The Detroit Lions came out of the trade deadline without making the bold move many fans had anticipated. With clear areas of concern along the offensive line and in their pass rush rotation, Detroit decided against forcing a deal and chose to move forward with the roster as-is for the rest of the season.
That decision, however, is already coming back to haunt them. The day after the deadline, the Lions lost one of their few depth options on the defensive line. According to NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe, the Miami Dolphins have signed defensive end Andre Carter II off Detroit’s practice squad. Miami, who recently traded EDGE rusher Jaelan Phillips to the Eagles, brought in Carter to fill the hole left behind. Ironically, the Lions not only missed out on the chance to add Phillips themselves but also ended up losing the only pass rusher stashed on their practice squad as a result of that trade.
Lions’ Pass Rush Depth Takes a Hit
Carter never appeared in a regular-season game for Detroit after joining the practice squad in late August. Before that, he spent time with the Las Vegas Raiders, finishing the 2025 preseason with two sacks in three appearances before being released. Though he flashed potential, it wasn’t enough to secure a full-time roster spot.
The 25-year-old is best known for his standout college career at Army, where he ranked second in the nation with 15.5 sacks as a junior before going undrafted in 2023. Now, he’ll look to carve out a bigger role in Miami, a team seemingly pivoting toward a rebuild after a disappointing 2–7 start.
Meanwhile, Detroit’s defensive end group has been stretched thin. With only Aidan Hutchinson, Al-Quadin Muhammad, Tyrus Wheat, and Tyler Lacy currently available, the Lions’ depth is razor-thin. Hutchinson remains the anchor of the unit, and Muhammad has been outperforming expectations, but the rest of the rotation is inexperienced. The team hopes that Josh Paschal and Marcus Davenport can return soon to stabilize things.
For now, the Lions can only hope the injury bug doesn’t strike again. If it does, their decision not to bolster the EDGE position at the deadline—unlike the Eagles—could quickly turn into a major regret.
The Detroit Lions came out of the trade deadline without making the bold move many fans had anticipated. With clear areas of concern along the offensive line and in their pass rush rotation, Detroit decided against forcing a deal and chose to move forward with the roster as-is for the rest of the season.
That decision, however, is already coming back to haunt them. The day after the deadline, the Lions lost one of their few depth options on the defensive line. According to NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe, the Miami Dolphins have signed defensive end Andre Carter II off Detroit’s practice squad. Miami, who recently traded EDGE rusher Jaelan Phillips to the Eagles, brought in Carter to fill the hole left behind. Ironically, the Lions not only missed out on the chance to add Phillips themselves but also ended up losing the only pass rusher stashed on their practice squad as a result of that trade.
Lions’ Pass Rush Depth Takes a Hit
Carter never appeared in a regular-season game for Detroit after joining the practice squad in late August. Before that, he spent time with the Las Vegas Raiders, finishing the 2025 preseason with two sacks in three appearances before being released. Though he flashed potential, it wasn’t enough to secure a full-time roster spot.
The 25-year-old is best known for his standout college career at Army, where he ranked second in the nation with 15.5 sacks as a junior before going undrafted in 2023. Now, he’ll look to carve out a bigger role in Miami, a team seemingly pivoting toward a rebuild after a disappointing 2–7 start.
Meanwhile, Detroit’s defensive end group has been stretched thin. With only Aidan Hutchinson, Al-Quadin Muhammad, Tyrus Wheat, and Tyler Lacy currently available, the Lions’ depth is razor-thin. Hutchinson remains the anchor of the unit, and Muhammad has been outperforming expectations, but the rest of the rotation is inexperienced. The team hopes that Josh Paschal and Marcus Davenport can return soon to stabilize things.
For now, the Lions can only hope the injury bug doesn’t strike again. If it does, their decision not to bolster the EDGE position at the deadline—unlike the Eagles—could quickly turn into a major regret.
