Lions DT Alim McNeill on his excitement from returning from injury
McNeill hasn’t played since suffering an ACL injury in 2024 and is gearing up to make his return for the Detroit Lions on Monday night.
The NFL trade deadline is more than a week away, but the trade chatter surrounding the Detroit Lions only grows louder.
With the Lions (5-2, second in NFC North) on a Week 8 bye, attention has turned to who the team could acquire in the trade market ahead of the Nov. 4 deadline. And with key Lions players currently nursing injuries, and with some out for the rest of the season, the team has obvious holes on the roster that could be filled via a deadline deal.
Most notably, the Lions may be in need of a cornerback with both starters D.J. Reed (hamstring) and Terrion Arnold (shoulder) out for a while with injuries. The Lions’ secondary has done an impressive job in the absence of Reed and Arnold, but with safety Kerby Joseph nursing a knee injury and cornerback Avonte Maddox missing the team’s last game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, some reinforcements in pass defense might be in the cards for the Lions.
But maybe more realistically, Detroit might make a trade for an edge rusher to pair with All-Pro defender Aidan Hutchinson, who has six sacks through seven games so far in 2025. Many Lions fans have been hoping for some extra help in the pass rush since last season, and the team might grant that wish during the trade deadline.
Here is a roundup of some recent trade rumors surrounding the Lions.
Jaelan Phillips
The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported that the Lions have been calling around for some help on the pass rush, and the pass rusher that seems to be the most available is the Miami Dolphins‘ Jaelan Phillips. Phillips played in only 12 total games between 2023-24, and while he only has two sacks through seven games for the Dolphins in 2025, he could make a suitable complement for Hutchinson in the Lions’ pass rush.
The move has the approval of ESPN NFL insider Bill Barnwell, who suggests the Lions should go all-in with a trade to land Phillips.
Trey Hendrickson
Speaking of Barnwell, he doesn’t just think the Lions should make a trade for Phillips, but for Cincinnati Bengals‘ All-Pro edge rusher Trey Hendrickson, as well.
There have been a couple snags with that idea since then, however.
For one, the Bengals traded for quarterback Joe Flacco in an attempt to stay competitive in a weak AFC North, meaning they may not be looking to offload Hendrickson. For another, Hendrickson left the team’s most recent game against the New York Jets in the second quarter with an apparent right hip injury, which could severely impact his market if the Bengals decide to trade him.
Jermaine Johnson
The conversation surrounding New York Jets edge rusher Jermaine Johnson is similar to the chatter around Phillips: the Jets are having a bad season and could be looking to offload some of their most tradeabe players to retool for future years.
Johnson is under contract through the 2026 season, which means whichever team that trades for him might have to give up more than they would for someone like Hendrickson, whose contract expires after the 2025 season. But in a recent post Johnson made to his “X” account, Johnson indicated that he expects to stay with the Jets.
Maxx Crosby
The Dallas Cowboys, not the Lions, have been the team most connected with Las Vegas Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby. But that didn’t stop Bleacher Report’s Moe Morton from proposing a hypothetical trade package from the Lions for Crosby.
In the package, the Lions would have to give up four draft picks (two of them first-rounders) and defensive tackle Roy Lopez to pick up Crosby, who signed a three-year extension that runs through the 2029 season.
It’s unclear if the Lions would be willing to give up that much for Crosby, or even if the Raiders would be willing to part with Crosby in the first place. But with edge rusher Micah Parsons having already moved from the Cowboys to the Green Bay Packers before the season began, anything seems possible.
How about a cornerback?
Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs had been making noise about his desire for different looks in Dallas, which could have led the Cowboys to deal him and his guaranteed money away, per NFL Trade Rumors. Unfortunately for Diggs, the Cowboys put him on injured reserve after he suffered a concussion while recovering from a knee injury — though the details surrounding his concussion are unclear. That likely takes him off the trade market ahead of the deadline.
Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox lists Tennessee Titans cornerback Roger McCreary as available, and with an expiring contract after this season, he could be very easy to trade.
You can reach Christian at cromo@freepress.com