The Detroit Lions are coming off one of their best seasons in franchise history. Detroit won 15 games in 2024, claimed their second consecutive NFC North title, and secured the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs. All of those are firsts for the Lions as a franchise.
Unfortunately, the Lions also had one of their more disappointing finishes in recent memory. Detroit lost in the Divisional Round against Washington, ending their postseason run just as it was getting started. That was exactly what Lions fans did not want to see after their Super Bowl hopes were dashed during last year’s NFC Championship.
Now the Lions must transition into offseason mode and figure out how to improve the team.
Detroit has plenty of resources to work with to make that happen. They currently have $51 million in cap space to use in free agency and seven picks in the 2025 NFL Draft, including the 28th overall pick.
The Lions need to add talent on the defensive side of the ball. Edge rusher is the most obvious position of need, but the Lions could also add pieces in the secondary and at defensive tackle.
Detroit would be wise to pursue every avenue available to them to upgrade the roster. That includes making trades with other teams.
If the Lions were to pull off a big trade this offseason, who might they go after?
Below we will outline one perfect trade the Detroit Lions must complete during the 2025 NFL offseason.
While many around the NFL are hoping the Lions trade for Myles Garrett, this move isn’t realistic for either team.
One often overlooked aspect in these discussions is that a trade must make sense for both teams involved. The Browns have been clear that they don’t want to trade Myles Garrett, despite his recent trade request.
That said, the Browns are facing serious cap issues. Cleveland is currently $24 million over the salary cap and doesn’t have a clear way to offload Deshaun Watson’s fully guaranteed contract. The team also has over $50 million in dead cap this year due to past contracts with players like Amari Cooper, Za’Darius Smith, and Jedrick Wills.
This situation makes it clear that the Browns need to shed cap space this offseason. It also explains why the Browns could be willing to trade Greg Newsome II.
Cleveland exercised the fifth-year option on Newsome II’s rookie contract, giving him a cap hit of $13.38 million in 2025. If the Browns trade him this offseason, they would gain immediate cap relief. This move alone would help them toward being salary cap compliant.
Now, why is this trade ideal for the Lions?
Newsome II is a talented young cornerback. He has four years of NFL experience, having been selected 26th overall in the 2021 NFL Draft. Though Newsome II had a down year in 2024, he played much better in his first three seasons.
He is also a good fit for how the Lions like to play defense. Under former defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, the Lions played a lot of press man coverage in a cover 1 shell. While it’s uncertain if new DC Kelvin Sheppard will continue this approach, given Sheppard’s experience with Glenn, it’s safe to assume the defensive scheme won’t change drastically.
Newsome II excels in press man coverage, earning recognition from PFF as one of the best cornerbacks in press coverage during the 2023 season.
Acquiring Newsome II could help solidify Detroit’s cornerback group, especially if they lose veteran Carlton Davis III to free agency.
The Lions currently have Terrion Arnold, Ennis Rakestraw Jr., and Amik Robertson as their starting cornerbacks. Newsome II would immediately step in as a starter alongside Arnold, allowing Robertson and Rakestraw Jr. to play in the slot and serve as backups.
Detroit would still have $39 million in cap space after acquiring Newsome II. Both teams would likely agree to a long-term contract extension soon after the trade, which could slightly adjust the available cap space.
If the Lions believe Greg Newsome II is a good fit for their defense, they should strongly consider making a move for him this offseason.