The Detroit Lions continue to exceed lofty expectations in 2024, as the team is 6-1 and is coming off a 52-14 victory over the Tennessee Titans in Week 8.
Dan Campbell's squad has sole possession of first place in the NFC North and looks like the best team in the conference. The offense has scored 30 points or more in four consecutive games, while the defense is making timely plays and steady improvements each week.
Though the Lions' roster is one of the deepest in football, the team still has some glaring weaknesses, especially in the pass-rushing department. Season-ending injuries to edge rushers Aidan Hutchinson and Marcus Davenport have decimated the unit, and the Lions must bolster the position group before the Nov.5 trade deadline.
There are a ton of options on the open market, but Pro Football Network's Dallas Robinson believes Titans edge rusher Arden Key would be a seamless fit in Detroit. Robinson's projected trade has the Lions sending a 2025 seventh-round pick for Key's services.
No single player can replace Detroit’s lost EDGE production, but the Tennesee Titans’ Arden Key might be able to help. The 28-year-old has always been a valuable rotational rusher, posting at least 4.5 sacks each season from 2021 to 2023 while playing for three different teams. Key is a little light (240 pounds) for the Lions’ system, but he plays with a tenacity that Dan Campbell will enjoy.
Though Key isn't an elite pass rusher, the 28-year-old would immediately step in as Detroit's primary edge rusher and provide solid play. The former third-round pick has posted three sacks and 13 quarterback pressures in 2024 and is coming off his strongest performance of the season versus the Lions, totaling two sacks and three stops in Week 8
Additionally, Key's contract is extremely affordable, and a 2025 seventh-round pick is fair compensation for the veteran. General manager Brad Holmes should have no problem striking a deal with Tennessee to bring the energetic defender to the Motor City.
The Lions will put the trade talk aside on Sunday, as Detroit will travel to Lambeau Field to take on the Green Bay Packers in Week 9. Divisional games will decide the season for Dan Campbell's unit, as the NFC North is the most competitive division in the NFL.
