The Lions were calling on cornerbacks. They were believed to be eyeing a linebacker. They felt their potential need at safety, considering their trade Monday for Andre Cisco.
Multiple impact defensive players were on the move ahead of Tuesday's trade deadline, including star safeties Jessie Bates III and Amani Hooker. Ultimately, Brad Holmes and the Lions stood pat.
On Monday, Bates went from the Falcons to the Jaguars, who lead the NFC South at 6-2, for a second-round pick this year and a fifth-rounder next. Bates, who's on an expiring contract, has the second most picks in the NFL over his nine-year career and is still playing at a high level.
On Tuesday, Hooker went from the Titans to the Bills, who lead the AFC East at 7-1, for a second-round pick. A fifth-rounder also went back to Buffalo. Hooker is a proven ball-hawk who's tied for the NFL lead with five picks this season and is strong against the run. And he's signed through 2028 with team-friendly cap hits.
Those two absolutely could have helped the Lions. That said, Detroit's need at safety isn't as pressing after Brian Branch returned to the lineup three games ago looking and playing like himself. And the secondary as a whole has played much better over the past month after a brutal start to the season. The Lions are banking on that continuing.
Asked Monday if Detroit's strides on defense lessen the urgency of its needs at the deadline, Dan Campbell said, "So much of it, when you look out there, is about, is there a piece that could help upgrade us -- is there really? And what is it going to cost you?"
The Lions traded a future sixth-round pick for Cisco in a depth move, perhaps signaling their own unease about Kerby Joseph. As Campbell said after the move, "it doesn't mean that we're not still looking, seeing if there's something else that makes sense for us. But our unit is playing pretty good football right now. Our DBs are getting after it, man. They're playing good football. That's a good thing."
A proven corner long felt like the Lions' clearest need at the deadline. They were "very much in on" Joey Porter Jr. a couple months ago, Campbell said at the time, before the Cowboys acquired him from the Steelers for a second-rounder in 2028 and sixth-rounder in 2027.
The Lions continued their hunt for a corner up to the deadline, but apparently couldn't find a deal to their liking. They didn't necessarily miss out -- no cornerback of note was traded after Porter Jr. But they didn't force the market to bear what they were seeking. They didn't make the aggressive move that many were calling for.
They will proceed with D.J. Reed as their top corner, followed by Roger McCreary, Ennis Rakestraw and Rock Ya-Sin. McCreary, who's emerged as the clear CB2, has allowed a passer rating in coverage this season of 104.5, mirroring his career mark of 103.1. Failing to upgrade the spot opposite Reed could turn out to be a decision that Holmes and the Lions regret.
Could Holmes have pried Charvarius Ward from the Colts? Indianapolis was in a full-blown firesale, and Ward is a quality cover corner who's signed through next season. If the Lions didn't have room for his $25 million cap hit next year, they could have unloaded most of it by cutting him after this season.
What about Tariq Woolen from the Eagles? Philadelphia was also unloading players for picks, and Woolen has the size and range that could have made the Lions more dynamic on the perimeter. Woolen, to be fair, has had a poor season in coverage and is a historically iffy tackler. The Lions demand that their corners tackle.
The Chargers were another losing team with appealing corners. Donte Jackson is a proven vet who could have at least pushed McCreary for the CB2 job in the second half of the season. Cam Hart, and to a lesser extent Tarheeb Still, would have been a coup for the Lions, but it doesn't sound like the Chargers had any interest in moving their young players.
It made sense for the Lions to search for a linebacker after the recent losses of Jack Campbell and Jimmy Rolder. One linebacker was traded on Tuesday: Daiyan Henley went from the Chargers to the Broncos for a fourth-rounder and future fifth.
Henley is a quality player in the final season of his rookie contract, but he might not have meshed with the Lions' specific needs at that position. He's more of a run thumper than cover linebacker, in the mold of Derrick Barnes. The Lions are apparently comfortable moving forward with Barnes, Malcolm Rodriguez and Trevor Nowaske as their starters at linebacker.
