By Moses Joshua 
Detroit’s push for dominance might reach new heights if an audacious ESPN trade scenario becomes reality
A Contender Looking to Dominate
The Detroit Lions have already cemented themselves as one of the NFL’s most complete teams this season, surging into Week 7 with a 4-2 record and legitimate Super Bowl aspirations. Under Dan Campbell’s gritty leadership, Detroit has found balance on both sides of the ball — but as the postseason race tightens, ESPN believes the Lions could elevate from contender to powerhouse with one daring move at the trade deadline.
In a recent analysis, ESPN’s Bill Barnwell suggested a bold two-part trade that would dramatically reshape Detroit’s defense and possibly alter the balance of power across the league. The plan? Pair Aidan Hutchinson with not one, but two elite pass rushers — Trey Hendrickson of the Cincinnati Bengals and Jaelan Phillips of the Miami Dolphins.
Barnwell’s Vision: A Defensive Superteam
Barnwell’s proposal doesn’t just tweak Detroit’s roster — it transforms it. In his words, “I’m arguing that the Lions should go all-in. This team experienced what it was like to lose Hutchinson and virtually every one of its other ambulatory pass rushers last season. Its secondary is battling injuries. No team has ever made it into January and complained that it had too many pass rushers.”
In Barnwell’s hypothetical, the Lions would send a 2026 second-round pick to Cincinnati for Hendrickson and a 2026 fourth, and a 2026 fourth-round pick to Miami for Phillips and a 2026 seventh-round pick. On paper, that would give Detroit a terrifying rotation of Hutchinson, Hendrickson, and Phillips — a trio capable of wrecking offensive game plans and dominating the trenches.
The Case for Going All-In
If Detroit pulled this off, it would mark one of the most aggressive trade deadlines in franchise history. Hendrickson has been a model of consistency, recording 17.5 sacks in each of the last two seasons and already tallying four in 2025. Phillips, meanwhile, has flashed elite upside with 22 sacks in his first 42 games, and after recovering from injury, he’s once again showing the burst that made him a first-round pick.
Both players are in the final year of their contracts — a key reason they could be available. Their current teams, Cincinnati and Miami, are struggling to stay in contention, making a deal feasible for a motivated buyer like Detroit.
For the Lions, the logic is simple: championship windows don’t last forever. With Hutchinson in peak form and a defense already ranked among the league’s top ten, adding two proven edge rushers could push them into true Super Bowl territory.
What It Would Mean for the Lions
The move would signal something larger — a franchise fully embracing its identity as a contender. It would be a message to the locker room, the fanbase, and the rest of the league: Detroit isn’t satisfied with being good. They want to be unstoppable.
Brad Holmes, the Lions’ general manager, has built this team patiently through the draft and smart free-agent additions. But with the postseason on the horizon, the time for patience might be over. Adding Hendrickson and Phillips would give Detroit a pass rush capable of dictating games deep into January — and maybe, just maybe, February.
If Barnwell’s proposal ever came close to reality, it wouldn’t just redefine the Lions’ defense — it might redefine the entire NFC playoff picture.