Lions Taking Ultimate Gamble, Trusting Process.
Trust the process.
Lions fans, whether they like it or not, are left to do that after the team failed to make a splash at Tuesday’s trade deadline.
As the 2023 season has progressed, it’s become increasingly clear that Detroit could use another dependable pass-rusher to complement the production of Aidan Hutchinson.
Thus, leading into the deadline, the rumor mill ran rampant that the Lions would be in the market for an EDGE defender with a proven pass-rushing repertoire (e.g. Carolina’s Brian Burns, Minnesota’s Danielle Hunter).
Burns and Hunter ended up not being dealt. However, two other impactful EDGE rushers did become available: Washington’s Montez Sweat and Chase Young.
Sweat has recorded at least five sacks in each of his first five NFL seasons, and already has 6.5 this year. The 27-year-old has also accumulated 10 tackles for loss and 11 quarterback hits on the season. For his efforts, he’s earned a 76.8 overall grade from Pro Football Focus.
While Young hasn’t been as consistently productive, he is just 24 years old, and he was the AP Defensive Rookie of the Year and a Pro Bowler during the 2020 campaign. He’s also already amassed five sacks this season, and has posted a PFF overall mark of 75.4, including a 79.7 pass-rush grade.
Needless to say, Sweat and Young would’ve each provided a major boost to Detroit’s pass-rushing department.
Sweat ended up being traded to the Bears for a 2024 second-round pick, while Young was dealt to the 49ers for a ’24 third-round pick. It seemed like fair compensation for the two EDGEs.
Yet, Lions general manager Brad Holmes deemed the price tags to be too high for his team at this present juncture. It could have been because of the fact that Sweat and Young are both set to be unrestricted free agents at season’s end.
