The Detroit Lions have made some big investments in their defense, overhauling a once-struggling secondary and adding some new veterans on the defensive line.
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But one analyst believes the defense is still incomplete, suggesting the Lions could consider a trade for four-time Pro Bowler Matthew Judon to place alongside Aidan Hutchinson. Vito Chirco of SI.com noted that while the Lions already added edge rusher Marcus Davenport in free agency, the team could still need more help to boost the pass rush.
“Enter four-time Pro Bowler Matthew Judon, a Pontiac, Mich., native who played his high school ball at West Bloomfield (Mich.) High School and his college ball at Grand Valley State,” Chirco wrote.
New England Patriots Edge Matthew Judon is marked as a potential trade target for The Detroit Lions#OnePride pic.twitter.com/mkGY4EiXjd
— 𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔇𝔢𝔱𝔯𝔬𝔦𝔱 𝔗𝔦𝔪𝔢𝔰 📰 (@BrandNewDET) July 5, 2024
“Judon, a fifth-round pick of the Baltimore Ravens in 2016, has played the past three seasons in New England where he’s accumulated 32.0 sacks, including a career-best 15.5 in 2022.”
Question Marks Surround Matthew Judon
Trading for Judon would come with its risks, Chirco noted. The 31-year-old was limited to four games last season as he dealt with a biceps injury, leaving questions about his potential impact going forward. He also played on a New England Patriots defense that struggled at times.
But Chirco suggested that Judon could bring some short-term help to the Lions and help unlock Hutchinson’s full potential.
“Judon’s track record leads me to believe that he’d be a valuable asset to Detroit’s pass-rushing unit,” Chirco wrote. “Additionally, I’m of the mindset that he’d provide Aidan Hutchinson with a reliable complement at EDGE – something that Hutchinson was lacking all of last season.
“Yet, it’s important to take into account that Judon is in the final year of a four-year, $54.5 million contract that he signed with New England in March 2021. And, with that said, he’d likely be nothing more than a rental for the Lions.”
Hutchinson had a breakout season for the Lions in 2023, making 11.5 sacks. But the Lions struggled to find a consistent pass-rush option to put alongside him. Defensive lineman Alim McNeill finished second on the team with 5.0 sacks, while no other player had more than 3 on the season.
Lions Ready to Go All-In
While the Lions have been meticulous in building pieces through the draft and free agency during their rebuild, a one-year rental could fit in with the team’s plans for the coming year. Lions head coach Dan Campbell said after falling just short of reaching the Super Bowl last season, he wants “the whole enchilada” this year.
Linebackers coach Kelvin Sheppard also said during the team’s minicamp in June that the foundation is already in place for a Super Bowl run.
“Before you can set goals, you have to set a foundation,” Sheppard said, via The Athletic’s Colton Pouncy. “So I think right now, the things we’ve been discussing this offseason have been foundationally. I think we all know where we’re at as an organization and what the goal is this year. Dan, the whole enchilada, he’s been eating a lot of Mexican. But that’s what we’re all in this year, is for the whole enchilada.”
