The NFL offseason is officially underway, and there are many assets that the Detroit Lions could obtain or miss out on. The moves that the Lions will make in the offseason will undoubtedly have an impact on the team once the season starts; however, spectators are eagerly waiting to see whether the impact is positive or negative.*
In order to have a positive impact on the team, there are multiple factors that need to be considered: the age of the player, the amount of cap space the player will take up, and most importantly the skill of the player. These are the broad terms for an offseason move for every team in the NFL; however, every team needs to consider what they need to accommodate themselves, and the Detroit Lions are no exception.
Currently, the Lions have a lot of youth on the team, and as a result, there aren’t a lot of older players that could easily be shipped off. The Lions could potentially move on from defensive tackle Levi Onwuzirike and safety Tracy Walker III– both of whom, although very skilled, have become role players on the team. Letting them go would free up cap space, and would give the Lions some room to breathe in regards to being able to afford more expensive assets.
Another move they can make, considering that it would be surprising if the Lions decided to part ways with any of the core players, is to load off their first-round draft pick that will be available late into the round. If they let go of role players there would not be a lot of spots to fill, so giving up a pick for something in return is a move the Lions can definitely afford.
Now that the top trade assets of the Lions have been covered, the next thing for the team to consider are the top trade targets. This is a lot harder to determine because there are 31 other teams in the NFL, and in the blink of an eye a target for the Lions could be snatched up by any of the other teams. However, as stated previously, every team has specific needs, and there are players for the Lions that will fulfill those needs that other teams would be less likely to go for.
The biggest needs for Detroit lies on the defensive side of the football. The secondary is average, at best, and it would be ideal to have a high quality pass-rusher to accompany the defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, and the best way to do that is to obtain one while also taking away from NFC competition. San Francisco 49ers cornerback Charvarius Ward and Philadelphia Eagles pass-rusher Haason Reddick both fit that description perfectly, and picking them up for the 2024 season would strengthen the team enormously.
Another approach would be to trade up for a first round pick, so that there is a chance to pick for defensive prospects in the upcoming draft. One prospect that stands out is Alabama cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry.
These players will certainly have a positive impact if added to the Lions roster, and with the inclusion of free agency signings, there is no telling what could happen once the season starts. While the Lions may not get the chance to make every single move recommended, making moves similar to them will allow for future success for not only this upcoming season, but for the seasons after that as well.
*Disclaimer: The NFL offseason moves quickly with many expected and unexpected changes. That said, there may be changes for teams or players that have happened during the process of publishing this article.
