The quest to fill the Lions roster holes at EDGE, after losing starters Marcus Davenport and now Aidan Hutchinson to season-ending injuries, has taken over the discussion in Detroit.
Lions GM Brad Holmes already started the process by signing young EDGE Isaiah Thomas from the Cincinnati Bengals practice squad. Holmes isn’t done looking, however.
Numerous reports, including from ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, indicate Holmes and the Lions have had conversations with the New York Jets about veteran Haason Reddick. The former Eagles, Panthers and Cardinals sack artist is holding out after being traded to New York from Philadelphia in April. The Jets have now given Reddick, who has topped 10 sacks in each of the last four seasons while playing for three different teams, permission to try and find a trade partner.
As Fowler noted in his report, this is Holmes performing “due diligence” on potential solutions. There are also unsubstantiated reports the Lions have talked to the Cleveland Browns about veteran Za’Darius Smith. The 32-year-old also fits the profile of a “role player” that head coach Dan Campbell indicated the Lions were looking for, though he does carry a salary cap obligation of almost $10 million in 2025.
Holmes’ job is to explore every opportunity. It appears he is doing so, based on the reports. However, don’t confuse “talking about” with “trading for”; there are way too many variables and factors on both sides of those equations to read any certainty into Holmes doing anything more than his obligated due diligence at this point.