The Detroit Lions keep finding themselves in a familiar spot: good enough to matter, but maybe not quite finished yet.
That’s the tension around this team right now. There’s plenty of belief they can stay among the league’s better clubs and remain in the playoff mix, but if Detroit wants to push from good to real Super Bowl threat, another move may be on the table.
One name floated as a fit is Cleveland Browns cornerback Denzel Ward. ESPN’s Mina Kimes pointed to him as the kind of player who could help Detroit if the defense needs a midseason boost.
“I could see them being first place in the division [mid-season], the offense is great, Drew Petzing has worked out, but they realize the defense isn’t actually good enough,” Kimes said, H/T Heavy. “But they know they need another pass-rusher, another DB.
And also they know that this might be their shot. The NFC North is like weird and wide open.
“Trade for Denzel Ward maybe?” Kimes said. “Denzel Ward makes sense in that defense - good fit.”
That’s the kind of move that starts to make sense if the NFC North stays as open as it looks now. The Lions already have questions in the secondary, and Ward would address exactly the sort of issue that can show up once the season starts stretching into the middle months.
Ward isn’t the only name to watch, either. There’s already a sense that Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. could eventually be moved, which only widens the pool of options for Detroit.
For the Lions, the path is clear enough: if the right defensive help becomes available, they should have chances to add a player who can make an immediate difference.
In Other News...
Lions Open Week 1 With Pressure On Unproven Replacements
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Jake Bates, Ennis Rakestraw, Thomas Harper, Avonte Maddox, Chuck Clark and Christian Mahogany are among the names carrying that pressure into Week 1. For some, its about proving they can handle bigger roles after injury concerns or uneven stretches, and for others its about showing they belong on a roster that expects to contend right away. How those replacement pieces look in the opener could shape the early tone of Detroits season. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Suddenly Have A Week 1 Depth Concern Fans Should Watch
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Dan Campbell addressed the groups condition and sounded cautiously optimistic about where things stood, which is about as much as a coach can offer this time of year. The bigger question for Detroit is how much depth it will have available when the games count for real, especially with the roster still taking shape in the final stretch before Sunday. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Make Late Roster Move As Tom Kennedys Role Suddenly Grows
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Kennedy is expected to suit up and handle punt return duties, giving the Lions another layer of reliability on special teams while keeping his receiver role available if needed. Brooks arrives with some versatility of his own, having recently moved from cornerback to safety after spending time with the Atlanta Falcons before joining Detroit. [Read more 🡒]