By Blessing 
After nearly a month of NFL free agency, the Detroit Lions still have not addressed their biggest concern: the pass rush. With most of the top free agent options now off the table, the team’s search for solutions continues. Recently, they met with a player who spent the 2024 season in the NFC North.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that the Lions had a meeting with former Chicago Bears edge rusher, DeMarcus Walker, last week.
However, despite the ongoing search, it’s clear that Walker may not be the answer to Detroit’s pass rush woes. In the 2024 season, Walker recorded just 3.5 sacks across 17 games. This performance mirrors his 2023 output, where he also posted 3.5 sacks. In fact, he has only surpassed five sacks in one season throughout his career.
While Walker’s 39 pressures in 2024, as credited by Pro Football Focus, might appear promising at first glance, they don’t quite compensate for his lack of sack production. The Lions already have a veteran with similar concerns in Marcus Davenport, who, while capable of higher highs, has had his own struggles with consistency and injuries.
The Lions seem to be stuck in a cycle of questionable options for the edge position. If they are to bring in a veteran, it would need to be someone who can contribute more reliably than Davenport, someone they can confidently place ahead of him on the depth chart. Otherwise, they’ll be putting too much pressure on Aidan Hutchinson to carry the pass rush all on his own.
Hutchinson is undeniably talented and could take on that responsibility, but if the Lions are aiming for a Super Bowl, they’ll need more than just one standout player to lead the charge. While it’s encouraging that Detroit is still actively exploring solutions, it’s clear that Walker isn’t the right fit for what they need right now.