The\u00a0Detroit Lions\u00a0had an unforgettable 2024 season, arguably their best in franchise history. Detroit secured 15 wins, claimed back-to-back NFC North titles, and earned the NFC’s No. 1 seed for the first time ever.<\/p>\n
Now, the Lions must rebuild their weakened defense to push for another deep playoff run in 2025.<\/p>\n
Detroit made a strong start in free agency, signing cornerback DJ Reed from the Jets on a three-year, $48 million contract\u2014a bargain compared to Carlton Davis III\u2019s $60 million deal with New England.<\/p>\n
The Lions bolstered their secondary by signing Rock Ya-Sin and Avonte Maddox while also adding depth on both sides of the ball. They retained Derrick Barnes, Levi Onwuzurike, Dan Skipper, and Marcus Davenport while bringing in Roy Lopez.<\/p>\n
With solid depth moves complete, the Lions now have the flexibility to utilize their draft capital in multiple ways.<\/p>\n
However, Detroit could also pursue a trade to strengthen their roster ahead of the draft. A key acquisition could transform their defense into an elite unit.<\/p>\n
Landing a high-caliber edge rusher is never easy, requiring significant trade capital. That\u2019s why Detroit must offer a substantial package to acquire Hendrickson.<\/p>\n
The Bengals pass rusher requested a trade during the 2024 season before reversing course and finishing the year in Cincinnati. However, he has now reopened discussions about leaving.<\/p>\n
Cincinnati granted Hendrickson permission to explore trade options on March 6. His primary demand is a new contract with more guaranteed money, a fair ask for a player with consecutive 17.5-sack seasons.<\/p>\n
But this trade isn\u2019t as simple as making an offer.<\/p>\n
First, the Lions must negotiate an extension with Hendrickson before finalizing any deal. That alone makes this move complicated.<\/p>\n
Additionally, despite allowing trade talks, the Bengals appear hesitant to actually move Hendrickson. Reports indicate Cincinnati wants to retain him even after extending Ja\u2019Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.<\/p>\n
Given the Bengals’ stance, the real asking price for Hendrickson could exceed a first-round pick. That\u2019s a major reason why he remains untraded.<\/p>\n
Still, if Detroit pulled off this deal, their defense would be drastically improved.<\/p>\n
Pairing Hendrickson with Aidan Hutchinson would make life miserable for opposing offensive coordinators. Both defenders have thrived despite frequent double-teams, and together, they would create relentless pressure.<\/p>\n
Detroit could still draft a young pass rusher in the first round to prepare for the future while using Hendrickson to contend immediately.<\/p>\n
While this trade may be a long shot, it would undoubtedly make the Lions\u2019 defense one of the most dangerous in the league.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The\u00a0Detroit Lions\u00a0had an unforgettable 2024 season, arguably their best in franchise history. Detroit secured 15 wins, claimed back-to-back NFC North titles, and earned the NFC’s No. 1 seed for the first time ever. Now, the Lions must rebuild their weakened defense to push for another deep playoff run in 2025. Detroit made a strong start […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":28416,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[378],"tags":[2782,803,2769],"class_list":["post-28415","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-detroit-lions","tag-avonte-maddox","tag-derrick-barnes","tag-marcus-davenport"],"yoast_head":"\n