The Detroit Lions are riding high on their comeback win over the Houston Texans on Sunday, 26-23, but there’s always room for improvement. Bleacher Report’s Scouting Department believes one Kansas City Chiefs starter could be the perfect addition to the Lions’ squad and help beef up the offense.
In a November 11 feature about every roster’s biggest weaknesses going into Week 11, NFL analyst and expert Mike Holder says the Lions should steal guard Trey Smith of the Kansas City Chiefs and bring him to Detroit.
Detroit Will Be ‘In the Market’ for a Guard
In the Bleacher Report feature, Holder notes that, “Kevin Zeitler is only on a one-year deal and Graham Glasgow has been more solid than good this season, meaning the team could find an upgrade over Glasgow. The point is that Detroit will likely be in the market for a guard this offseason, one way or another.”
Smith’s numbers are impressive, to say the least. Heading into Week 10, Pro Football Focus had him as the eighth-highest-graded guard (81.5), so it’s no wonder he’s popular among Chiefs fans.
Holder notes that, “While the 25-year-old who turns 26 in June will command top dollar on the open market, the Lions are currently projected to have about $65 million of cap space available this offseason, per Over The Cap.”
Holder recommends the Lions pick Smith up during the offseason, when he’s a free agent. But, what’s funny, and quite impressive, is that Holder’s recommendations for the Lions’ move right now is “none.” So, he likes what he sees.
“Given that and the fact the team has been rolling lately, there’s no need to change things up right now,” he stated.
Detroit Lions Top NFL Power Rankings Going Into Week 11
The Lions keep turning heads, and their victory over the Texans has placed them at No. 1 or No. 2 in a range of NFL Power Rankings going into Week 11.
James Dator of SB Nation has the Lions at No. 1 for the first time this season, noting, “At first glance this might make no sense. After all, the Chiefs are still the only undefeated team left in the NFL — while the Lions are 8-1.”
He added, “However, there’s a level of doubt creeping in with the quality of performance the Chiefs are turning in that’s causing some of us to (lose) faith in their ability to claim the mantle of best team in the league.”
ESPN has the Lions at No. 2, with Eric Woodyard stating, “Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson said (Amon-Ra) St. Brown ‘might be the most consistent player I’ve ever been around.’ And that mentality has rubbed off on teammates as he has become one of Detroit’s foundational players since being selected in the fourth round of the 2021 draft. St. Brown has continued his record-setting pace in Year 4 with a receiving touchdown in seven consecutive games, the longest streak in franchise history.”
Over at USA Today, Nate Davis had Detroit at No. 2, stating, “Add resilience to their special sauce now that they’ve notched their first win under HC Dan Campbell after trailing by double digits at halftime … QB Jared Goff and WR Amon-Ra St. Brown haven’t had a missed connection since Week 3, hooking up on 30 consecutive targets – tied for the longest streak for any wideout since 2016.”
