Dan Campbell reveals Lions' ramped up search for an edge rusher

The day after Aidan Hutchinson's season-ending injury, Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell brushed off any absolute urgency to add someone to replace the team's best pass rusher. He did acknowledge that general manager Brad Holmes was looking, however obviously.

On Monday, Campbell reached the early, inevitable conclusion about the Detroit pass rush sans Hutchinson.

"An area where we could be better is, there was some things where our coverage had to — we ask them to do a lot and they had to hold on a little bit", Campbell said. "There were some things where we fabricated some rush, we got there a few times. But to answer your question, we need just a little bit more. There was a couple of them that did get long, a couple of these plays that you'd like to believe we can get somebody there just a little bit sooner...."

According to Fantasy Points, Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold averaged 3.4 seconds from snap to throw last Sunday. That's the longest of any quarterback against the Lions this season.

Dan Campbell reveals ramped up search for an edge rusher

Holmes is obviously doing work to find an edge rusher that fits as a possible addition. During his appearance on 97.1 The Ticket's "Costa and Jansen with Heather" Tuesday morning, Campbell addressed that.

“Brad’s been grinding on this, ever since last week. He’s been going and looking at really everything that could potentially be available. And so much of it is the: making the calls. First of all, who do you like on tape? Who is worth something? And it’s not just because somebody says they’re a good player. You’ve got to put your own eyes on it and do the homework. And then, where are they at? How much football do they have left? What salary are we taking on? How does that affect us next year signing our own guys? How much value are you going to have to give up? So all of that stuff plays into it, but believe us, we’re looking. Brad’s on it, and we’ll find somebody that fits us and brings something. Like I said, a complementary piece that helps that d-line.”

Then, Campbell was asked how involved he is in the process of acquiring a new player. As expected, nothing is done without Campbell's stamp of approval.

"When (conversations) get serious, he (Holmes) is like, ‘Check this out,’ and I do. Because he wants to know that I agree with it. If there’s somebody that he likes, and it’s worth it, then that’s when I know it’s serious, and I check it out, and, man, if I like it, we’re all good. If it’s something that I don’t like, he’s not going to force it on me. That’s not how we work. That’s how we’ve been good now going on four years. But I also know if it’s something like that, I don’t know that he’s ever been wrong.”

But has Holmes asked Campbell to look at any players lately?

"Yeah, he’s asked me to check something out. A couple things", Campbell said.

It's not surprising to get confirmation Holmes been doing serious work to find outside edge rusher help, or that Holmes has asked Campbell to check out "a couple things." It seems like a matter of time before something gets done.