The Detroit Lions could use some help on defense at the trade deadline. While most suggestions center around the team adding a cornerback, the team could also look for an edge rusher like Josh Uche of the Miami Dolphins.
Matt Verderame of Sports Illustrated listed the top 15 trade candidates and noted that Uche is one of the most likely players to get traded.
“He’s a rotational pass-rush piece who is making $1.25 million in base salary this season before hitting free agency,” wrote Verderame. “He’s an extremely affordable commodity who has one sack and two tackles for loss this year.”
The likely trade cost to acquire Uche would be a sixth-round pick.
Detroit Lions Could Trade for Josh Uche
The Lions have two legitimate edge rushers in Aidan Hutchinson and free agent addition D.J. Wonnum. They also have second-round rookie Derrick Moore as their third edge rusher. That is why the Lions are not usually brought up as a team to add on the edge.
However, at some point the team has to acknowledge that while the development of Moore is valuable, he is also not earning snaps. Moore has just 46 pass-rush attempts on 54 passing-down snaps played.
He has just four pressures and an 8.9% pass-rush win rate. The team plays Tyler Lacy over him at times. However, Lacy is more on an inside-outside rusher who defends the run. He has 65 pass-rush snaps and five pressures. His win rate is a disappointing 4.8%.
The Lions are overly reliant on Wonnum and Hutchinson and could upgrade over Lacy and Moore. It would hurt the development of their second-round pick, as he would hardly have a role with Uche in the picture. Still, the Lions have to weigh winning now with his development. If they want to win-now, they should trade for Uche.
Lions Are a Fit for Uche
Uche has 111 pass rush reps on 124 passing-down snaps. That is the exact number of Moore and Lacy. He has 10 pressures and a 12.9% pass rush win rate. So, he wins a lot more and has more pressures than those two combined. He is the more productive pass rusher.
He only has one sack this year, and had one sack last year. Still, in 2022, he had 11.5 sacks, showing that when used in the right manner, he can be
Miami is 0-5 coming out of the bye week. Uche is going to be a free agent after the season. The Dolphins knew he was going to be a rental when they signed him. They are already seeing production from Malik Herring, and Uche is the number two rusher behind Chop Robinson.
To pick up a pick for him would be a win for the team. Uche is a former Michigan product and could end up back in the state where he played college football.
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