The Detroit Lions saw a fantastic performance from their pass rush in the Week 1 win over the Los Angeles Rams, with the group tallying two sacks and whopping 23 pressures.
Aidan Hutchinson was responsible for 11 of those pressures, per Pro Football Focus, and Marcus Davenport and Levi Onwuzurike chipped-in six and five, respectively.
For the Lions, Davenport’s debut was exactly what they hoped for when they signed him in free agency during the offseason. However, the concerns over Davenport’s injury history are already becoming a reality, as the veteran edge rusher is set to miss his first game in Week 2 due to a groin injury that has him listed as doubtful.
And that’s exactly why the Lions need to keep exploring their options to add to their edge rush group, and one player who could eventually become available is New York Jets disgruntled edge rusher, Haason Reddick.
While the Jets have stated publicly they do not intend to trade Reddick, who is holding out for a new deal, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that multiple league executives believe it’s just a matter of time before New York pulls the trigger.
With that in mind, The 33rd Team recently named possible landing spots for Reddick, and the Lions were one of them, along with the Chicago Bears, Tennessee Titans and Indianapolis Colts.
Four potential landing spots for Haason Reddick if the Jets do end up moving him 🔄
✍️ @DanPizzuta https://t.co/mJShrUxWub pic.twitter.com/rd8ifULWkU
— The 33rd Team (@The33rdTeamFB) September 12, 2024
The 33rd Team is just the latest to suggest the Lions as a landing spot for Reddick. Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox also believes Detroit could be a player for the veteran if he is put on the trade block.
Reddick has proven to be one of the more consistent and productive pass rushers in the NFL over the past four years, tallying 11 sacks or more in every season in that span. He would instantly provide a massive boost to Detroit’s pass-rush.
During a season in which the Lions have their eyes on a Super Bowl, trading for Reddick is exactly the kind of win-now move general manager Brad Holmes should make at an extremely important position.
Of course, the Lions will have to get a deal done with Reddick before bringing him in, but that should not stop them. After all, he is a proven commodity and he’ll be 30 this year, so a multi-year deal isn’t exactly risky. And, per Over the Cap, the Lions can afford it, as they’re set to have $77.5 million in cap space in 2025.
