Lions Trade Deadline Targets: Could Wide Receiver Be in Play?

Getty John Ross makes a catch against Miami.

The Detroit Lions are deciding with how best to proceed as the NFL trade deadline comes up, and there are plenty of directions they could take as they chart a course for the rest of the 2020 NFL season.

Detroit has already made one deal, snagging motivated defensive end Everson Griffen for the low cost of a 6th round draft pick in 2021. With this in mind, the Lions could be finished. Still, the chance exists for them to continue to round out their roster in a big way.

The Lions could now be eying a robust run to the playoffs, and might need to spruce the roster up just a bit even ,ore for that to play out. The good news for Detroit is there are multiple intriguing players still on the market who could fit the bill.

So what players should the Lions be considering when all is said and done? Here’s a look at some of the names to remember still out there as the deadline draws closer.

Ryan Kerrigan, DE/LB/Edge

Kerrigan is an interesting veteran name that has been mentioned on the market in recent weeks considering his age and production. It’s true, with 92 career sacks, the 32 year old could be the most accomplished pass rusher on the market if indeed he is on the market. Reports conflict about whether that’s the case, but it’s fair to say he could give the Lions more than their fare share of needed help off the edge at rushing the quarterback. It might not cost too much to get him in the fold, but he’s been in Washington forever and it would be a tough decision for the team to move on. If they do, the Lions should be on the phone and at least making a call.

John Ross, WR

The Bengals’ speedster is said to be on the market, and with the Lions perhaps needing another wide receiver into the future, it could make sense for the team to kick the tires on Ross. He’s a speedster player and someone who could figure into the team’s plans beyond 2020 given a lack of receiver depth on the roster if he were to audition well. The Lions should look at a Will Fuller as well for the same reason, but a Ross addition might be more cost effective for the team to remember.

Quinnen Williams, DT

The Jets are probably going to have to be blown away to consider trading their former top pick, perhaps in terms of multiple early selections. Is that the type of move Bob Quinn could make with his regime seemingly on a ticking clock? If Williams is a favorite of the staff and could help a beleaguered defensive line, it’s something the Lions should easily be considering if not outright moving on. Williams is a talented player that could beef up Detroit’s front and give the team some extra playmaking in the middle of the line. Adding him is almost as good as adding a player in the 2nd or 3rd round of the draft. Williams would be an intriguing add for the Lions considering his youth and his ability to make plays up front. Perhaps it’s not a need with Griffen in the mix, but the team’s front always could use a little more firepower.

Ryan Anderson, LB/Edge

More likely than a move with Kerrigan is a move with Anderson according to experts like Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. The veteran pass rusher is on the block and could be moved. The former 2nd round pick has 6 sacks in his career and could be put in a position to succeed more within Detroit’s defense, where pass rush punch and playmaking is needed. The upside here? It probably wouldn’t take much if at all to get Anderson to Detroit. He also has the Alabama pedigree that Matt Patricia has liked in defenders before, making him a name to watch seriously for the Lions. He would offer help at linebacker off the edge.

Golden Tate, WR

Tate was famously traded from the Lions a few years ago at the deadline, and this makes a potential reunion shaky. Still, Lions fans would likely welcome his comeback considering what Tate meant to the team for his run in Detroit. Things haven’t worked out for Tate since he left short of getting paid, and now that he’s done that, could he add some extra pass catching punch to the Detroit offense? He knows Matthew Stafford and the team well, as well as Darrell Bevell, his former coordinator in Seattle. It’s a seamless fit, but would the team pull the trigger on the move? Tough to see it happening, but the Lions could use one more piece for their pass catching group which stands to lose plenty following the 2020 season.

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