Cornerback will be a popular need discussed for the Detroit Lions this offseason. But one of the best ways to help a cornerback room is improving a defense’s pass rush.
The Bleacher Report NFL scouting department proposed a trade idea that will immediately upgrade Detroit’s pass rush — acquiring outside linebacker Haason Reddick from the Philadelphia Eagles.
“In an ideal scenario, Detroit would pull a premier player away from another NFC contender,” the Bleacher Report team wrote. “[Philadelphia Eagles pass-rusher Haason Reddick] would be a tremendous addition to the Lions defense.”
Reddick has made the Pro Bowl in each of the past two seasons with the Eagles. In 2022, he posted a career-high 16 sacks while making second-team All-Pro.
The 29-year-old has reached double digits in sacks during each of the past four seasons.
How Haason Reddick Could Fit With the Lions
Detroit has featured one of the top offenses in the league the past two seasons. With all the big pieces returning for the unit, including offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, the major upgrades the Lions make in the offseason will likely be on defense.
Edge rusher may not be considered the team’s No. 1 priority, but it’s near the top of the list. The Lions were tied for 24th with 41 sacks during the 2023 regular season.
Detroit then had 8 sacks in three postseason games.
The Lions featured a balanced pass rush with 18 different defenders recording a sack in the regular season. But defensive end Aidan Hutchinson was the only Lions defender with more than 5 sacks. Furthermore, defensive tackle Alim McNeill was the only other Lions player with more than 3 sacks.
Trading for a player such as Reddick would give the Lions an edge rusher who can match Hutchinson’s production. Hutchinson and Reddick could be quite the book-end of edge rushers and present major problems for opposing offensive lines.
Reddick has averaged more than 12.5 sacks per season over the last four years. He’s also had 51 tackles for loss, 13 forced fumbles, and 8 pass defenses since 2020.
The 29-year-old has forced at least 5 fumbles in a season twice, including 2022 when he led the NFL with 5 forced fumbles.
Where Does James Houston Fit in Detroit’s Future?
The Lions will likely continue to be linked to players such as Reddick in trade rumors and free agency. But before making a big splash, the Lions will have to determine how Houston fits into their 2024 plans.
The 25-year-old lit the league on fire with 8 sacks, 7 tackles for loss and 11 quarterback hits in seven games as a rookie. No one expected that pace to continue in 2023, but the expectation was Houston would become Detroit’s complementary pass rusher opposite Hutchinson.
However, in Week 2 of 2023, Houston suffered a serious ankle injury. He didn’t return until the NFC championship game.
In the title game, Houston played 11 defensive snaps and didn’t record a statistic.
The fact Detroit had Houston return for the biggest game in the franchise’s last 30 years after not playing for four months should speak volumes to the faith the organization has in the 25-year-old.
But even with confidence in Houston, the Lions may not be able to resist adding a talented pass rusher like Reddick. That could especially be true with the 2024 season expected to be a Super Bowl or bust campaign.
Reddick has one year remaining on his contract, which will likely need to be reworked. He is set to be a $21.4 million cap hit in 2024.
The Lions and Eagles would have to work out the exact financials of the deal. But according to Over the Cap, the Eagles will save $16 million against the cap if they trade Reddick after June 1.
Detroit enters the offseason with cap space to spare. The Lions are ranked seventh with $61.1 million in cap space this offseason according to Spotrac.
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