The 2025 NFL trade deadline is at 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, November 4. At this point, it’s unclear if the Detroit Lions will be active players in the market. There are a handful of loose rumors connecting the Lions to certain positions, but coach Dan Campbell noted on Friday that he doesn’t expect the team to be very active before the deadline—while also not counting it out completely.
“I don’t. But that doesn’t mean we won’t,” Campbell said.
So this post will serve as the home for all the Lions trade rumors, as long as they’re from somewhat reliable sources. We’ll post the news in chronological order, with the most recent updates at the top of the page.
Saturday, Nov. 1
Lions looking for defensive line, safety help — Per Dianna Russini, the Detroit Lions are interested in safety and defensive line help.
This is an interesting rumor. The Lions are already looking pretty strong on the defensive line, and are expecting to eventually get back both Marcus Davenport and Josh Paschal in about a month. However, I suppose they could use some more immediate help for November. At safety, the Lions have been missing Kerby Joseph due to a knee injury for the past two games. However, Thomas Harper has played relatively well, and the Lions appear to be getting Daniel Thomas back soon. This doesn’t seem like a pressing need, either, but if there are upgrades available, Lions general manager Brad Holmes won’t hesitate to look.
Lions have contacted the Bengals — Per the same Russini article, the Lions have reached out to Cincinnati, but Russini doesn’t explain which targets they may be after. Here’s the vague rumor:
Many teams, including the Rams, 49ers, Lions, Colts and Eagles, have called the Bengals on numerous players, including LB Logan Wilson, CB Cam Taylor-Britt and, of course, DE Trey Hendrickson. For now, some teams don’t believe Cincinnati has any real interest in moving its core pieces.
Friday, Oct. 31
Dan Campbell not expecting a move — Lions coach Dan Campbell outright said that “I don’t” expect the team to be active at the trade deadline. He also expressed confidence in where the roster currently stands:
“I love where we’re at. I think the roster is healthy, I think it’s in a good position, I think we have depth. But like I say, he’s [Holmes] always looking to improve the roster. That’s one of his jobs and he does a hell of a job at it.”
Lions searching for EDGE help — Per Albert Breer, the Lions are one of many teams seeking out help on the edge.
“The Lions, Ravens, Commanders and (again) Eagles all have shown interest in adding edge rushers.”
Like most of these rumors, it doesn’t specify the level of interest for the Lions.
Wednesday, Oct. 29
Lions interested in a cornerback — In ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler’s trade deadline notes, he mentions that the Lions have come up “often” in conversations about cornerback trades:
“The Lions have been looking for cornerback help at the deadline. They come up pretty often in my talks with teams about CBs, along with Philadelphia. Those two are potentially ones to watch there.”
Again, this is a puzzling rumor. Detroit is expected to get their starting cornerbacks returned from injury in the month of November, with Terrion Arnold already back and D.J. Reed not far behind. With Avonte Maddox also back from injury and strong play from Amik Robertson, Rock Ya-Sin, and even Nick Whiteside, it’s hard to see Detroit making a big move here.
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