With just over two weeks until the NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions are still looking for an edge rusher to pair with Aidan Hutchinson. Hutchinson has developed into one of the top pass-rushers in the league but his broken leg suffered last October showed that the Lions could afford to add some depth as they chase a championship.
The Lions are a team that feels like a piece away from accomplishing that goal. It also feels like the Lions can make a big splash with homegrown talent already in place. But after Myles Garrett and Maxx Crosby signed big-money extensions this offseason, it appears the trade market has dried up and another name became more difficult to acquire based on some news that dropped on Monday.
Jaguars Exercise Fifth-Year Option on Travon Walker
The Jacksonville Jaguars announced on Monday that they will exercise their fifth-year option on edge rusher Travon Walker. Walker, who was selected ahead of Hutchinson with the first overall pick in the NFL Draft, has turned it on after a slow start to his career, racking up 20.5 sacks over the past two seasons and could be in line for a contract extension in the next two seasons.
We have exercised the fifth-year option on DE Travon Walker.
— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) April 7, 2025
The decision to exercise Walker’s option isn’t surprising as it delays the decision to either pay or move on for another year. But it also has some shock value considering the Jaguars were reportedly fielding trade offers for Walker last month. While Jaguars head coach Liam Coen told SI.com’s Zak Gilbert that the team was having “open conversations” with Walker, Trevor Lawrence’s contract and the need to build a competent roster around him could make trading Walker a better idea than paying him.
The Lions would be smart to jump on this opportunity but the window may have just closed. With Walker under contract for two seasons, the Jaguars can bump up their asking price in a deal. If the trade contains multiple first-round picks, it might be a hard trade for any team to swallow – especially since the acquiring team would have to give Walker a top-of-the-market deal on top of any draft compensation.
With Hutchinson set to earn his own record-setting deal in the coming months, acquiring Walker would have been difficult if the Jaguars didn’t pick up his option. Now that it’s been picked up, the Lions may have struck out on the trade market and may have to look for their own star edge rusher in this year’s draft.