The Detroit Lions appear committed to maintaining their current roster while banking on improved health next season. Given how injuries plagued them last year, they should naturally see better luck in that area.

Despite re-signing multiple players and making minor external additions—aside from cornerback D.J. Reed—edge rusher remains a major need. The draft offers plenty of options, but adding an experienced player should also be considered.

A major move for an edge rusher this offseason was always unlikely. Aside from vague speculation about Trey Hendrickson being available, no significant trade seemed realistic. Finding a potential trade target requires deeper research.

Mason Cameron of Pro Football Focus identified four teams that should fill a key need through a trade rather than the draft. For the Lions, he suggested New York Giants defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux as a target.

Cameron pointed out that Thibodeaux has yet to meet expectations after being drafted fifth overall in 2022. His best season was in 2023, when he played all 17 games and recorded 11.5 sacks with 12 tackles for loss. However, he missed five games last season and three as a rookie, totaling 9.5 sacks in those years.

The Giants must decide whether to exercise Thibodeaux’s fifth-year option by May 1 or consider a contract extension. Cameron argued that if they want to maximize his trade value, now would be the best time to move him.

He also stated that Detroit has the infrastructure to unlock Thibodeaux’s full potential and enough cap space to extend his contract if needed. However, this overlooked the Lions’ own looming contract extensions.

As for trade compensation, the Giants would likely demand at least a Day 2 draft pick. That said, their willingness to trade him is probably minimal or nonexistent.

The Lions showed significant interest in Thibodeaux before the 2022 draft and have observed him closely in joint practices over the past two preseasons.

While trading for Thibodeaux is intriguing in theory, a deeper analysis reveals its unlikelihood. The biggest obstacle is that the Giants probably have no intention of moving him. This ultimately renders the trade proposal unrealistic.