The Detroit Lions have a clear defensive goal this offseason—find Aidan Hutchinson some support.
While Hutchinson emerged as a breakout star, his season-ending injury last year exposed the team’s lack of depth at edge rusher. After he fractured his leg in October, the Lions struggled to generate pressure, with no other player recording more than 4.0 sacks for the season.
One analyst believes Detroit could address this issue by trading for an edge rusher who might benefit from a fresh start.
Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton explored potential NFL trades and suggested the Lions could strike a deal with the Philadelphia Eagles. His proposal? Detroit trades a 2025 fourth-round and seventh-round pick in exchange for edge rusher Bryce Huff.
Moton noted that the Eagles signed Huff to a three-year, $51 million contract last offseason but may now regret the move after his injuries and inconsistent play limited his impact.
“Injuries sidelined the 26-year-old for five games. Even when available, he had minimal impact, recording 13 tackles, three for loss, 2.5 sacks, and one forced fumble,” Moton wrote.
“Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio didn’t utilize him heavily. Huff played more than 47 percent of snaps in only three of his 12 appearances and wasn’t active for Super Bowl LIX.”
Moton added that the Eagles might be willing to part with Huff for a reasonable price, making him an intriguing option for a Lions team needing a reliable pass rusher opposite Hutchinson.
“The Lions lack a dependable edge rusher besides Aidan Hutchinson,” Moton wrote. “They haven’t re-signed Za’Darius Smith, and 2022 second-round pick Josh Paschal has yet to develop. Marcus Davenport is back, but he’s appeared in only six games over the last two seasons due to injuries.
“Huff could secure a starting spot across from Hutchinson on Detroit’s defensive line.”
The Lions could also explore other options to improve their pass rush. CBS Sports analyst Josh Edwards suggested they could use their No. 28 overall pick to select Texas A&M edge rusher Shemar Stewart.
Edwards pointed out that Stewart has all the physical tools of a dominant pass rusher but struggled at times to turn those attributes into consistent production. Detroit could be an ideal environment for him to develop while opposing offensive lines focus on another key player.
“Shemar Stewart possesses incredible athletic traits for someone his size, but his production hasn’t matched his potential,” Edwards wrote. “In Detroit, he wouldn’t need to be the primary pass rusher right away, thanks to Aidan Hutchinson’s presence.”
