Had the Detroit Lions had a fully healthy defense heading into the postseason, they may have possibly made it further than the NFC divisional round of the playoffs.
Perhaps the biggest obstacle for the Lions to overcome was the loss of Pro Bowl pass-rusher Aidan Hutchinson, who was leading the NFL in sacks (7.5) when he fractured his tibia in a Week 6 win over the Dallas Cowboys and missed the rest of the season.
Though Detroit acquired defensive end Za'Darius Smith at the trade deadline to fill Hutchinson's shoes, he made little impact and was released at the start of the new league year, which is why Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox suggested the team trade for another Pro Bowl pass-rusher to help support Hutchinson next season.
Knox urged the Lions to target disgruntled Cincinnati Bengals star Trey Hendrickson, who led the NFL with 83 pressures and 17.5 sacks this season, per Pro Football Focus.
"The draft is an option for filling the void-the Bleacher Report Scouting Department paired Detroit with Georgia's Mykel Williams in its latest mock draft-but the Lions should also consider a trade for Trey Hendrickson," Knox wrote.
"… The Lions should see if they can pull off what other teams, to this point, have been unable to do and acquire Hendrickson. Pairing him with Hutchinson would give Detroit arguably the most disruptive pass-rushing tandem in the NFL."
Hendrickson has been unhappy with his contract situation with the Bengals, even requesting a trade earlier this month.
Cincinnati gave him permission to seek a trade, but other teams balked at the Bengals' reported asking price.
While it's no secret that Hendrickson was being shopped, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler recently reported that the Bengals are more inclined to keep him and work out a contract extension rather than ship him to another team.
"[A trade] would take a really hefty trade package," ESPN's Jeremy Fowler recently said on "SportsCenter." "Teams aren't willing to do that and pay Hendrickson right now. So, as much as I want to go with the field, I still think they can work something out, Hendrickson and the Bengals, on a new deal."
