In the wake of the devastating Aidan Hutchinson injury Sunday afternoon, the Lions are reportedly in the market for a replacement this season, however, if youโre hoping the team goes the โfuck them picksโ route, you may be disappointed in the direction Detroit may be going.
During an appearance on SportsCenter, ESPNโs Adam Schefter noted that the Lions are looking for defensive end depth, but arenโt going to pull the trigger on a deal that will โmortgage their futureโ.
โThe Lions will look to see what they can do, but my understanding is theyโre not going to mortgage their future. To get an elite player like that, first of all, a team would have to be willing to part with them, which in all probability theyโre not. And the Lions would have to come up with such a substantial, significant offer that itโs unrealistic to expect that they could trade for Maxx Crosby or Myles Garrett. Theyโre going to look to see if they can find some defensive help, but it will be somebody that steps in in a secondary role.โ
As it stands right now, the Lions are rolling with Levi Onwuzurike, Isaac Ukwu, and Josh Paschal while James Houston has seemingly fallen into a black hole. Either way, itโs not the most formidable edge group, especially for a Super Bowl contender like the Lions.
Letโs not overlook the fact that the defense is probably still better than last year, even though their best defensive player is sidelined for the foreseeable future. Taking a realistic view, the secondary has seen significant improvement, and Alex Anzalone is likely one of the most underrated players in the league. Additionally, the Lions remain solid in the middle with players like Alim McNeill and DJ Reader. However, considering the importance of putting pressure on the quarterback in the league, Brad Holmes and the Lionsโ front office cannot afford to stay idle or simply rely on the โnext man upโ approach to address the significant gap in the defensive line. Thereโs just too much riding on this season.
