Some Detroit Lions fans were disappointed by the front office's lack of aggression at the trade deadline. The consensus was that the Lions could have used some help on the defensive side of the ball amid injuries. There was some expectation that the Lions would add a linebacker or a cornerback into the mix. Instead, after trading for veteran safety Andre Cisco, the Lions stood pat.
It's not like there was a ton of linebacker or cornerback movement. Plus, the track record of in-season trades for contenders is a mixed bag at best. So, it may be unfair to criticize GM Brad Holmes or head coach Dan Campbell for not adding to the roster.
On Wednesday, Campbell discussed at length the decision to stand pat beyond the Cisco trade. He said that he feels good about the depth on the roster and added, "We love our guys," per The Athletic's Colton Pouncy.
Dan Campbell discusses quiet trade deadline and what it means going forward
This is unsurprising from Campbell. As a leader, his first instinct is always to have his players' backs. He never complains about his roster and always believes that he has enough to compete. He has been banging the drum all year that this team has good depth.
In his presser, he doubled down on this, saying, "These guys are competitive. There's been constant improvement, consistent improvement, and you know, we're pretty good with depth right now, you know, and so I think we're in a good spot here," per Mike Payton of A to Z Sports.
The internal improvement was something Campbell mentioned a few times in his remarks. It sounds like this certainly played a part in the decision to stand pat at the trade deadline.
But the Lions will not be totally bereft of reinforcements. Campbell also talked about how they want to get new addition Andre Cisco going "ASAP" and added that he will be available in Germany.
This will be very important, as Kerby Joseph isn't expected to be available against the Patriots. The Lions could have used some defensive backfield depth, and Cisco can provide that. How much he will play on Sunday, however, remains to be seen, as he may be more utilized on special teams to start.
The frustration among some in the fanbase is understandable. They feel that this team is so close to making a Super Bowl run that an upgrade or two could help them get there.
But Holmes and Campbell should have earned the benefit of the doubt. There was no guarantee that anyone they could have brought in was going to be an upgrade over the options they had. And Campbell is right in pointing that out.
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