Detroit Lions trade pitch lands big edge rusher upgrade in Motown

The Detroit Lions are arguably the best team in football, as Dan Campbell’s squad is 6-1 and has won five consecutive games. Detroit is coming off a dominant 52-14 victory over the Tennessee Titans in Week 8.

The Lions’ offense has been surgical this season, as Ben Johnson’s group has excelled through the air and on the ground. Though the defense doesn’t get as much recognition as the offense, Aaron Glenn’s unit has stepped up over the last few weeks and continues to show growth.

Detroit’s defense has been solid, but there are still some glaring weaknesses on the defensive side of the ball, especially edge rusher. Season-ending injuries to Aidan Hutchinson and Marcus Davenport have left the position room in disarray, and general manager Brad Holmes should address the issue at the Nov.5 trade deadline. 

There are a bunch of options on the open market, but USA Today’s Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz believes Miami Dolphins edge rusher Emmanuel Ogbah could be a potential trade target for the Lions.

Dan Campbell acknowledged that the organization is “looking into” its options ahead of the deadline, though he maintained no one is in “panic mode” and there are other ways to generate pressure even without a premium edge rusher. With scant depth beyond Josh Paschal at the position, any infusion of talent could help put the defense on more solid ground as the Lions navigate the cutthroat NFC North while pursuing the conference’s top seed.

Maybe Miami is reluctant to become a seller with Tua Tagovailoa breathing life into the offense upon his return. At 2-5, however, the Dolphins have a long way to go to climb back into the playoff picture. Securing a pick for an impending free agent who will turn 31 next week would assist in the effort to recalibrate one of the league’s more uneven rosters. Ogbah has recovered from his biceps injury and provides inside-outside versatility as a rusher.

Ogbah isn’t an elite player and hasn’t been very effective over the last few seasons, but the 30-year-old would be a nice low-risk, high-reward option for Detroit.

The 2019 Super Bowl champion has posted two sacks and 11 quarterback pressures in 118 pass-rush snaps this season and also boasts a 65.6 run-defense grade. Ogbah’s most productive campaigns occurred in 2020 and 2021, totaling nine sacks and over 60 quarterback pressures in both years.

Acquiring Ogbah should be effortless for Detroit’s front office, as the former second-round is on an inexpensive contract, and a late Day 3 pick should get the deal done and bring the veteran to the Motor City.

Ogbah won’t solve the Lions’ edge rusher crisis, but he is battle-tested and would immediately step in as a starter on the defensive line. For the Dolphins, getting some draft capital for an impending free agent would be a savvy move from general manager Chris Grier.