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Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell was all smiles after being asked about any potential trades, according to Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team.
Campbell smiles: “Yeah. Could be.”
Reporter: “Seriously? Has he (GM Brad Holmes) come to you with something?”
Campbell jumps up and down: “Yeah! Could be!”
There might be more than what Campbell implied. After all, Aidan Hutchinson suffered a gruesome injury that cost him the remainder of the 2024-25 season. Despite the significant blow to the defense, they're still a top team in the NFC. They're currently 6-1 and sit atop the NFC North, even beating the undefeated Minnesota Vikings two weeks ago.
However, there's more work that could be done. Someone like a Las Vegas Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby, or even Cleveland Browns edge rusher Za'Darius Smith doesn't sound too crazy for the Lions to target. They went all the way to the NFC Championship game with nearly the same roster as the season prior. Although losing Hutchinson is extremely significant, Detroit might have an ace up their sleeve.
Why would the Dan Campbell, and the Lions aim for a trade?
The Lions have been dominant on the offensive side of the ball all year. However, their defensive prowess is slipping with Hutchinson's injury. For example, in the Lions 52-14 blowout over the Tennessee Titans, there was one area lacking. The run defense. They allowed 168 total rushing yards, with running back Tony Pollard having 94 of those on 20 carries. Not to mention, they allowed a Mason Rudolph rushing touchdown.
Hutchinson led the league with 7.5 sacks before being injured in the victory over the Dallas Cowboys. As a result, they've looked for someone to match, or be close to Hutchinson. Insert Smith. He told Brownszone.com about the possibility of going to Detroit and making an immediate impact.
“Hate that injury happened to him, a guy that was on his way to get Defensive Player of the Year possibly,” Smith said, regarding Aidan Hutchinson. “That’s a big loss for them. But if I was to go to Detroit, I would like it, because I get to play Green Bay twice a year and the Vikings twice a year. So, yeah, that’ll be big.”
As the Browns are 2-6, he'll likely want to shift to a winning culture. After previously being with the Green Bay Packers, and the Minnesota Vikings, he'll have familiarity. Regardless of Campbell possibly eluding to this trade, it's worth keeping an ear out for the Lions making a move before the trade deadline closes.
