As the Lions look to finally get over the hump and bring a Super Bowl championship to Detroit, one glaring need remains heading into the 2025 season: a consistent pass-rushing presence opposite Aidan Hutchinson.
While Hutchinson has emerged as one of the NFL’s most disruptive edge defenders—he has 28.8 sacks in 39 career games—Detroit’s pass rush has struggled to generate pressure when he’s out of the lineup, or when teams scheme away from him.
We think Seattle Seahawks edge rusher Boye Mafe could be the perfect trade target to compliment Hutch.
Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine named Mafe one of the Seahawks’ top trade assets, and while Seattle may be looking to extend him, it may also elect to pay other players instead, as the team’s new coaching staff has no loyalty to Mafe.
Here’s why he’s a player who should be on the radar of Dan Campbell and company.
Lions Trade Proposal Brings Edge Rusher Boye Mafe to Detroit
GettyThe Detroit Lions should see about trading for Boye Mafe of the Seattle Seahawks.
Selected by Seattle 40th overall in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft, Mafe is currently entering the fourth year of his rookie deal, which doesn’t include a fifth-year option since he wasn’t a first-round pick. That makes 2025 a crucial year for the former Minnesota product, as he will be eligible to hit unrestricted free agency in March 2026 if no extension is reached beforehand.
If Seattle opts to let the season play out without an extension, they’ll have the option to apply the franchise tag by March of 2026 to retain him for at least one more year. However, that could prove costly if Mafe continues ascending into Pro Bowl territory.
An extension during the 2025 season remains a possibility, especially if general manager John Schneider wants to get ahead of a potentially expensive bidding war in free agency. How Mafe performs this year under new head coach Mike Macdonald will almost certainly shape his future.
Seattle, now loaded with edge talent like DeMarcus Lawrence, Uchenna Nwosu and Derick Hall, may decide it can afford to part with Mafe. Our trade proposal would give the Seahawks two future assets while giving Detroit a 26-year-old pass rusher on a rookie contract.
Here’s a look at the trade pitch we put together:
- Detroit Lions get: edge rusher Boye Mafe
- Seattle Seahawks get: Lions’ 2026 second-round pick, conditional 2026 fifth-round pick that would escalate to a fourth if Mafe logs 10.0 or more sacks in 2025.
A Look at Mafe’s NFL Career So Far
Boye Mafe. ELITE.
The 6-foot-4, 261-pound Mafe has steadily improved each season since being drafted. As a rookie, he played all 17 games (three starts) and notched 41 tackles and 3 sacks. In 2023, he finished with 52 tackles and a team-high 9.0 sacks, including a Seahawks franchise record of seven consecutive games with at least one sack. He followed that in 2024 with 40 tackles, 12 QB hits and 6.0 sacks.
For Detroit, this could be the definition of a low-risk, high-reward move. Mafe is just 26, controlled through 2025 on a cap-friendly deal and offers flexibility for a Lions defense looking to add another impactful edge. He’s a promising two-way player who is solid both in pass rush and run defense.
Again, the Seahawks may not want to part with him, and if that’s the case, it’s understandable. He’s a promising young talent. But Lions GM Brad Holmes may want to pick up the phone and see.
