The Detroit Lions have struggled in their attempts to find another productive edge rusher to line up opposite Aidan Hutchinson, falling flat in their efforts through the NFL draft and free agency.
That has led many insiders to consider the Lions a frontrunner in the quest to land Cleveland Browns star Myles Garrett, who is headed to the trade block and seeking a Super Bowl contender for his next stop. But one legendary NFL general manager has a warning to the Lions about the potential impact of such a trade.
Lions Would Pay Big Price for Myles Garrett
Longtime NFL executive Bill Polian sees risk and reward for the Lions in pursuing Garrett. Speaking to the Detroit Free Press, Polian warned that the Lions would pay a big price for the former NFL Defensive Player of the Year, who is expected to cost a new team several first-round draft picks.
The Lions have built a Super Bowl contender by hitting on their draft picks, which could make it especially risky to give up significant draft capital to land Garrett, Polian warned.
“Teams that draft well are not anxious to part with their picks, because they have a way of turning those picks into quality players,” Polian said.
Polian knows a lot about putting a roster together. He was named NFL Executive of the Year six times, leading the Buffalo Bills to four Super Bowl appearances as general manager and reaching another two with the Indianapolis Colts, including a win in Super Bowl XLI.
Though the Lions finished the NFL season tied with the best record at 15-2, they had a disappointing playoff exit after losing to the Washington Commanders in the divisional round.
Polian warned that it would take more than Garrett to put them over the top.
“But you’re never one player away,” Polian said.
Lions Need Help at the Edges
Whether they pursue a trade for Garrett or not, the Lions are expected to make some upgrades in their pass rush in the coming offseason. The team struggled to generate consistent pressure after Hutchinson went down with a season-ending leg fracture in October, with no other player coming close to topping Hutchinson’s 7.5 sacks on the season.
Christian Booher of SI.com suggested the Lions could find a new addition through the NFL draft, targeting Georgia’s Mykel Williams with the No. 28 overall pick.
“When it comes to play style, there’s a lot that suggests Williams would fit nicely with Detroit’s defense under first-year coordinator Kelvin Sheppard,” Booher wrote. “Williams’ sack production at the collegiate level was modest, as he had 14 total sacks across three seasons with the Bulldogs. However, his physicality and athleticism seem to be able to translate to production at the next level.”
While Williams is not a finished NFL product, Booher suggested the Lions could be the right place for him to reach his potential.
“Williams is also on the younger end of prospects, as he won’t be 21 years old until June,” Booher wrote. “Some aspects of his rush ability are in need of some fine-tuning, and the fact that he’s young with room to grow likely won’t deter teams from taking a chance on him.”
