One Trade Brad Holmes Must Make to Save the Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions’ strength has always been their offensive line, tough, disciplined, and the heartbeat of Dan Campbell’s offense. But after Sunday’s 27-24 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, that strength just took a major hit.
Starting left guard Christian Mahogany was carted off the field in the fourth quarter with a knee injury. After the game, Campbell confirmed the bad news: Mahogany will be out for a “long time,” likely until
As if that weren’t enough, right guard Tate Ratledge, the second-round rookie who’s been one of the Lions’ most pleasant surprises this season, also left the game with a shoulder injury before later returning. His status for Week 10 is uncertain.
Simply put: depth at guard has become an emergency.
The Problem: Depth Disaster in the Trenches
Before Sunday, Detroit’s biggest offensive line concern was tackle depth behind Taylor Decker and
The interior offensive line has been the backbone of the Lions’ elite run game, paving the way for Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery, and protecting Jared Goff from interior pressure. Losing two guards at once threatens that identity.
That’s why GM Brad Holmes can’t afford to wait.
The Solution: Call the Titans About Kevin Zeitler
If there’s one name that makes perfect sense for Detroit right now, it’s
Zeitler, who spent the 2024 season with the Lions, was a steady and reliable force at right guard before signing with the Tennessee Titans in free agency. The Titans are currently rebuilding, sitting at the bottom of the AFC South with no realistic playoff path, making Zeitler a prime trade candidate.
At 35, he’s not a long-term answer, but he’s exactly what the Lions need right now: a smart, physical, veteran guard who already knows the system and can step in immediately.
A trade for Zeitler wouldn’t break the bank. A mid-to-late round pick should get it done, especially with Tennessee likely eager to offload salary.
Why Zeitler Fits Perfectly
- Familiarity: Zeitler already thrived under Campbell and offensive line coach Hank Fraley.
- Leadership: He’d bring instant stability to a young locker room that’s dealt with major injuries.
- Consistency: Even at his age, Zeitler remains a dependable offensive guard.
Plugging him next to
The Bottom Line
The Detroit Lions
Reuniting with
This isn’t a luxury move. It’s a must.
Commanders' nightmare loss to Seahawks continues to get worse with more unfortunate injury updates
The season is officially over for the Washington Commanders, and the nightmare somehow continues after the worst night in recent memory for this franchise.
The Commanders got blown out at home in primetime during a night that was supposed to be special with the throwback uniforms and Art Monk jersey retirement, but it turned into fans leaving in the middle of the second quarter, and a gruesome injury. You can move on from a loss, but seeing Jayden Daniels go down with a severe elbow injury was gut-wrenching.
Daniels' injury wasn't the only significant injury last night, as the hits continue with two more season-ending injuries
Luke McCaffrey suffers a season-ending injury
The game barely started before the Commanders suffered yet another injury, and wide receiver Luke McCaffrey went down after returning the opening kickoff. He went down awkwardly on his left side, which is now being diagnosed as a broken collarbone that will have him out for the rest of the year.
McCaffrey was starting to really find his role in the offense and special teams, and now his season comes to an end. He was second in the league in kickoff return yards with 769, and also averaged 18.5 yards per catch. The Commanders turned to McCaffrey after injuries to Terry McLaurin and Noah Brown, and he was showing a lot of promise with multiple tough catches.
He should be part of the offense next season, but another injury just shows even more how badly this team needs help at the position. The Commanders added Treylon Burks and hope to get a roster win from him, but major changes need to happen with McLaurin and Brown injured, and Deebo Samuel not under contract next season. The defense is another conversation, and they lost another starter for the rest of the season.
Marshon Lattimore is feared to have torn an ACL
The defense was an embarrassment once again, with the Seahawks blowing the team out before halftime, and it never got any better. Busted coverage and wide-open explosive plays were all over the field, and major changes need to happen on and off the field. It got even worse for Marshon Lattimore, who went down with an injury that is feared to be a torn ACL.
There's no easy way to put it, but it was a nightmare night for Lattimore. He played really well last week against the Kansas City Chiefs, but it's time to admit that this trade was a massive swing and a miss by Adam Peters. It's unfortunate to see the season go down like this for Laittmore in what is very likely his last game with the Commanders. He's under contract for next season as well, but I don't expect him to be here after the defense faces an overhaul this offseason, if not sooner.
Injuries have been the biggest headline of the season with multiple starters suffering long-term injuries, and the roster honestly needs an overhaul as well. It will be a long rest of the season, with a massive offseason coming up.
