Detroit struggled to rush the passer following an injury to Aidan Hutchinson last year, and the losses of Za’Darius Smith to free agency and eventually retirement, as well as Marcus Davenport to injury in Week 2, positioned the Lions to struggle in that crucial defensive category once again in 2025.
That hasn’t proven the case for multiple reasons — some unexpected, others surprising — but the Detroit may not be able to count on the same kind of production from unlikely sources next season. As such, Alex Kay of Bleacher Report wrote a trade proposal on Tuesday, November 18 that would flip first-round picks in 2026 and 2027, a second-round pick in 2026, a third-round pick in 2027 and a fourth-round pick in 2026 to the Cleveland Browns in return for superstar pass-rusher Myles Garrett.
Picking up a player like Garrett would give Detroit the firepower it needs on the defensive side of the ball to become a heavy Super Bowl favorite.
Detroit already has one of the most ferocious pass-rushing groups in the NFL, a unit that has racked up 31 sacks on the year and has limited opposing signal-callers to a mere 192.1 yards per game. While these are great marks, they would almost certainly improve to league-leading numbers with Garrett lining up across from Hutchinson.
Myles Garrett, Aidan Hutchinson Would Be NFL’s Top Pass-Rush Duo
GettyDefensive end Myles Garrett of the Cleveland Browns.
Garrett recently inked a four-year extension worth $160 million that keeps him under contract through his age-35 season in 2030. A move by the Lions to acquire Garrett next spring would pair him alongside Hutchinson, who recently inked a a four-year extension worth $180 million that also keeps him under contract through 2030.
And while that is an enormous amount of money to spend on the pass rush, it would also guarantee Detroit arguably the best edge duo in the league for several years to come. Garrett is leading the league in both tackles for loss with 22 and sacks with 15 through Week 11. He has tallied 117.5 sacks over the course of his nine-year career.
Hutchinson was on pace to snap the all-time single-season sack record with 7.5 through five games before breaking his leg in Week 5 of 2024. He has 7.5 sacks through 10 contests this year, but leads the NFL with four forced fumbles.
