There's still time to turn this offseason around.
Granted, it's been a tough one. Losing both coordinators and, like, 96% of your starting offensive line in a few months is brutal. Since last year's embarrassing NFC Divisional loss that we're absolutely not going to spend any more time talking about – I honestly don't even remember who won – it's been a tough go for the Lions. While the rest of the division seemingly got much better, the Lions just took hit after hit, and now don't seem like the sure bet to win the NFC North that they've been the last couple years.
But it doesn't have to be like that. There's another way. All it would take to wipe all the bad vibes from this offseason would be [checks ESPN's recent trade proposal article] trading for last year's sack leader. That's it! Light work. The football folks over at the worldwide leader put together a Lions trade package for Bengals star Trey Hendrickson that absolutely cannot be ignored, no matter how hard you want to try. It's intoxicating.
ESPN's proposed Trey Hendrickson trade is absolutely bonkers and I love it
Bengals get: 2026 second-round pick, 2027 fourth-round pick (can become a third-rounder with performance conditions)
Lions get: Hendrickson, 2026 fifth-round pick
"Lions general manager Brad Holmes has acknowledged the fan base wants a secondary edge rusher far more than he does, but I imagine a player of Hendrickson's caliber would change Holmes' calculus slightly. Hendrickson isn't the sort of run defender the Lions might prioritize, yet a pass-rush duo of Aidan Hutchinson and Hendrickson might be the scariest in the NFL. The Lions are still legitimate Super Bowl contenders and should behave as such with aggressive veteran trades. They have plenty of cap space to extend Hendrickson, which he would demand of an acquiring team."
I love how the NFL media has collectively come together and decided that no one gets to sleep until the Lions make a blockbuster trade for an edge rusher. First it was Myles Garrett, then it was Maxx Crosby, and now it's Trey Hendrickson. Just do something, guys – we're not picky. I have no idea if it's going to work, but the Finally Pulling Off The Big One is the NFL's time-honored way of announcing to the league that you will, in fact, be making a Super Bowl run this year. And what'd be a better way to put a big ol' bummer of a summer behind them with a Hendrickson trade?
