The Detroit Lions have a handful of obvious improvements that need to be made if the team is going to make the Super Bowl in 2025. Losing both offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn obviously hurts quite a bit, though Detroit still has a strong foundation to compete moving forward.
That said, weaknesses on the defensive side of the ball were exposed, especially following the numerous injuries the team suffered. Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders dominated this secondary in the postseason and without Glenn, head coach Dan Campbell needs to find upgrades to ensure these mistakes don't happen again.
Fortunately for Detroit, one young talented cornerback from the AFC is seemingly on the market. If the Lions are interested, this projected trade could help solve one of the defense's largest issues.
Lions Land Browns CB Greg Newsome in Projected Trade
A lack of secondary depth proved to be Detroit's downfall. On the season, the team ranked 25th in opponent yards per pass attempt (6.9), so investing in defensive backs is of the highest priority.
Greg Newsome endured a rough 2024 campaign, ranking 177th out of 223 qualified cornerbacks at Pro Football Focus. Even still, he showed enough during his first few years as a Cleveland Brown that it's reasonable to believe he could thrive in a better situation.
While Newsome surrendered a 112.5 passer rating when targeted in coverage this year, his previous career-worst was 85.6. In 2023, he allowed a mere 56.7% completion percentage and 74.8 passer rating. That's the type of production the Lions could help him recapture, making this a win-win scenario for both teams.
Cleveland obviously doesn't intend to re-sign Newsome to a long extension. The Browns are in rebuilding mode and would likely take whatever draft capital they can get in a potential trade.
"The Lions could use a young cornerback of Newsome's caliber, especially with 2024 starter Carlton Davis scheduled to hit the market," Bleacher Report writes. "Injuries played a role, but Detroit still finished this past season ranked 30th in passing yards allowed."
It's rare that you find a trade suggestion that benefits both sides like this one does. Whether or not the Lions believe Newsome is a standout corner remains to be seen, though the organization owes it to its fans to at least find out.