 unit.

Detroit made a major investment in the defensive backfield this offseason, bringing in Cameron Sutton, Emmanuel Moseley, CJ Gardner-Johnson, and Khalil Dorsey in free agency, drafting Brian Branch, and signing Steven Gilmore as an undrafted free agent.

However, Moseley is out for the year with a torn ACL, Gardner-Johnson is just coming off IR after his pectoral injury, and Branch is playing (well!) but perpetually banged up.

Getting another CB in the building, particularly one who can play outside or in the slot to cover for Moseley, Gardner-Johnson, and Branch as a boundary or nickel corner would be ideal.

The New York Giants dropped to 1-5 on the season after a Week 6 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday Night Football, and a fire sale may follow. If it does, CB Adoree’ Jackson would be an ideal Lions trade target.

Jackson can play any cornerback position, and he plays them all well. The 2017 first-round pick only has three career interceptions in his seven NFL seasons, but his 50 passes defended is a solid number. Jackson is struggling this season, but that seems to have more to do with the Giants’ DB injuries more than his skill level at 28 years old.

The other reason that Jackson makes sense for Detroit is his contract. He would bring a prorated $11 million base salary with him, but he’s also a free agent at the end of the season, so a Lions trade would not cost the team long-term money.

Ultimately, if the Lions can add Chase Young and Adoree’ Jackson at the trade deadline, it would upgrade the unit and take the team even higher on the list of Super Bowl contenders. Moves like this are a must if the team hopes to challenge for a Super Bowl this season.