Top Trade Targets for the Detroit Lions This Offseason

The Detroit Lions enter the 2021 NFL offseason with plenty of questions that need to be answered. 

In addition to hiring a new head coach, the team has to sort out the futures of Matthew Stafford and Kenny Golladay. The latter may leave as a free agent, and the former could be on his way out if the new regime wants a total overhaul of the roster. 

If Stafford remains with the Lions, he needs to be surrounded with a much better supporting cast. And Detroit may have to acquire some offensive weapons through trades if it can't compete with other teams in the free-agent market. 

If you work around the belief that Stafford will be Detroit's quarterback in 2021, the new coaching staff needs to bring in more depth at wide receiver. 

Stafford has a $10 million roster bonus due on the fifth day of the new league year, so a decision on his future should be made before then. The Lions can take a $19 million dead-cap hit if they get out of his contract this offseason. 

Golladay will be one of the most attractive free agents at wide receiver after he put up back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2018 and 2019.

Detroit could also lose Marvin Jones Jr., who played well while Golladay was out injured this season. The 30-year-old finished with 978 receiving yards, which was his highest total since the 2017 campaign. 

If the Lions lose one or both of those wideouts, they could look to the Houston Texans to land a consistent 1,000-yard receiver. 

Brandin Cooks produced over 1,000 yards in four of the last five seasons and would come with a few years of control on his contract. 

The 27-year-old is under contract with the Texans until 2024, and while he could stay to be Deshaun Watson's main target, the AFC South side could revamp its roster as well under a new head coach. 

Since Houston has plenty of other needs to fill, it could offload his deal and sign a more cost-effective option in free agency or use mid-to-late-round draft picks to help Watson for the future. Cooks is scheduled to make $12 million in each of the next three years. 

Even though it would be a big deal to bring on to the books, a trade for Cooks may be cheaper than splashing cash on Golladay, who should garner an abundance of interest on the open market. 

If the Lions hop on the quarterback carousel, they have two options. 

The first would be for the new head coach to draft a new signal-caller at No. 7 and mold the offensive future around him. 

However, the seventh pick may not allow the Lions to land a premier prospect. The Jacksonville Jaguars and New York Jets have quarterback needs at No. 1 and No. 2. 

If the Jets select one of Justin Fields, Zach Wilson or Trey Lance, they would move on from Sam Darnold, who could be available on a team friendly contract. 

Unlike Jimmy Garoppolo and Carson Wentz, Darnold does not have an enormous amount of money attached to him. He is on a four-year, $30 million deal with a fifth-year option and could become an unrestricted free agent in 2023.

The 23-year-old enters the offseason after his worst season as a professional. He had nine touchdowns and 11 interceptions over 12 games for the New York Jets. 

The argument in favor of trading for Darnold comes from the success Ryan Tannehill enjoyed after getting out of an Adam Gase offense. 

Tannehill did not have a 3,000-yard season in his time under Gase in Miami and produced a career-low 1,979 passing yards in 2018. But he threw for 3,819 yards and 33 touchdowns in his second year with the Tennessee Titans. 

A change of scenery may help Darnold in a similar fashion, and the USC product may be the best affordable and young option with starting experience.

Detroit's defense was a total mess in 2020. The Lions finished the season with their two highest yardage concessions of the season, both of which were over 500 total yards. 

Bringing in a veteran defender such as Chris Harris Jr. from the Los Angeles Chargers could help stabilize a unit that was gashed for over 250 passing yards in nine games. 

Harris is in possession of a friendly deal that could make him one of the better one-year rentals on the trade market, if the Los Angeles Chargers make him available. 

The 31-year-old is scheduled to make a total salary of $7.5 million in 2021 and could serve as a mentor to Jeff Okudah and Amani Oruwariye before entering free agency. 

Harris could be an even more intriguing option for the Lions if they hire a defensive-minded head coach. 

If that is the case, the NFC North side may focus on improving its defense first before turning to fixes for a unit that has some nice young pieces in place with D'Andre Swift and T.J. Hockenson.

Statistics obtained from Pro Football Reference. 

Contract information obtained from Spotrac.