Lions Instructed to Trade Veteran Defender Back to NFC Rival Soon

Getty Michael Brockers during a Lions game against the Ravens in 2021.

Over a year ago, the Detroit Lions traded for defensive lineman Michael Brockers from the Los Angeles Rams when their defensive line was weak.

Now, the team’s line has added plenty of young pieces, and the irony is there might not be room for a veteran player on the team’s front. That could leave Brockers as an odd man out come roster cut time in a week.

Whether that’s the case or not remains to be seen, but some are suggesting that a big move gets made with the veteran lineman. Bleacher Report and writer Alex Kay revealed the one trade each team should make before 2022, and it involved Brockers.

Kay proposed a deal back to Los Angeles for Brockers, due in large part to his contract and potential fit elsewhere.

“With his reasonable contract—just $7 million in 2021 and $10 million in 2022—the 2012 first-round pick could be a better fit with a club in win-now mode. A return to the Rams could be a great fit and a sensible move for all parties. The Lions would free up cap space and open playing time up for 2021 second-rounder Levi Onwuzurike, while Los Angeles gets a player who is intimately familiar with its system and could immediately assist in a title defense,” Kay wrote in the piece.

Brockers was traded to the Lions in the 2021 offseason for cap relief as well as a veteran body for Detroit. He didn’t have a huge 2022 season for the Lions, posting just 1 sack and 52 tackles. Moving Brockers could allow some of Detroit’s younger players to see some run, which Kay also pointed out.

The Rams already employed Brockers, so if their defensive line is in need, it could be an interesting idea. The Lions would be likely to only recoup a late-round pick in such a move.

Lions Defensive Front Deep for 2022

The Lions have seen plenty of change on defense, and the team’s front has been the spot most impacted to this point in time.

Not only do the Lions have a pair of rookies from 2022 in Aidan Hutchinson and Josh Paschal ready to play a starring role, but the team also has 2021 picks Alim McNeill and Levi Onwuzurike ready to step up. Add in contributions from younger veterans like Charles Harris, Julian Okwara, Romeo Okwara and Austin Bryant and the team’s front could be deeper than ever. Roster pushes from John Cominsky and Demetrius Taylor might only make that more the case.

Where would Brockers fit? If the Lions think that they have the depth problem solved, they may elect to move on. If that is the case, it will be less an indictment of Brockers’ talent and more a statement about how far the roster has come in a short amount of time.

Brockers’ Career Stats & Highlights

The impact Brockers made early in his career after he was a first-round pick of the Rams out of LSU back in 2012 cannot be debated.

He has been an anchor in the middle of the team’s line and a player that is capable of packing a punch in the pocket. Brockers has put up 387 total tackles, 28 sacks, 9 passes defended and 2 forced fumbles in his career in Los Angeles. Moreover, he’s been to the Super Bowl and is a veteran leader the team has been able to count on when he has played in the league.

Here’s a look at some highlights:

When playing for the Lions, the team saw Brockers bring some of his patented pocket pressure as well as his leadership to the team. During the 2021-22 season, he put up 52 tackles and 1 sack for the team. His leadership, though, always seemed like the most important variable for a Lions team trying to change their entire culture. That continues to shine through for Brockers, offering him a big advance.

Whether Brockers stays or goes remains anyone’s guess, but many think it would be good business if the Lions simply moved on right now.

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