The Detroit Lions still have a few weeks ahead before preparations for the new season really kick in, but even now, during one of the slowest time in the offseason, things are moving and shaking around the city. The team’s 2025-26 NFL season starts in September, so they have a little over two full months to get ready. That may mean parting with some familiar faces.
While some of the Lions’ biggest players are back for another season, there are some other players who are currently within what will likely be the 53-man roster but could get traded away while their value is still high.
Now, the Lions are being encouraged to trade one of the team’s beloved players following a trade that was made by the Miami Dolphins on Tuesday, July 1, that leaves them open for another move.
Lions Encouraged to Trade Beloved Player
In a time when there isn’t usually much news happening in the NFL, the Miami Dolphins and Pittsburgh Steelers made big waves with their latest trade. The Dolphins traded cornerback Jalen Ramsey, tight end Jonnu Smith and a 2027 seventh-round pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and a 2027 fifth-round pick.
Even though Ramsey and Fitzpatrick are the big names on the deal, it’s possible the Smith factor could be crucial for Detroit. In a Tuesday, July 1, feature for Detroit Jock City, Kevin Kane states that “the absence of a proven tight end on Miami’s roster” may “create a trade scenario that Detroit Lions GM Brad Holmes can’t resist.”
“It just so happens that the Lions have another Pro Bowl tight end on their roster at a very opportune time,” Kane adds. “By trading Smith, the Dolphins have left their depth chart without a proven tight end. Enter Holmes.” Get the tissues ready, because this would mean saying farewell to a Lions player who has been a favorite since 2023.
A Trade for the Lions and Dolphins
So, Kane suggests trading Sam LaPorta to the Dolphins. He says that by doing this deal now, it would beat Dolphins tight end Julian Hill possibly emerging as a solid payer in the position and “leverage the uncertainty at the position and drive up the price.” Kane also says that Holmes could get a second-round pick from the Dolphins “and more, possibly getting one of the many tight ends on Miami’s roster in return.”
While LaPorta has certainly had his moments, his output went down in 2024. “He caught 26 fewer passes for 163 fewer yards and three fewer touchdowns,” Kane notes.
He adds, “Now that Miami has made a move on the NFL chessboard, other moves seem likely. The Lions should capitalize.”
The idea of trading LaPorta isn’t farfetched, and it would be good timing, with him still having enough trade juice to get something solid in return for the Lions. Plus, it would beat the Lions having to up his contract after his rookie contract is up. But, LaPorta has fit well into Detroit’s culture and chemistry, so it would be a gamble to let go of this young tight end and perhaps not the best move.
