At the end of May, the Detroit Lions missed out on an opportunity to add pass rusher Bryce Huff via trade. Opting not to trade for a disgruntled Huff likely signals that Detroit is okay with entering the 2025 season with their defensive line they was it is now. That said, many Lions fans and analysts believe Detroit still needs to add a pass rusher opposite of Aidan Hutchinson.
Although there aren't any big-name pass rushers that are immediately available for the Lions, Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report believes Detroit could pull off a surprise trade. In his latest article,
Gagnon predicts the Lions could trade for New York Giants pass rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux. While trading for Thibodeaux is risky, it could also pay huge dividends for Detroit.
Projected Lions Trade Has Them Adding Kayvon Thibodeaux from the Giants
On the surface, this trade only makes sense from the Lions' perspective. New York drafted Thibodeaux with the fifth-overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. Despite underperforming in two of his first three seasons, Thibodeaux can still be great.
In three seasons, the 24-year-old has recorded 127 tackles, 21 sacks, six forced fumbles, 11 pass deflections, 24 QB hits, 74 QB hurries, and 121 QB pressures, according to PFF. His best season came in 2023, when he recorded 50 tackles, 11.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, four pass deflections, four quarterback hits, 26 QB hurries, and 43 QB pressures.
That type of production should give the Giants reason to believe in him. Nevertheless, New York drafted Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter with the No.3 overall pick in this past draft. Add in the fact that they traded for and then signed Brian Burns to a huge contract last offseason, Thibodeaux's time with the Giants could be coming to an end.
Thus, a trade with the Lions could make a lot of sense. As much as they may not want to admit it, Detroit needs another dominant pass rusher opposite Hutchinson, and the Giants could use the draft assets.
Pairing Thibodeaux with Hutchinson wouldn’t just bolster Detroit’s pass rush. It could transform it into one of the most dangerous units in the NFL.
Thibodeaux has already proven he can cause issues for the opposition when used correctly. Therefore, lining up on the opposite side of a star like Hutchinson could help him return to his 2023 form. For a Lions team with goals of winning a Super Bowl, adding a high-upside talent like Thibodeaux would be a home run move that could elevate the defense to elite status.