Proposed Lions pass rusher trade would take defensive line from good to great
An already disruptive Detroit Lions front seven got stronger with standout defensive tackle Alim McNeill making his 2025 debut in Week 7. But what if we told you this group can be even scarier with just a single transaction?
Vinnie Iyer of The Sporting News highlights Jaelan Phillips of the Miami Dolphins as Detroit's "ideal" target ahead of the NFL's November 4 trade deadline; whoa! If executive vice president/general manager Brad Holmes can make that a reality, it'd certainly bolster the two-time reigning NFC North champions' Super Bowl chances.
While the Lions don't necessarily need help on the perimeter, you can never have too many playmakers in this area. Phillips is a capable, well-rounded contributor with untapped potential on a downtrodden Dolphins club that figures to be sellers in the coming days. He could be the piece that elevates Detroit's defensive line from good to great.
Suggested Lions-Dolphins Jaelan Phillips trade elevates Detroit's pass rush to elite status
Iyer indicates that the Cincinnati Bengals' Trey Hendrickson would be the Lions' first choice, but the four-time Pro Bowler reportedly isn't available. So, pulling off a deal to pair Phillips with Detroit's star sack artist, Aidan Hutchinson, is the next best thing.
"With Hendrickson unlikely to happen ... [the Lions] can take a shot on another very effective would-be complement to Defensive Player of the Year candidate Aidan Hutchinson," Iyer wrote, referencing Phillips.
Phillips, 26, is quite a nice consolation prize for Hendrickson. The latter is certifiably better at getting to the quarterback, but age and versatility favor the former, making him an appealing option for Detroit.
Bookending the 25-year-old Hutchinson with Phillips would give the Lions one of the league's premier edge defender duos, with both firmly in their primes. It would set Detroit up nicely in the immediate and distant future, assuming they can retain each of them long-term, though that's the complicated part.
Hutchinson and the Lions have engaged in complicated contract extension talks but have yet to agree on a number. When the two sides (presumably) come to terms, the deal will conceivably land in the $40-plus million average annual value range. Meanwhile, Phillips is in the final year of his rookie pact and may command a nine-figure payday himself this coming offseason.
Logistical concerns aside, Phillips makes for a great addition to the Lions. Injuries derailed a promising career start in which he amassed 15.5 sacks across his first two seasons as a pro. Moreover, the 2021 first-round pick has parlayed rare athleticism and length to thrive as a run-stopper and can drop back in coverage if needed.
Will Howard Admits He ‘Definitely Had An Inkling’ When He’d Be Back: ‘They Kept Me In The Loop’
The Pittsburgh Steelers’ golden boy, rookie QB Will Howard, is back in action, and it’s no surprise to him, as it turns out. Despite landing on the Reserve/Injured List, it seems he’s known for a while that he would be back. It’s unclear if that was communicated to him when he first went on IR, but he certainly knew after Skylar Thompson joined him there.
“I definitely had an inkling,” Howard said about when he might be back, via the Steelers’ website. “They kept me in the loop and in the know on what we were doing. I appreciated that, and we were all on the same page. We had a good plan for it, so I knew generally when I was coming back. I didn’t know exactly when, but I was starting to get excited.”
A sixth-round pick out of Ohio State, Will Howard seemed destined for a year as the Steelers’ third quarterback. They already had Mason Rudolph under contract, and all but knew Aaron Rodgers would sign as well. But for a sixth-round pick, that’s not exactly surprising, nor alarming.
Still, despite his draft status, Howard quickly fueled enthusiasm among Steelers fans. And to his credit, he seemed to perform well throughout the offseason process — up to his injury. Just before embarking on the preseason, he fractured his pinky finger on his throwing hand.
Given that he was a late-round rookie who never made it into a stadium, many feared Will Howard was destined for a lost season. He’ll never know for certain how the Steelers viewed it, but we know they didn’t immediately designate him for return. They did with CB Cory Trice Jr., for example, who has still not practiced.
If the Steelers weren’t 100 percent committed to bringing Howard to the 53-man roster this season, the equation changed when Skylar Thompson suffered an injury of his own. Even still, they have gone almost the entire season with just two quarterbacks, an anomaly in their history.
Perhaps that fact itself was an indication of the Steelers’ intention to bring Howard back. But it’s not clear why they made the decision now. He reaffirmed that he has been “100 percent for a while” and admitted he didn’t expect it to take this long to return, meaning for the coaches to allow him to practice.
“I didn’t know how long it was going to be—you never know,” Howard admitted. “It was hard to stay engaged and to try and be present every single day when you’re not able to do anything. I’m just happy to be back, man.
“Now I’m back to Player Will, which is pretty damn nice.”
