The Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers are both staring at the same problem as training camp approaches: they need more help off the edge.
Detroit already lost Al-Quadin Muhammad to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in free agency, then tried to patch the hole by signing DJ Wonnum and taking Derrick Moore out of Michigan in the second round. Muhammad had 11 sacks in 2025 with the Lions and teamed with Aidan Hutchinson to form a dangerous pair. Wonnum gives Detroit a steady rotational option, and Moore brings plenty of upside, but the Lions could still use another body in that room to help replace what they lost.
Green Bay’s situation is just as obvious. Jonathan Gannon’s defense does not have much proven production at edge rusher beyond Micah Parsons, and Parsons is not expected back from injury until mid-October. Lukas Van-Ness, Barryn Sorrell and rookie Dani Dennis-Sutton will be asked to carry the load while Parsons is out, but the Packers still need someone who can come in right away and create pressure.
That’s where Jadeveon Clowney enters the picture.
Clowney is still unsigned after spending the 2025 season with the Dallas Cowboys, and Pro Football Network’s Cameron Sheath named both the Lions and Packers as possible landing spots for the former No. 1 overall pick.
He put together a productive year in Dallas, finishing with 8.5 sacks and 40 quarterback pressures in a rotational role. At 33, Clowney is no longer the same explosive force he once was, but he can still handle starting work if needed.
Even so, he looks best in a rotation at this stage, where he can stay fresh and focus entirely on rushing the passer. That kind of usage would fit both Detroit and Green Bay, especially if either team wants a veteran presence who can complement Hutchinson or Parsons and help guide younger linemen like Moore for the Lions and Dennis-Sutton for the Packers.
For now, Clowney remains on the market, which is a little surprising after the season he just had in Dallas. Detroit and Green Bay both make sense as potential destinations, but the next move will have to wait until the market shakes out before camp.
In Other News...
These Lions Depth Names Suddenly Feel Far Less Safe
The Lions back end of the roster is starting to look a lot less settled as the team turns its attention toward 2026, and that matters because the margins are where depth charts are won and lost. In a group of players sitting in the 60-to-51 range on the current projection, there are familiar names mixed with newer faces, and the common thread is simple: recent production, special teams value and positional flexibility are going to decide who sticks around.
For players like Jacob Saylors and Tom Kennedy, the appeal is obvious because both have already shown they can help in the kicking game, while Nick Whiteside is trying to turn a late-season flash into something more durable. Even the young linemen and defensive depth pieces in this tier are feeling the pressure of a roster that keeps adding competition, which is why this part of the list reads less like a formality and more like an audition that could still go a few different directions. [Read more 🡒]
Lions May Have An Answer To Their Cornerback Problem
The Lions spent the offseason trying to stabilize a cornerback group that suddenly looks a lot thinner than it did a few months ago, and that has pushed the front office back into the market for help. Free agency and trade both make sense as paths to add depth, especially with Detroit trying to keep its secondary from becoming a weak spot in a defense built to play aggressively on the outside.
One name that has started to surface is San Francisco's Renardo Green, a young corner who has already seen meaningful snaps and fits the kind of scheme Detroit likes to run. The 49ers have enough depth at the position to consider moving a defender, and Green's profile gives the Lions something they badly need: a potential long-term answer rather than just a short-term patch. [Read more 🡒]
Sam LaPorta Just Put Lions Fans In A Tough Spot
Sam LaPortas name still carries plenty of weight around the league, even after a season that ended far earlier than anyone in Detroit wanted. In ESPNs recent survey of executives, coaches and scouts, the Lions tight end was ranked No. 4 among NFL tight ends, a reminder that his impact has stretched well beyond the box score and into the way opponents have to account for him.
What makes that placement especially notable is how efficient LaPorta was when he was on the field in 2025. His yards after the catch and catch rate were among the best at the position, which only adds to the frustration of seeing his year cut short. Dan Campbell said LaPortas rehab is moving in the right direction and that he should be available for training camp, which gives Detroit a reason to feel better even as the bigger question lingers. [Read more 🡒]