The dream of the Detroit Lions landing another elite edge they could pair with Aidan Hutchinson fizzled out pretty quickly.
All of the top free agent options have already signed elsewhere and the Lions haven't seemed to show much interest in a trade for Trey Hendrickson.
That doesn't mean the team should ignore the position until the draft rolls around.
Instead, they should look to sign a "bridge" edge.
It's something we often see teams do with quarterbacks. They'll sign a veteran to a short-team deal so they can start until a prospect is ready to replace them.
It's not something we see much at other positions, but is the right move for the Lions.
Right now, their second edge is set to be Marcus Davenport. He has frequently missed games throughout his career because of injuries and hasn't been all that productive when healthy.
He's not the answer for a team looking to win a Super Bowl in 2025.
The rookies that will be available for the Lions at pick 28 probably won't be either.
This year's edge class is loaded with prospects that have a lot of potential and has very few with proven production during their college careers.
Once you get past Abdul Carter and Mike Green, this class feels very risky and both of those players will be gone long before the Lions are on the clock.
If the Lions want to take one of the less proven options or if they aren't interested in any of them and want to wait until next year to find their other edge, they should bring in a bridge player.
There are a few solid options out there who could produce for them in 2025 while they wait for their long-term answer.
The obvious option that stands out would be to just bring Za'Darius Smith back. They recently released Smith after he spent the second half of last season with the team.
He had four sacks in his eight games with the Lions and nine over the full season, proving he could still produce at 32 years old.
They could also pursue one of his former teammates. Preston Smith had a successful run in the NFC North, racking up at lest eight sacks in four of his five full seasons with the Green Bay Packers.
His 2024 season, which he split between the Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers, was disappointing. He only hd 4.5 sacks in 17 games.
However, he has a proven track record of producing in the pass rush and would likely benefit from a larger snap share the the 30% he got in Pittsburgh.
They could also go after somebody like Carl Lawson. Lawson didn't have the same career peak as either Smith, but has largely been consistent.
He has reached five sacks in five of his seven NFL seasons including the 2024 season. Hutchinson was the only Lion to do that last season.
Lawson also played last season on a deal worth a $1.1 million, so he probably wouldn't cost the Lions much to give them another pass rush option.
Emmanuel Ogbah is similarly consistent but unspectacular and could also likely be had on a cheap deal.
Any one of these players would be able to contribute to the Lions as they push for a Super Bowl without breaking the bank and would give the team time for a younger edge to develop.
With splashy options seemingly not on the table, one of these bridge edges is the way to go for the Lions.
