The clamoring has softened some now, as long as results come it'll be totally curbed in time. But until those results are seen, Detroit Lions fans will dream about what it might be like to have a proven edge rusher opposite Aidan Hutchinson.
And every chance he gets, until he's Honolulu Blue in the face, general manager Brad Holmes will explain just how darn hard it is to add another capable edge rusher.
But Holmes would not be doing his job if he didn't always have his eyes open for opportunities to add to the roster. There will of course be ebbs and flows there, with the circumstances of the other 31 teams also subject to change at any time.
Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox has done a new NFL Trade Block Big Board after minicamps. 10 players are featured, with the projected trade cost and a couple potential suitors for each.
Lions still linger as an ideal landing spot for someone who may be an odd-man out
Naturally, as if by default at this point, Knox has the Lions as one of the potential suitors for an edge rusher on his big board.
"To be clear, there hasn't been any real trade buzz involving Pittsburgh Steelers edge-defender Alex Highsmith. The Steelers won't have any interest in moving the 28-year-old at a bargain price—not as long as they believe they can contend with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback, anyway.
"However, a strong offer should at least generate some interest in Pittsburgh."
Knox then outlined how the chance T.J, Watt is traded (at least for now) is basically nil, and the Steelers just gave Nick Herbig a four-year, $100 million contract extension. So that leaves Highsmith as the most obvious trade candidate of the three Steelers' edge rushers.
Knox projects Highsmith's trade value as a conditional 2027 third-round pick plus a veteran player.
Highsmith has two years left on a four-year, $68 million contact. The Lions, or anyone who might want to trade for him, would take on $14.5 million in non-guaranteed base salary for this year and his $15.5 million non-guaranteed base salary for 2027.
With about $18.5 million in cap space for this year as we speak, the Lions would have to do some money maneuvering to maintain as much in-season financial flexibility as possible. But it could be done, however aided a bit by the notion of sending a player to Pittsburgh in the hypothetical trade for Highsmith.
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As Knox noted, there have been no real indications the Steelers are looking to trade Highsmith, and there are far worse things than having three very capable edge rushers. Choosing to pay Herbig lands as "vote with your checkbook" moment though, and trading Watt seems like a non-starter on a few fronts.
Holmes is probably content with the edge rusher group he has built around Hutchinson this offseason. But Highsmith should be on the radar as a potential trade target until further notice.
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