The Green Bay Packers went winless against the two best teams in the NFC North in 2024, and the Detroit Lions may have the chance to make it even more difficult for Matt LaFleur’s team to be remotely competitive in the division for years to come.
Presuming the Lions don’t suffer through the outbreak of injuries next season that derailed their 2024 campaign, Detroit is once again primed to be the team to beat in the division and one of the top contenders to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl, in Santa Clara Calif., next February.
The Packers, though, hope to have the kind of offseason that narrows the gap.
However, Lions general manager Brad Holmes may have other plans, and could create even more separation between Detroit and their division rivals.
Lions Named a Best Fit for Myles Garrett, Which Could Torpedo Packers
Cleveland Browns former Defensive Player of The Year Myles Garrett formally requested a trade last week, and the Packers obviously make a lot of sense as a destination.
However, Pro Football Focus suggests that Garrett is the player who could put the Lions over the top and perhaps into the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history.
“Pairing him in Detroit with Aidan Hutchinson,” PFF’s Dalton Wasserman writes of Garrett. “Could give the Lions an unstoppable pass-rush duo. Prior to his season-ending injury, Hutchinson was leading the NFL with an absurd 95.0 PFF pass-rush grade. Garrett finished this season ranked second with a 92.8 mark.
“After Hutchinson’s injury, though, the Lions placed a lowly 27th in the NFL in PFF pass-rush grade. They secured some help by trading for Za’Darius Smith, but they just didn’t have another star rusher to replace Hutchinson’s production. Hutchinson’s healthy return along with a trade acquisition of Garrett would quickly solve any issues Detroit has with its pass rush.”
The Packers would be wise to jump into the Garrett sweepstakes with both feet.
Garrett is the kind of player who would elevate coordinator Jeff Hafley’s defense to new heights and potentially position Green Bay as one of the top contenders in the NFC, that’s the kind of transcendent impact he’s capable of making.
Likewise, if for no other reason than to prevent Garrett from landing in Detroit, or even Chicago for that matter, general manager Brian Gutekunst and the Packers would be wise to be aggressive here.
