Fans of the Detroit Lions are counting down the days until the start of Training Camp, which will take place late next month at the club’s official Training Facility in the Detroit suburb of Allen Park.
Over the last several weeks and months, general manager Brad Holmes has not only accumulated multiple new players via the Draft, but also through trade and free agency, leaving Lions fans to wonder exactly how the upcoming season is going to play out.
In the meantime, one NFL Insider is offering a blockbuster three-way team proposal involving the Lions as well as the New Orleans Saints and New England Patriots
Detroit Lions Combine With New Orleans Saints And New England Patriots In Blockbuster Proposed 3-Way Trade
Lions beat writer Mike Payton of AtoZ Sports has proposed a blockbuster three-way trade involving the Lions along with the Saints and Patriots, which would result in the Lions acquiring defensive tackle Eric Gregory and a 2027 seventh-round pick from New England, while sending safety Avonte Maddox to the Saints.
The full proposed trade breaks down as follows:
- Lions get:
DT Eric Gregory
Patriots 2027 7th-round pick - Patriots get:
OL Caesar Ruiz - Saints get:
S Avonte Maddox
Patriots 2027 6th-round pick
As far as why the Lions would entertain this kind of trade, he wrote:
“The Lions need some interior defensive line help, but they don’t need a big-time starter. They need a rotational guy who can come in and play some nose tackle. Gregory can do that and do it well. The second-year nose tackle had this role in New England last year and showed that maybe he should have gotten himself drafted in the 2025 NFL Draft. The Patriots send a long a seventh-round pick to help facilitate the trade. Nothing crazy for Detroit, but every little bit helps.”
On the Saints side of things, he wrote:
“They get to clear some cap by moving on from Ruiz, and they get to bolster their secondary by getting a versatile defensive back who can play both safety and cornerback. He can start at either spot. The only reason the Lions move on from him is that if they get both Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph back earlier than expected, they’ll have too many cooks in the kitchen with Thomas Harper, Chuck Clark, and Christian Izien holding down spots.”
And finally, the Patriots could entertain this deal because:
“Right now, the Patriots are going into this season with the possibility of starting Alija Vera-Tucker, who hasn’t played since the 2024 season. Ruiz gives them either a starter in 2026 or a backup plan in 2026. Either way, the Patriots would likely feel a lot safer at guard if they went this route, and they don’t have to give up too much.”
Avonte Maddox Is Coming Off His First Season In Detroit
Maddox was selected in the fourth round (125th overall) by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2018 NFL Draft, and would eventually help the franchise capture Super Bowl LIX in 2025 over the Kansas City Chiefs.
A Detroit native, he signed with the Lions prior to last season, and then later signed another one-year deal in April.
This past season, he accumulated 32 total tackles (23 solo) with four passes defended, along with one interception and forced fumble each.
Lions Plug Key Roster Holes In Proposed Blockbuster Three-Team Trade