The Detroit Lions got virtually nothing from their edge rushers not named Aidan Hutchinson last season, and there has been some effort to rectify that this offseason. The extent to which it can be believed they’ve rectified the issue with outside additions is directly tied to the belief that Marcus Davenport can stay healthy, or CFL star Mathieu Betts can make a smooth transition to the NFL.
It’s safe to say both of those things are questions, and there are some recognizable veteran edge rushers available to be signed as training camp nears. The idea of adding someone as insurance against Davenport’s durability concerns is certainly out there.
On the trade front, Matthew Judon may be available. He made some waves on social media last week in regard to his long-term contract status, and it appears the new deal he wants from the New England Patriots is not happening. A soon-to-be 32-year old player who’s coming off playing four games last season is not a fit for a team in the rebuild phase New England is.
Should the Patriots make Judon available, the Lions should be among the teams making a call to see what it would take to get him. He is from Pontiac, Michigan, so as much as he’d have a say in where he’s traded coming back home could be a preference. The Lions being a good team is also important.
Grade the trade proposal: Lions get Matthew Judon to help Aidan Hutchinson
Per NFL Analyst Brett Kollman, Hutchinson accounted for 37.4 percent of the Lions’ overall pressures last season. “Typical” for an elite edge rusher, according to Kollman, is in the 27-30 percent range.
Judon had four sacks in the four games he played last season before he suffered a torn bicep. He had 15.5 sacks in 2022, and 12.5 sacks in 2021, so he seems to have plenty left. He can certainly add to Detroit’s pass rush.
After Judon’s social media responses to the idea the Patriots should extend him, and subsequently fueled by news said agreement is not close, Mike Payton of AtoZ Sports offered the following trade proposal to bring Judon to the Lions.
Lions get: Matthew Judon
Patriots get: 2025 fourth-round and 2025 sixth-round (from the Buccaneers) picks
Acquiring Judon of course comes with signing him to a contract extension. Payton proposed something along the lines of the two-year, $27.5 million deal Cameron Jordan got from the Saints last year. That would be reasonable, and it could be structured in such a way to not be prohibitive.
Taking everything into account, the upfront trade cost and the cost of extending Judon for a couple years, this proposal looks pretty good for the Lions if it could come together.
