Why an NFL-altering trade for the Lions doesn't work

You've likely read about...a dozen or so trade pieces surrounding the Detroit Lions and edge rusher Trey Hendrickson by now.

The Cincinnati Bengals defender is a free agent in 2026, is a member of a team that's seemingly struggling once again due to key injuries on both sides of the football, and probably isn't looking to deal with another drawn out negotiation process with the same squad that didn't really want to pay him, anyway.

The Detroit Lions, on the flip side, seem keen on paying their guys this offseason. This includes their own star edge rusher, Aidan Hutchinson. He's due for an extension, and a hefty one if Myles Garrett's and T.J. Watt's extensions are any indication. The Lions need to try and either develop, or sign, another edge rusher alongside Hutchinson, but to trade for one now?

It's just impossible. Sorry to say it, Bill Barnwell.

Lions trade for Trey Hendrickson simply isn't in the cards

While Hendrickson, with his four sacks and 23 pressures on the year, would be a game changing addition to this Lions defense, the team couldn't afford to utilize him for any year beyond 2025. They'd be blowing up their draft picks and depth for a one-year rental, most likely, especially since they have other fish to fry outside of Hutchinson.

The team still has to work out extensions with Brian Branch, Jahmyr Gibbs, Sam LaParta, and Jack Campbell. These players are going to command quite a bit of the Lions' available cap space in 2026, which stands at $2.5 million at the moment. This means a lot of restructuring is yet to come in order to even get these players to stay on with the team past 2026.

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Hendrickson would very likely command a price tag in the realm of nearly $200 million over the course of at least four years. That's close to what Garrett and Watt got for their services, and likely close to what Hutchinson is due. Detroit simply cannot take on that financial load while keeping their core together, and that's assuming Hendrickson would even sign here.

If he didn't, then it'd have been for nothing that the Lions parted with some likely prime picks in next year's and 2027's NFL draft, in addition to some player capital. It's just not a Brad Holmes-y thing to do.