The Detroit Lions are having a stellar 2024 season, boasting a 14-2 record under Dan Campbell. They’ve won 13 of their last 14 games and are set to host the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday Night Football in Week 18. The NFC North showdown will determine the division winner and the No.1 seed in the conference, guaranteeing a first-round bye and home-field advantage in the playoffs.
Despite significant injuries, Detroit remains one of the NFL’s top teams. Key players, including star edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson, are sidelined. Hutchinson, the 2022 No. 2 overall pick, suffered a fractured tibia and fibula in Week 6 against the Dallas Cowboys. While his season seemed over, he’s aiming to return for the Super Bowl if the Lions advance that far.
“I’m on track to return for the Super Bowl,” Hutchinson said on Good Morning Football on Dec. 17. “I keep telling the boys at the facility, ‘just get there, and I promise I’ll be back.'”
The Lions’ pass rush remains effective, thanks to a midseason trade for Za’Darius Smith. However, general manager Brad Holmes might pursue additional edge-rushing talent in the offseason. Analyst Dylan Sports Talk from Wright Way Network predicts Detroit could make a blockbuster trade for Cowboys superstar Micah Parsons.
Adding Parsons alongside Hutchinson would elevate Detroit’s defense to a top-tier level. The depth and rotation would also prevent over-reliance on either player, creating a dominant pass-rushing duo.
Under Campbell’s leadership, the Lions have adopted an aggressive strategy in the draft, free agency, trades, and on the field. A move for Parsons would epitomize this all-in mindset.
Despite the excitement, trading for Parsons is unlikely. Detroit will need to extend Hutchinson in the future, and Parsons is seeking a massive extension as well. Paying top-tier salaries to two edge rushers would be financially infeasible for the Lions.
Still, the thought of pairing Hutchinson and Parsons is tantalizing. Parsons, with 13+ sacks in each of his first three seasons and 9.5 in 2024, would form a historic duo with Hutchinson, who was playing at a Defensive Player of the Year level before his injury. Opposing quarterbacks would face relentless pressure on every snap.
Though improbable, such a trade would be one of the most exciting moves in NFL history and create an unstoppable pass-rushing tandem.
