The NFL trade deadline is now less than a week away. If teams want to add talent via a trade, it must happen by 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, November 10. After that, the only talent acquisition can come via free agency or waivers.
The Detroit Lions’ interest in a cornerback is no secret. The team openly admitted they were involved in talks for Joey Porter Jr., although the Dallas Cowboys apparently outbid them. Cornerback sure seems like it’s still on the table, but could Detroit’s strategy shift after losing
several players to injury on Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings?
With rookie Jimmy Rolder out for the year and All-Pro linebacker Jack Campbell out indefinitely with a neck injury, suddenly linebacker seems like a pretty serious need. This week, the Lions have backfilled their depth chart with special teams pieces in KJ Britt and (reportedly) Owen Pappoe. But can they trust players like Derrick Barnes, Malcolm Rodriguez, and Trevor Nowaske to hold starting roles? Or do they need to make an aggressive move to raise the ceiling of the room and fortify the middle of the field?
On this week’s Midweek Mailbag podcast, we discuss the Lions’ options at the NFL trade deadline, and outline a couple of names we’d like to see the Lions consider. At the top of that list is undoubtedly Eagles linebacker Zack Baun. The 29-year-old All-Pro linebacker is on a very manageable contract for Detroit (salaries of $1.215M, $1.345M, and $1.39M from 2026-28, plus a $14 million option bonus in 2027). It makes a little less sense for the Eagles (over $16M in dead cap), but if the Lions could make it worth it with draft compensation, they could get a deal done. And with the Eagles 2-6—losers of six straight—forced to play Tanner McKee at quarterback, it may make sense to acquire as much draft captial as possible.
Other linebacker options discussed: Buccaneers’ Alex Anzalone and Dolphins’ Jordyn Brooks.
We also talk about whether the Lions’ strategy should change considering how competitive the NFC North is this year. Does it make sense to get in an arms race with the Chicago Bears after their acquisition of Jeffrey Simmons? Or is that actually a reason to pull back this year and wait for a time in which things feel more open?
And we talk about a lot of topics beyond the trade deadline, including:
- How the Lions’ “sidecar” formation was the perfect antidote to Brian Flores
- Why didn’t Ennis Rakestraw play much vs. Minnesota?
- What’s with the Lions’ short-yardage issues?
- Is it actually better to have the 5th or 6th seed in the NFC rather than the No. 2 seed?
- Should the Lions consider extending Christian Mahogany this offseason?
- How many carries for Sione Vaki is the sweet spot?
Check out the show below, or find us on your favorite podcasting platform by searching “Pride of Detroit.”
As always, you can also catch the podcast on our YouTube page and Twitch channel. On this week’s show, we went through some more Movember shenanigans, including eating something called earthworm jerky. All available on the video portion only.
