The Detroit Lions are actively seeking solutions to the devastating loss of top pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson. The front-runner for Defensive Player of the Year is out for the season after suffering a broken left leg that required immediate surgery in Detroit’s 47-9 win in Dallas in Week 6.
As head coach Dan Campbell met with the media back in Detroit on Monday, he laid out the potential for the Lions to make a move to potentially bring in a player via trade. Campbell noted GM Brad Holmes is already hard at work.
“Brad (Holmes) always – this comes up every year, and it’s not like he doesn’t look,” Campbell said. “So, he’s doing what he’s been doing, he’s looking – is there somebody out there that could potentially help us, what is it going to cost?
And so, those things will always come up, but just because that’s there, it doesn’t mean we’re going to do it, and it’s got to be right if it is. Everything’s got to be right. And honestly, where we’re at now, we’re not in a hurry. I mean, I believe in the guys that are here. I believe in that D-line.”
The defensive line that Campbell mentioned is now down both Week 1 EDGE starters in Hutchinson and Marcus Davenport, who is also out for the season. In addition, veteran DT Kyle Peko went down with a potentially serious chest injury in the win in Dallas.
The focus, of course, is on Hutchinson. Campbell continued his thought on the idea of a potential trade,
“Doesn’t mean we’re not looking, we’re not evaluating. Brad is, that’s his job and he’s good at it, and we’ll take it as it comes. But our eyes are open, and we want to make sure that we have what we need here.”
After discussing the internal possibilities, which include Isaac Ukwu, Mitchell Agude, Al-Quadin Muhammad and James Houston (listed by Campbell in that order), Campbell added this vote of confidence in who is already in the room,
“They’re going to do what we ask them to do and they’re going to go all-out to do it, and while they’re doing it, they’re going to continue to grow. Ukwu will get better every week.
And so, look, everything’s on the table, but we’re not panicked, Brad (Holmes) and I are not panicked, and this team’s not panicked. It’s next man up, and if we have an area we need some help, then we’ve got to help each other out a little bit here and we may have to play a little bit different and that’s OK.”
Read into that what you will.