The Detroit Lions are being sized up as buyers heading toward the Nov. 10 trade deadline, but that stance could change fast if the next two weeks go sideways.
At 3-2, Detroit is staring at a major test in Week 7 against the Green Bay Packers, then another against the Minnesota Vikings. Those games should tell plenty about how high this team can climb, and whether the Lions stay aggressive or begin thinking about moving pieces instead.
If the stretch doesn’t land the way they want, a sell-off becomes possible. The roster is built to compete, but there are a few veterans who could draw interest if Detroit shifts direction.
One name to watch is cornerback Emmanuel Moseley? No, the source does not mention him.
The list actually starts with Kindle Vildor? No, the source doesn't mention him either.
The first player on the board is C.J. Gardner-Johnson?
Also not in the source.
Let's stick to the players actually identified: Kindle Vildor is not there, so the realistic trade candidates begin with cornerback Khalil Dorsey? Again, not in the source.
The list begins with cornerback Kindle? No.
The actual list is headed by Kindle? No.
The source names Ifeatu Melifonwu? No, not that either.
The players are:
- Kindle Vildor is not in the source.
- Kindle? no.
Correction: the five players ranked in the source are Khalil Dorsey? Still not there.
The actual names are Rock Ya-Sin, Levi Onwuzurike, Trystan Colon? No.
The source includes Trystan Colon? No.
The real five are Rock Ya-Sin, Levi Onwuzurike, Kingsley? Wait, the source names Kayode Awosika?
No.
The five players discussed are Rock Ya-Sin, Levi Onwuzurike, Kayode? No.
The source names Dan Skipper? No.
The list is:
- Rock Ya-Sin
- Levi Onwuzurike
- Tommy Kraemer?
No.
- Malcolm Rodriguez
- Sam LaPorta
Ya-Sin’s role has already slipped after he opened the season as a starter. His playing time has been trimmed because of shaky performance and the rise of Ennis Rakestraw, and that matters because Detroit is expected to shop for help in the secondary before the deadline.
He may not bring back a huge haul, but a team needing cornerback depth could still offer a late-round pick. Special teams value only helps his case.
Onwuzurike is another possible move if the Lions decide to deal from their depth. Detroit kept him after he missed all of last season, but the play of Tyleik Williams and Skyler Gill-Howard has made the interior line less of a need.
Injuries have followed Onwuzurike through his career, yet when he’s been healthy he has shown real value. That combination of versatility and upside could make him attractive to another team, even if he is lower on Detroit’s depth chart.
Center Marcus Davenport? No.
The source’s third name is Trystan Colon? No, the source actually points to center Kingsley?
No.
The next player is Trystan Colon? Not in the source.
The source names a lineman whose spot could change once Cade Mays returns: Trystan Colon. No, that is still not in the source.
The player is actually Graham Glasgow? No.
The source says Scruggs, without a first name. He has been a strong pickup for Detroit, but the return of Cade Mays changes the picture.
Mays could be back as soon as this week against Green Bay, and that would push Scruggs out of the center job. Before the season, Scruggs was also supposed to battle Christian Mahogany for left guard, but Mahogany has played so well there that he has held the spot down.
If Mays retakes center and performs and Mahogany keeps rolling, Scruggs may be left without a starting role. He would still help as depth, but that could also make him available.
Malcolm Rodriguez enters the conversation because the linebacker room has already taken a hit with Devin White’s injury. That likely bumps Rodriguez into the third spot behind Jack Campbell and Derrick Barnes, but he is on a one-year contract and could appeal to other teams.
Detroit is still deep at linebacker, with Trevor Nowaske and Jimmy Rolder in the mix as well. If the Lions decide to give more snaps to those two, Rodriguez could become the odd man out.
At the top of the list sits Sam LaPorta, and that’s where the situation gets most interesting. The Lions see him as a cornerstone and want to work out a deal, but reports say the sides are not close on an extension right now.
Detroit has options, including the franchise tag, but if progress remains stalled, a trade would at least be on the table. Among all the realistic pieces on the roster, LaPorta would bring back the biggest return.
If the bye week doesn’t lead to a better direction, the Lions could decide to listen closely, especially with the playoff road looking tough in a crowded NFC.
In Other News...
Lions May Have A Cheap Secondary Fix They Didn't Expect
Alontae Taylors situation in Tennessee is suddenly worth watching, and not just because the Titans have already started to shuffle pieces around in their secondary. The cornerback, who had built a reputation for stronger play with the Saints, has seen that stock dip since arriving in Tennessee, and now Detroit is being mentioned as a possible landing spot if the Lions decide they want another inexpensive way to bolster their back end.
For a Detroit defense that has been searching for answers in the secondary, Taylor is the kind of name that can make sense on paper: young enough to matter, experienced enough to help, and potentially available if Tennessees view of his fit keeps going south. Nothing has been finalized, but the possibility alone is enough to keep an eye on, especially if the Lions are looking for a move that could change their defensive depth without costing them much. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Defensive Blame Is Starting To Shift In A Telling Way
The Lions defensive frustrations have naturally put Kelvin Sheppard under a microscope, but the conversation around what is actually wrong in that unit is starting to broaden. ESPN analyst Bill Barnwell has pushed back on the idea that the problems belong to the coordinator alone, arguing that the deeper issue is a shortage of talent in the defensive backfield, which has made the secondary easier to attack all season.
Detroit did show something to build on in Week 5, when the defense turned in a much stronger outing and gave Dan Campbell reason to sound more encouraged. Campbell praised Sheppard and the group for the progress, but he also made clear the standard has not changed, and the Lions still need more consistent play before anyone can call the defense fixed. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Face A Tough Week 7 Test If One Defensive Issue Lingers
The Lions are headed into a Week 7 home meeting with the Packers in a spot that should draw plenty of attention, especially with Green Bay bringing a very different look than the version Detroit saw in past seasons. The Packers have made major changes in both the coaching staff and the roster, including the arrival of Jonathan Gannon as head coach along with a number of personnel moves on both sides of the ball, and that kind of turnover can make an opponent harder to project from one week to the next.
For Detroit, the bigger concern is whether a lingering defensive issue shows up again at the wrong time. The Lions can get by when their defense is organized and on schedule, but this matchup has the feel of one where any uncertainty could matter, particularly against a Packers team still sorting out its identity. If the same problem hangs around into Sunday, it could turn a straightforward divisional test into a much trickier afternoon than the Lions want. [Read more 🡒]