The Detroit Lions’ ultra-promising playoff run came to a screeching halt in the NFC Divisional Round, exposing a glaring issue: defensive shortcomings.
Their stunning upset loss to the Washington Commanders has left the franchise and its fans with a bitter taste, one that will linger throughout the offseason.
However, with every setback comes an opportunity.
As Detroit looks to regroup and fortify its roster, a prime chance to address its defensive woes may have surfaced.
The Lions have emerged as a “favorite destination” for Cleveland Browns’ superstar edge rusher Myles Garrett, according to NFL insider Albert Breer.
“My favorite destination would be Detroit,” Breer said on The Dan Patrick Show. “I just think about that. They’re in a spot now where they don’t need their first-round pick. They don’t really need to keep stocking.
“They may be in a position where if you’re them, you can almost say like, we may only have five or six rookies make our team. So are they in a position now where we can start to flip picks?”
Breer elaborated on why Detroit could aggressively pursue Garrett, particularly in light of recent coaching staff departures and their desperate need to maintain their championship trajectory.
“If you’re them and you’ve lost all of these coaches, and you want to flip the momentum and kind of keep things going in the right direction. I mean the idea of Myles Garrett opposite Aidan Hutchinson. That to me is really intriguing. (You don’t say??)
“So I think Detroit’s in this championship window. They had so much momentum, and then the ugly loss to Washington. They lose six or seven coaches. And it looks like oh are they missing their championship window? What’s the easiest way to flip that?”
Garrett, a perennial Pro Bowler and one of the league’s most dominant pass rushers, officially requested a trade from the Browns on Monday, setting off a flurry of speculation about his potential landing spot.
With Detroit being floated as a prime contender, the possibility of pairing Garrett with Hutchinson on the Lions’ defensive front has captivated the football world.
This season, Garrett produce a career-high 40 solo tackles, including 22 tackles for loss, along with 14 sacks over 17 games.
His ability to wreak havoc in opposing backfields would provide Detroit’s defense with the kind of game-changing presence it sorely lacked in the playoffs.
As the Lions navigate the offseason, their focus appears to be shifting from draft picks to proven star power.
If Detroit can pull off a blockbuster trade for Garrett, it could be the move that finally propels them past their playoff heartbreak and into true Super Bowl contention.
What are your thoughts on the reports that the Lions are the favorites to land Garrett? … Will it actually happen???
