7 Really Available Trade Targets for the Detroit Lions

The veteran Dolphins edge looks and plays like a slightly shorter version (he’s 6-foot-4 and listed at 275) of injured Lions starter Marcus Davenport. He is strong and skilled at playing left or right back, either standing or with his hand in the dirt.

A free agent after the season, Ogbe turns 31 the day after the trade deadline. The 2-6 Dolphins have rookie Mohammed Kamara unable to get on the field because Ogbah is blocking his spot. Ogbah has two sacks and 11 QB pressures (per PFF) in seven games.

Some Lions fans have pointed to a connection with Detroit front office assistant John Dorsey during their time in Cleveland, where Ogbah began his career in 2016. It’s important to note that Dorsey was not responsible for drafting Ogbah, but he traded him (for DB Eric Murray) a year after taking over as GM of the Browns.

Garrett is unavailable, but there has been plenty of talk about the 2-6 Browns being willing to part ways with Smith. The 32-year-old can still break the can as a power rusher, with three sacks in Cleveland’s last four games. Smith even said in a recent interview that he would love to join the Lions.

At 6-foot-4 and 270 pounds, Smith tests the size and style of the bullpen the Lions crave on the edge. The three-time Pro Bowler (most recently in 2022 with the Vikings) is known for his excellent pass-breaking ability, not to mention 65 career sacks. The Lions won’t be the only interested party in Smith, so the price could be higher than expected.

Ojulari took advantage of the national stage to showcase himself as a potential trade target, recording two sacks and seven tackles in a very active game Monday night against the Steelers. The 24-year-old now has six sacks in eight games, which is a very respectable mark for a Giants team that is aiming for a top-10 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

He’s available because the Giants have Brian Burns and 2022 first-rounder Kayvon Thibodeau (currently injured) at his position, and he’ll be a free agent after the year. Even though he is extremely small for the Lions (240 pounds at 6-foot-3), he does play with the physical strength needed. Ojulari is another player who is expected to have a strong following, which puts the Lions at a disadvantage by making a pick so late in any round; a fourth-rounder from Detroit could be 10-15 slots later than a player from Atlanta or Minnesota.

This time last year, Young was the apple of many Lions fans’ eyes. Then in Washington’s case, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft was traded to the 49ers and dropped 2.5 sacks on San Francisco’s path to the Super Bowl.

It just didn’t work out the way they hoped for Young in New Orleans, where he signed as a free agent last offseason. The 6-foot-5, 265-pound player has two sacks and 30 pressures (per PFF) for New Orleans and plays exclusively as a right EDGE in the post, but struggles to finish plays and doesn’t get out of blocks like he used to. This may be due to a serious knee injury, as well as off-season neck surgery. The hope is that this is a result of playing for a team that has lost six games in a row and doesn’t look well coached, and that Young can recapture his old efficient ways with a change of scenery.

A first-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, Tryon-Soyinka has not lived up to Tampa Bay’s expectations. He has 14 total sacks in four seasons, including one this year. The Bucs didn’t pick up his fifth-year option, so now he’s a pending free agent and clearly not a long-term option for the fading Buccaneers.

Tryon-Soyinka has desirable length at 6-foot-5 and 269 pounds, but he doesn’t necessarily play the style the Lions prefer. He misses too many tackles (his career miss rate is just under 25 percent) and does a poor job of being physical on the offensive line. Desperate times in Detroit call for action, however, and the idea of ​​landing a former first-rounder on a potential rental for a return at the end of Day 3 certainly looks appealing.

Key, of course, is fresh in his mind after sacking Jared Goff twice in the first quarter of the Lions’ win over his Titans on Sunday. He’s a player the Lions have shown at least passing interest in as a free agent and in 2023.

The 240-pound Key is too small for Detroit’s scheme, although he shows some physical strength as a pass rusher. At 28, he’s an NFL journeyman; he has played for four teams over the past five seasons. Key completed more than half of his passes all season in the first half against Detroit, and Lions left tackle Taylor Decker made a slight adjustment to his blocking and picked Key out completely after the break. However, it is available and inexpensive to purchase—both of which make a difference.

Jones is another player who had a good game against the Lions earlier this year. The 27-year-old sacked Jared Goff in the end zone for a safety in Detroit’s Week 4 win.

At 6-foot-3 and 280 pounds, Jones isn’t a good fit as an outside hitter, which is one reason why Seattle would be willing to part ways with him. However, this Lions defense is assembling players who can play a heavy DE role or also cut inside to beat the defender (think Levi Onwuzurike, Josh Pascal and Mekhi Wingo), and Jones fits the bill with a fairly consistent performance as a pass rusher and reliable gaming. a cog in the running game.

Jones also has a terrible contract that would have a $16 million salary due in 2025 (although that’s not guaranteed), which would have to be immediately restructured in any deal.