Injuries were not as much of a story for the Detroit Lions so far this season as they were last season heading into Week 5 against the Cincinnati Bengals.
But the injury bug has begun to go around with vengeance within this Lions squad, with cornerback D.J. Reed landing on IR with a hamstring issue, left tackle Taylor Decker finally missing the Week 5 win over the Cincinnati Bengals due to a lingering shoulder issue, and now Terrion Arnold likely to land on the IR after suffering another shoulder injury against the Bengals.
After the win over Cincinnati, Lions head coach Dan Campbell sounded uncertain about Decker's availability for Week 6 against the Kansas City Chiefs. It certainly could've gone worse for Giovanni Manu in his NFL regular season debut going against Bengals edge rusher Trey Hendrickson, but he also showed he's not quite there. Campbell also failed to commit to Manu starting again if Decker remains out against the Chiefs.
Reed will miss at least three more games on IR, with the bye coming in Week 8 to extend his earliest return date to Week 10. Fellow starting cornerback Terrion Arnold left the last two games early with a shoulder issue, and he revealed to reporters (h/t to John Maakaron of SI.com) he was operating at 75 percent health prior to Campbell announcing he'd be down for a while.
Amik Robertson is a capable and versatile corner. But after that, with Reed out and Arnold at less than full strength until further notice, it gets thin for the Lions at cornerback rather quickly.
Lions' general manager Brad Holmes lamented how hard it was to acquire edge rusher Za'Darius Smith at last year's trade deadline. So that may push him toward not making any notable trades before the Nov. 4 trade deadline, in deference to his consistency about thinking the team is not in a Super Bowl window.
But with some level of concern at left tackle and cornerback right now, let's take a look at some potential trade targets for the Lions.
1. Greg Newsome, CB, Cleveland Browns
The Browns fell to 1-4 with a Week 5 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, and their state of affairs says anyone who doesn't have a multi-year deal could be traded in an effort to add draft capital.
Newsome was a first-round pick by the Browns in 2021, but as he plays on his fifth-year option this year there is no inclination they want to sign him to a contract extension. Trade rumors surrounding him go back through two offseasons, including indications the Lions had some interest in him early in the 2024 offseason.
After a down season in 2024, where he was also phased out as a starter (three starts in 13 games) Newsome has started all five games for the Browns so far this season while playing 95 percent of the defensive snaps. His overall Pro Football Focus grade has rebounded to top-40 range after landing outside the top-100 qualifying cornerbacks last year. He is allowing an 89.0 passer rating in his coverage so far.
Trading for Newsome would be a notable move or the Lions to address their cornerback depth, and it would also invite particular concern about when Reed will be able to play. But the likely best available cornerback on the trade market should be somewhere on the radar in Detroit.
2. Rasul Douglas, CB, Miami Dolphins
Douglas seemingly had few free agent options after a rough 2023 season, but the long-running buzz attaching him to the Dolphins eventually came to fruition in late-August when he signed a one-year, $3 million deal.
The numbers aren't perfectly stellar for Douglas through five games this season (104.3 passer rating allowed), but he is a top-10 overall graded cornerback by PFF right now with a matching top-10 coverage grade at the position.
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The Dolphins are 1-4 this season, with their lone victory a narrow one over the currently winless New York Jets. As long as general manager Chris Grier keeps his job between now and then, some trade deadline selling seems to be in store.
Douglas is 30 years old, on a cheap one-year deal and his trade stock may not be higher than it right now given how well he is playing. The Dolphins should be open to moving him, and overall he'd be an ideal fit for the Lions to bolster their cornerback depth.
3. Kendall Lamm, OT, Miami Dolphins
Another older Dolphins player who could be moved before the deadline, Lamm has not played an offensive snap yet this season. But he did make 15 starts for them over the 2023 and 2024 seasons, including seven starts at left tackle in 2023. He did not allow a sack in five of those starts at left tackle that season, according to PFF, and in four of those he allowed two or fewer pressures.
Teams generally will not trade from their offensive line depth, lest they create a problem for themselves if injuries hit. But Lamm obviously has no place in the Dolphins' lineup, not that should be a huge red flag, and he is in the category of offensive lineman the Lions would most likely be entertaining on the trade market if Decker's absence stretches much further.