The Detroit Lions have been building up their defense piece by piece since the arrival of head coach Dan Campbell and general manager Brad Holmes, but one outlet suggests it could be time for a giant addition.
Bleacher Report suggested the Lions could make a run at Los Angeles Chargers edge rusher Joey Bosa, adding another impact player alongside budding star Aidan Hutchinson. The report suggested a stronger pass rush could alleviate the pressure on Detroit’s struggling secondary and boost the Lions’ Super Bowl hopes.
Lions Part With High Draft Pick in Trade Proposal
In Bleacher Report’s trade proposal, the Lions would land Bosa for a second-round pick — the No. 61 overall selection. While it is unclear whether the Chargers would move Bosa for a selection so low, other outlets have suggested he could be on the move this offseason. SI.com’s James Brizuela noted that the Chargers have a lot of salary cap space to clear and could consider moving Bosa to create more room.
The Lions could have some competition if they want to make a run at Bosa. Chargers insider Daniel Popper of 95.7 The Game added that the San Francisco 49ers could be in the mix as Bosa has a desire to play with his brother, Niners edge rusher Nick Bosa.
“At the end of the day, Joey Bosa he’s been pretty public about the fact that he’s always wanted to play with his brother,” Popper said. “Bosa has a base salary of $15 million this year, $17 million next year. I’m not super fluent in the Niners’ cap situation, but that’s what you would be taking on for you know, 24 and 25. So, we’ll see. I think the Chargers should at least listen. And if they’re listening then I think there are a number of places that makes sense for Joey Bosa.”
.@danielrpopper on the possibility of the Bosa brothers uniting in 2024: "I wouldn't rule it out. Joey Bosa has been pretty public about wanting to play with his brother [Nick]. 👀
(via @SteinyGuru957) pic.twitter.com/uETxPlx2Dc
— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) March 5, 2024
This is not the first time Bleacher Report has suggested that the Lions could target Bosa. Back in February, writer Alex Kay suggested that Bosa could be the missing piece for Detroit’s inconsistent pass rush.
“Joey Bosa would be the perfect target for Detroit,” Kay wrote. “He’s not only an elite pass-rusher who has racked up a commendable 67 sacks across his first 93 career games, but he’s also a tough, hard-working talent who would be an ideal cultural fit among the gritty group head coach Dan Campbell has assembled.”
Lions High on Aidan Hutchinson
While many insiders predict that the Lions will boost their edge rush this offseason, the team appears happy with the development of Hutchinson, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. Hutchinson has a total of 21 sacks over his first two seasons in the NFL, and the Michigan native spoke about the growth he’s seen from the franchise during that time.
“Growing up with the 0-16 team, growing up with just the ‘Same Old Lions’ phrase, it’s crazy to see where we’re at now and to see that we’re breaking, we’re breaking those old phrases, we’re creating new phrases,” Hutchinson told NBC Sports’ Mike Tirico in January. “And, I’ve been thinking about it and a lot of the little kids growing up are viewing these Lions that we have right now, and they get to grow up with this and what we’re going to have for years. So, I’m happy for those kids.”
