Open thread: How should the Lions try to replace Aidan Hutchinson?

The Lions lost Aidan Hutchinson for the foreseeable future, leaving a gaping hole in their pass rush. How should the Lions try to fill the void?

The Detroit Lions walked away from Jerry World on Sunday mightily victorious after taking down the Dallas Cowboys by a score of 47-9. Yet in spite of their largest margin of victory since 2011, there was an unshakeable feeling of the Lions taking a loss. They lost Aidan Hutchinson to a broken tibia, and the star edge rusher will be out for the foreseeable future. The Lions will likely need to figure out how to fill the void of Hutchinson’s pass-rushing abilities for at least the rest of the season.

Question of the day: How should the Lions try to replace Aidan Hutchinson?

The Lions frankly have two options here: internal and external.

First, let’s explore internal. The Lions’ pass rush continued to wreak havoc following Hutchinson’s departure, and it’s because of the sheer volume of defenders who have stepped up in pass rush this year. Alim McNeill was a man possessed on Sunday, while Josh Paschal and Isaac Ukwu combined to fill in on the edge in Hutchinson’s absence to the tune of four tackles and a quarterback hit. Heck, we even saw Trevor Nowaske get in on the sack action.

The Lions have dealt with a severe lack of pass rush in recent years. This time, they have a stronger and more mature secondary, and a much more diversified pass-rush beyond Hutchinson. In the past, Aaron Glenn got creative with blitz packages from linebackers, corners, and safeties, and could turn to that for the remainder of the season.

Let’s talk external options. The most obvious answer there is to try to trade for Maxx Crosby from the Las Vegas Raiders. Crosby is a southeast Michigan native and an alumnus of Eastern Michigan University. He has consistently been one of the best edge rushers in the league in recent memory, having earned All-Pro honors each of the last three years.

The tough part of that approach is that Crosby would be wildly expensive and he shut down any rumors of a desire to leave Vegas just last week:

However, since that time, Crosby’s actions have said otherwise, shoving a coach on the sideline on Sunday:

The Raiders aren’t exactly in great shape, sitting at 2-4 with no clear future. That has led star receiver Davante Adams to request a trade, so there’s no telling how much that sentiment has permeated the locker room. Crosby has also expressed a desire to play in Detroit in the past. This past offseason on The Rush podcast, when asked “who would be one other team you would play for?” Crosby answered “Keeping it real? The Lions.”

If things go south for the Raiders ahead of the November 5 trade deadline, there’s no telling who would be for sale or for what price.

Beyond Crosby, the Lions have a few other options worth considering. They could make a run at either of the Patriots pass rushers in Josh Uche or Deatrich Wise Jr., especially as the Patriots’ 2024 season spirals into a lost cause. The Lions could also consider Jadeveon Clowney of the Carolina Panthers or Jamin Davis of the Washington Commanders. Clowney could be available given the similarly bad state of the Panthers, while Davis may be a candidate as he hasn’t lived up to expectations as a former first-round pick in Washington. Davis, a converted linebacker, may be more of a Derrick Barnes replacement, though, which is ever more important in Hutchinson’s absence.

The Lions could also consider Trey Hendrickson, an idea that our own Ryan Mathews explored just last month. Hendrickson requested a trade from Cincinnati this offseason, and after a 2-4 start to the season, the Bengals may be more interested in moving Hendrickson for the right price.

My answer: I think it’s worth considering external candidates. Right now, my eyes are on Jamin Davis, who could use a change of pace. If the Lions added him in a Derrick Barnes-esque edge-setting role, that would translate to allowing the rest of the defensive line being able to play towards more of a pure pass-rush. Similarly, Hendrickson makes sense given the situation in Cincinnati, but not so much given his desire for a long-term contract while in his 30s.

I’m certainly not holding my breath for a splash player like Crosby. Unless the Raiders’ price comes down between now and November, I assume he’ll cost more than the Lions should reasonably part with given their young foundation. The Lions shouldn’t overpay for Crosby or anyone else in a panic move.

The Lions defense has shown pass-rushing promise beyond just Aidan Hutchinson this season, and they have faced much more dire pass-rushing options in recent years. It’s not worth mortgaging the future for someone who doesn’t make sense beyond the short-term. I’d explore my options if I were Brad Holmes, and keep the price you’re willing to pay conservative. If things don’t pan out, Aaron Glenn has shown this year that he can and will find a way to keep this defense humming.