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The Detroit Lions have seen two major subtractions to their defense, and one insider believes it could be time for one big addition.
The Lions put considerable resources toward rebuilding their defense in the offseason, signing safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson and cornerback Emmanuel Moseley — only to watch them both suffer season-ending injuries just one-quarter of the way into the season. Though the Lions are still 4-1 and leading the NFC North, SI.com’s Vito Chirco wrote that there could still be room for improvement by swinging a trade for Las Vegas Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby.
Raiders Could Be Looking to Sell
Chirco noted that the Raiders could be in a position to sell at the upcoming trade deadline, as they sit at 2-3 and in danger of falling out of the playoff picture. Their path to a division title was already slim with the Kansas City Chiefs still rolling, and more losses could start to put a wild card berth out of reach.
Should the Raiders decide to move into a rebuild, Crosby “would undoubtedly be one of the team’s most valuable trade pieces,” Chirco wrote.
Chirco added that while the Lions are in good shape through the first five weeks of the season, they may need to add more firepower if they want to compete with the San Francisco 49ers for conference supremacy and advised they “pull the trigger” on a trade for Crosby if they get the chance.
“The two-time Pro Bowler is the real deal, and would easily take the Lions’ pass-rushing unit to the next level. He’d form a lethal pass-rushing duo with fellow EDGE Aidan Hutchinson, which would rival the best defensive end tandems in the league today,” Chirco wrote.
Crosby would not come cheap. Chirco speculated that it would cost the Lions a 2024 first-round draft pick and potentially a promising young player, like second-year edge rusher James Houston.
“Any way you slice it, I believe it’d be worth it for Detroit to deal the aforementioned valuable assets to attain a truly game-changing player like Crosby,” Chirco wrote.
Others See Maxx Crosby as Logical Target for Lions
Chirco is not the only one to suggest that the Lions could swing for a blockbuster trade for Crosby. Gary A. Vasquez of AtoZ Sports noted that there is a vocal contingent of Lions fans who want to see the team trade for the local product, who played his college ball at Eastern Michigan.
Vasquez predicted a slightly higher price point than Chirco, proposing the following trade:
- Lions receive: Maxx Crosby and a 2024 6th round pick
- Raiders receive: James Houston, 2024 1st round pick, 2024 third round pick from the Vikings and the 2025 4th round pick from the Eagles.
Like Chirco, Vasquez suggested that it would be worth the price if the Lions are able to convince the Raiders to deal the Pro Bowler.
“This is not going to be cheap for the Lions,” Vasquez wrote. “I don’t know if it’ll take four picks, but a first-round pick will definitely be going out the door for this. I’m not sure the Lions would get something as good as a second-round pick back either.”
