The NFL trade deadline is right around the corner, and contenders have begun to load up for the second half of the season and the playoffs. The Detroit Lions have yet to make a splash on the trade market, but one of their top NFC rivals, the Philadelphia Eagles, just made their third trade of the week, and this one is for someone the Lions should have been all over.
The Eagles have already acquired Michael Carter II and Jaire Alexander to boost their cornerback depth earlier in the week. On Monday, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that they were giving up their own 2026 third-round pick to trade for edge rusher Jaelan Phillips of the Miami Dolphins. The Eagles were desperate to add a quality pass rusher and got arguably the best one who could realistically be moved at the deadline.
Lions Will Regret Not Beating Eagles' Offer for Ideal Trade Target
The Lions, despite having a similar need at pass rusher, have been quiet so far. GM Brad Holmes is reportedly looking for upgrades, but he was seemingly not interested in beating Philadelphia's trade offer for Phillips. Detroit doesn't have its third-round pick in 2026 after giving it up to the Jaguars to draft Isaac TeSlaa. Holmes would have had to give up a second-round pick or give up the 2027 third-round pick along with another draft pick to make it worthwhile for Miami.
It's certainly understandable that the Lions wouldn't want to give up so much for a player on an expiring contract. Phillips could have been a half-year rental if he kept playing the way he did in Miami in the first nine games of the season. He has three sacks in the last five games and has been healthier and more productive than he has been in three years. Phillips perhaps wouldn't have fit into Detroit's long-term salary structure.
At the same time, that was a risk the Lions should have been willing to take. Detroit doesn't have nearly the depth required at pass rush for a Super Bowl contender. Al-Quadin Muhammad has been playing well above expectations, but the depth behind him and Aidan Hutchinson doesn't instill much confidence in Lions fans.
There are still a few available options on the market that the Lions can target. Bradley Chubb and Matt Judon of the Dolphins, Jermaine Johnson of the New York Jets, and Carl Granderson of the New Orleans Saints are a few of the names that could be moved between now and the trade deadline. Phillips would have been the best option for the Lions, but if they can swing a trade for any of these players, the fanbase will start to feel better about the defensive unit moving forward.