DETROIT – The Detroit Lions are in the midst of their Super Bowl window, and they just lost not only the best defensive player in the National Football League but also the best player on their team, Aidan Hutchinson, to a gruesome leg injury.
Hutchinson had surgery on his broken tibia on Monday (Oct. 14), and although no one in the league at this current time could bring the energy and grit that a homegrown kid like the former Michigan Wolverines star brought, here are four guys who could keep the Lions’ Super Bowl hopes alive.
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— Detroit Lions (@Lions) October 14, 2024
If the Lions want another homegrown product that represents their new attitude, then Las Vegas Raiders pass rusher Maxx Crosby is your guy.
Crosby is in year two of his $94 million four-year deal, which he signed in 2022.
Sending Prayers To Hutch 🙏🏼
— Maxx Crosby (@CrosbyMaxx) October 14, 2024
The dominant 27-year-old defensive end could possibly garner a first-round pick and a few players, but the team does have the salary to capitalize on their Super Bowl chances.
Plus, he’s familiar with the state as he attended Eastern Michigan University, where the football team honors his name.
At EMU, Crosby accumulated 20 career sacks, placing him among the top defensive players in EMU’s history.
His 41 career tackles for loss stands as the third-highest in the university’s storied football program.
He equaled Eastern Michigan football’s single-season sacks record in 2017 before the Oakland Raiders selected him in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft.
In a recent interview, Crosby said that if the Raiders weren’t an option, he would love to play for Detroit.
Interviewer: “If the Raiders were off the table, what team would you play for?”
Crosby: “We are keeping it ‘Creal,’ um, the Lions.”
Pairing him with a recovered Hutchinson over the next two seasons alongside that backend of youth would be unbelievable.
Haason Reddick
The newly acquired New York Jets defensive end Haason Reddick just hired Drew Rosenhaus as his agent. He is still holding out.
The Jets traded for him from the Philadelphia Eagles, but he has yet to appear in Gotham City. He is searching for a new contract, and considering the Lions’ salary cap, they might be willing to foot the bill.
Jadeveon Clowney
The state of Michigan knows about Jadeveon Clowney, who laid out the infamous hit on Wolverines, running back Vincent Smith, who knocked his helmet off while recovering from a fumble during the Outback Bowl in 2013.
Clowney, a standout for the South Carolina Gamecocks, is currently back home playing for the Carolina Panthers, who are losing rapidly.
He may need a winning culture, and the Panthers may need draft capital, so this seems like a win-win for both sides.
The Panthers need draft capital, and even though Clowney wouldn’t garner much, it would be something that builds for the future rather than retaining the 31-year-old. Clowney has been injured with a shoulder injury, so would need to heal from that to be traded.
Myles Garrett and Za’Darius Smith
A longshot would be Myles Garrett of the Cleveland Browns, who have fallen to 1-5 on the season.
Garrett, 28, is under contract through the 2026 season and does not want to be part of a rebuild, as he is one of the best in his position.
But the most logical would be Za’Darius Smith, who recently signed a $23 million two-year deal ahead of the 2024 season. So far, he (three sacks) and Garrett (four sacks) have combined for seven sacks this year while adding 11 tackles and two tackles for loss through the first six weeks of the season.
With $30,296,727 available, who would you like the Lions to go after to replace the presence of Hutchinson?
