Getty Clelin Ferrell runs on the field for the Raiders in 2021.
Nothing has gone to plan for the Detroit Lions on defense to start the 2022 season, and for some, that means that big changes need to be on the horizon.
But how do the Lions shake things up in the right way? Several folks think that a trade is the top idea for the team, but the biggest position of need varies for those folks when all is said and done.
While some think a cornerback is the best idea for the Lions, others see the defensive line in need of a big boost. A player could be out there to help fix things in the form of Clelin Ferrell of the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Raiders and Lions are both frustrating teams so far this season, and could hook up on a deal for Ferrell in the mind of Bleacher Report writer Kristopher Knox.
Knox picked out players who could use changes in scenery and had the Lions as the top fit for Ferrell, who he opined should be on his way out of Las Vegas given an inability to get things done for his current team.
As Knox said, a flier from the Lions could make a ton of sense for Ferrell as well as a team not getting it done in the trenches.
“A team like the Detroit Lions could take a flier on Ferrell and give him an opportunity on the field. Detroit’s defense has been awful this season. It surrendered a league-high 170 points through the first five weeks and has produced a mere seven sacks. Rookie Aidan Hutchinson is the only player with more than one sack on the year. Ferrell is in the final year of his rookie deal and will play elsewhere in 2023. Detroit could give him an early audition with a deadline trade,” Knox wrote.
It’s hardly the first time a Ferrell move has been suggested for the Lions. Already, ESPN suggested Detroit deal struggling corner Amani Oruwariye in a scenery change for both players while perhaps adding others in the backfield.
If the Lions decided on this move, it would be interesting with an eye on the present and future. That could make it a win-win for Detroit.
Ferrell’s Stats & Highlights
It’s not a stretch to say Ferrell was over-drafted by the Raiders in 2019, when he went with the fourth-overall selection to the team. Since then, he has been a bust for a large part of his career given some shaky production.
Ferrell has only put up a total of 7.5 sacks and 82 tackles in his career with two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. Safe to say that is not the production a team expects when they pick a defensive lineman within the top five of a draft.
While Ferrell hasn’t reached his potential, he could still find a way to be a serviceable player, especially if he got a scenery change. At Clemson, Ferrell was one of college football’s top defensive lineman, claiming the coveted Ted Hendricks award in 2018 and putting together a college career with 166 tackles, 27 sacks and five forced fumbles.
Whether Ferrell was simply being misused or not would be up to Detroit to decide, especially seeing as the youngster is just 25 years old and could have lots of good football in front of him.
Ferrell Has Strong Fit Within Lions Defense
The Lions have struggled to rush the passer this season, so an addition of Ferrell to the mix could help the team with regards to their aggression on the field and ability to cause havoc in the pocket.
Ferrell could allow the Lions time to not only get Hutchinson completely up to speed in his NFL career, but could also allow the Lions a chance to find something in a player who has been maligned to start his career in another location.
Detroit has had a habit of having players do just that, and have rejuvenated the careers of multiple young players on the defensive front such as Kerry Hyder and Charles Harris. Ferrell, if he came into the mix and played well, could be yet another player in this vein for Detroit.
If the Lions gave him a chance and he responded, there could be an important hole that is filled ahead of the 2023 offseason for Detroit.