3 emergency Lions trades to replace Aidan Hutchinson with Josh Uche off the board

In the middle of their dominant Week 6 win, the Detroit Lions suffered a devastating loss with Aidan Hutchinson suffering a season-ending injury. Hutchinson, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, had 7.5 sacks in just five games this season, proving to already be a major difference-maker despite being just 24 years old.

Replacing a player like Hutchinson is virtually impossible, especially with guys like Myles Garrett and Maxx Crosby unlikely to go anywhere by this year's trade deadline. With that in mind, though, the Lions should still do something to address their pass rush.

Former New England Patriots linebacker Josh Uche made some sense as a Lions trade target before he got traded on Monday to the Kansas City Chiefs. Fortunately, there are several other options out there to replace Hutchinson for this season and make the 6-1 Lions team that much better as they attempt to win the Super Bowl.

3) Za'Darius Smith has already said he wants to be a Lion

When asked how he'd feel about a trade to Detroit, Za'Darius Smith had nothing but positive things to say.

“But if I was to go to Detroit, I would like it, because I get to play Green Bay twice a year and the Vikings twice a year,” Smith told The Chronicle-Telegram this week. “So, yeah, that’ll be big. I’m staying positive, but now that you say that, it might be a good look, a good feel for me.”

Smith is a player Lions fans are awfully familiar with, given his years of experience with the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings - two of their NFC North rivals. Smith seems thrilled with the idea of beating his former team, so that makes him even more intriguing for the Lions.

He might not be the Pro Bowler he once was with Minnesota and Green Bay, but the 32-year-old has gotten off to a very strong start this season, recording five sacks in eight games for the 2-6 Cleveland Browns. He recorded 5.5 sacks in 16 games for the Browns just last season.

With the Browns all but out of contention and Smith being the veteran that he is, it wouldn't be shocking at all to see Cleveland try to sell high. Given Smith's interest in Detroit and the Lions' need at his position, it makes too much sense.

2) Chase Young can offer the Lions some upside

Chase Young very clearly hasn't lived up to the hype that came with him getting drafted with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, but a lot of that has to do with injuries. He's played 10 or more games in two of his four seasons entering the 2024 campaign, and racked up 7.5 sacks in each year.

Young's production has lacked a bit since signing a one-year deal with the New Orleans Saints as he has just two sacks on the year, but he has stayed healthy and has the misfortune of playing on a team that is now 2-6 on the season. It's entirely possible that a shift from the 2-6 Saints who are going nowhere to the Super Bowl-contending Lions will help Young save his season.

He's been traded midseason before so he knows what this is like, will almost certainly be dealt given his expiring contract status while being on a bad team, and again, he has upside. He might not be the superstar he was drafted to be, but when healthy, he's proven he can be an impactful pass rusher.

1) The Giants will likely look to trade Azeez Ojulari by the trade deadline

If there's one strength that the New York Giants have, it's their pass rush. Dexter Lawrence has nine sacks (despite being a nose tackle), and Brian Burns is an elite player in his own right. The presence of Lawrence and Burns alongside recent first-round pick Kayvon Thibodeaux has made Ojulari expendable for the Giants.

Despite playing in a career-low 49 percent of New York's defensive snaps, Ojulari has four sacks through seven games, putting him on pace to break his previous career-high of eight set back in 2021. Ojulari has always been an underrated contributor for the Giants, but injuries have gotten in the way.

Given the surplus of pass rushers New York has at its disposal and the fact that Ojulari is in a contract year while playing for the 2-6 Giants, he makes too much sense as a trade candidate. He might be the most intriguing option of all given his age (24), his cheap contract, and the fact that he shouldn't cost too much to acquire, making the Lions one of several teams who should be interested. He isn't Hutchinson, obviously, but he'd make the Lions better in his absence.