The Detroit Lions have tried finding an edge rushing partner for Aidan Hutchinson through the NFL draft, free agency, and the trade block, but found only limited results.
The Lions could give one more try this year, with a report suggesting they could part with some draft capital to land Pro Bowler Trey Hendrickson from the Cincinnati Bengals. The move would solve a major offseason question for the Lions, boosting a pass rush that suffered greatly when Hutchinson suffered a season-ending injury last year.
Lions Trade Day 2 Picks for Trey Hendrickson
Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox suggested the Lions could land Hendrickson with two Day 2 draft picks, their 2025 second-round pick (No. 60) and next year’s third-rounder. Though the price would be relatively high, Knox speculated that it might take a big return to convince the Bengals to deal their star edge rusher who is at the end of his $60 million contract.
“The Bengals may not make pass-rusher Trey Hendrickson available, but they should,” Knox wrote. “And while the Colts loom as a logical landing spot for the reigning sacks leader if he is available, the Detroit Lions should be eager to land him.”
While Hutchinson is close to fully recovered from the fractured leg that ended his season last October, Knox noted that the Lions still need more help off the edge. The team’s trade-deadline acquisition last year, Za’Darius Smith, has headed to free agency at the conclusion of his contract with no clarity on whether he could return to Detroit.
Smith finished second on the Lions with 4.0 sacks last season, Knox noted, which speaks to the glaring need for more depth off the edge.
“The Lions aren’t guaranteed to land a top-tier pass-rushing prospect with the 28th overall pick—though the B/R Scouting Department paired them with Texas A&M’s Nic Scourton in its three-round mock draft,” Knox wrote. “If they don’t, making a play for Hutchinson early on Day 2 would be a very sensible move.”
Lions Could Have More Options
The Lions would have other avenues to land a partner for Hutchinson, including a trade up in the first round of the NFL draft. Russell Brown of USA Today’s Lions Wire believes the Lions could make a move up to the No. 15 overall pick, dealing with an Atlanta Falcons team looking to stack up more draft picks.
There, the Lions would have a few options to help their pass rush, Brown wrote.
“As for the Lions, I would assume they would be moving up for a defensive end. That could be Georgia EDGE Mykel Williams or Texas A&M EDGE Shemar Stewart,” Brown wrote. “Either player could provide an impact for the Lions defensive front. It’s hard to envision either player being available at pick 28 so trading up may be the only thing the Lions can do if they want to get ‘their guy.’ “
The Lions could have other options in free agency, including veteran Von Miller after his release by the Buffalo Bills earlier this offseason. The team could also bring back Smith for another season.
