Detroit is going to have to get to shaking and baking this offseason in order to add some firepower to three key areas of their roster: at edge rusher, on their offensive line, and in their secondary.
Health has been too major of a concern for all three units, so landing some starting reinforcements would go a long way towards the Lions' ability to compete down the stretch of the 2026 season and, ideally, deep into the postseason. It's a matter of cost for them, though, and whether they'd be able to afford to make these moves.
Bleacher Report's Alex Ballentine has tabbed the Lions to be in on three key targets this offseason, two of which might be already on some fans' radars, and one of which would be a smart swing to make if the team isn't ready just yet to hand the reins at center over the Tate Ratledge.
NFL writer has Lions interested in 3 trades that could change everything in 2026
The first target Ballentine sees the Lions being interested in is, of course, Michigan-native Maxx Crosby. While his contract situation with the Las Vegas Raiders seems hairy at first, there's a world where Detroit could get this done for some cheaper draft compensation than expected. Since Las Vegas extended Crosby, his expensive cost could hand the leverage to the Lions.
But, they'd then have to figure out some restructurings for him and several other high-paying players in order to be able to execute any other free agent signings and rookie deals. So, it'd be a high-cost, high-risk trade, but for an ideal partner to Aidan Hutchinson.
The other target Ballentine notes is Marlon Humphrey:
"The Ravens are entering a new era with Jesse Minter and have good financial reason to explore a trade. The Lions are in a position where 2026 is going to be crucial. Humphrey's ability to play on the outside and inside at a high level would have been huge for Detroit this season."
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He'd be a great target for the team on an expiring deal. His cap hit in 2026 is just a hair over $26 million, so he's another player Detroit could probably leverage onto the roster with less-valuable draft picks. He had 13 passes defended, four interceptions, and two forced fumbles in 2025. The Lions desperately need someone with this nose for the ball in their secondary.
Ballentine's third Lions target might be the most interesting, as it's another stop-gap solution at center that'd be a lot more enticing than the Lions' plan with Graham Glasgow in 2025: Cesar Ruiz.
The guard out of New Orleans has experience from college playing at center, and Dan Campbell likely has familiarity with him from his days on the Saints. He had a great pass blocking grade of 73.1 per PFF, but it's unclear how comfortable he'd be swinging back to a position he hasn't played since 2019.
Either way, the Lions could also use some healthy depth at guard behind an injury-prone Christian Mahogany, and if they cut Glasgow. He could also compete for that center job against Ratledge with a lot more confidence than Glasgow did.