Albert Breer’s Mailbag: Why The Lions Stood Pat At The Trade Deadline

I dug done your questions aft an eventful trade deadline. Here’s what we’ve sewage …

From Tyler S (@Tyler_SS11): Do you deliberation Detroit made nan correct prime successful not making a waste and acquisition for an EDGE aliases CB? They person glaring holes astatine some owed to wounded correct now. The NFC North title is only going to get tighter arsenic nan play goes on.

Tyler, those are 2 abstracted questions, but they stock a communal principle: They are holes astatine premium positions, and those spots are reliable to fill, particularly successful nan mediate of nan season.

Maybe it would’ve made consciousness to make a telephone connected Detroit autochthonal Sauce Gardner, but the Jets didn’t shop nan offer they had around. The Lions’ headdress ledger is already starting to capable up, pinch different draught people eligible for caller contracts astatine nan extremity of nan play (that class, by nan way, has Jahmyr Gibbs, Jack Campbell, Sam LaPorta and Brian Branch). Outside of that, you’d beryllium talking astir taking connected personification specified arsenic Michael Carter II erstwhile you person D.J. Reed coming backmost this month. I’m not judge that makes sense.

As for nan business connected nan edge, nan Lions did spell down that roadworthy a twelvemonth agone pinch Za’Darius Smith, and are expecting to get Marcus Davenport backmost astatine immoderate point. Considering that, and looking astatine what was disposable (Dre’Mont Jones, Arden Key and Joe Tryon-Shoyinka), I don’t cognize that I would manus complete picks successful a draught wherever I’m already without my third-rounder.

Washington Commanders

From JFLAN (@JFLANland): Why didn't nan Commanders move immoderate of their vets connected expiring contracts? Deebo, Von Miller, Zach Ertz, Bobby Wagner. Even for Day 3 picks, amended to get thing for nan early retired of a mislaid season.

JFlan, I deliberation nan reply is that Dan Quinn and Adam Peters were hesitant to symbolically propulsion nan plug connected nan season, and consequence halting nan momentum they’ve built complete their first 22 months successful charge. But I’m pinch you. I’d reason nan Jayden Daniels injury astir apt marked that it was clip to commencement considering specified moves.

I’ll commencement by saying I emotion what nan Commanders person done to this point, successful patching truthful galore holes connected their roster pinch players who had backgrounds pinch their coaches aliases beforehand office. They brought successful a batch of known commodities and accelerated their timeline, enabling Quinn and Peters to found belief and committedness successful nan type of programme they were trying to build.

That said, nan 1 downside to that attack is that you are bound to get aged successful a bunch of spots quickly, and trading distant draught picks to bring successful caller players cuts into your expertise to create younger players down nan older guys. At this point, nan Commanders person conscionable 2 picks successful nan first 4 rounds of April’s draft. So aft Sunday night’s injuries, I’d person applauded an effort to restock those shelves successful Washington.

From Cincyfan (@Darktraveler1): Is Duke Tobin successful trouble?

Cincy, I don’t deliberation so. Tobin’s been successful complaint for complete 2 decades now, and for nan astir part, has done a awesome occupation drafting players for whichever coach/system he’s moving with. Even pinch nan financial constraints that nan Bengals have, and pinch a smaller staff, he’s built astir 3 different quarterbacks and made nan playoffs pinch each.

I understand nan vexation complete nan existent authorities of nan defense and immoderate of nan enduring issues surrounding nan protection of Joe Burrow. But for nan astir part, I deliberation it would beryllium foolish to propulsion retired personification pinch Tobin’s organization knowledge.

In fact, if anything, I’d build retired his unit more.

Trey Hendrickson is simply a foundational portion for nan Bengals’ struggling defense. / Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

From Ronnie (@Tray4o): Are you amazed Trey Hendrickson wasn’t moved astatine nan waste and acquisition deadline?

Ronnie, I’m really not. The Bengals didn’t get a ton of liking successful him, truthful talks really ne'er progressed to nan constituent wherever location were difficult offers connected nan table.

Why? He’s banged up, 31 years old, has 4 sacks successful 7 games and his statement is up aft this season. Over nan summertime nan asking value was a second-round prime and a protect starter (I heard, successful nan lawsuit of Indianapolis, it was Grover Stewart nan Bengals asked for). Cincinnati wasn’t going to move disconnected that spot much, and each of nan supra diminished immoderate changeable nan Bengals had of getting that benignant of return for their prima rusher.

Also, I don’t deliberation they position themselves arsenic dormant yet, and taking a chunk retired of a struggling defense would’ve been a problem for nan team. Listening to what came from that locker room aft nan Bears debacle, it seems for illustration things are teetering. Giving up connected nan play could’ve pushed things complete nan edge.

Buffalo Bills 

From WyomingCoog (@WyomingCoog): Why do nan Bills dislike adding bully players?

Coog, they don’t. They’ve ever been a draft-and-develop team, and they’re backmost successful a spot now—with Josh Allen, James Cook, Dion Dawkins, Dawson Knox, Khalil Shakir, Ed Oliver, Terrel Bernard and Christian Benford locked up—where they’re going to person to capable their roster retired pinch affordable young talent.

They were, by nan way, looking for protect tackle help. There conscionable wasn’t a batch of it. And they besides inquired astir receivers. On that front, I deliberation Rashid Shaheed would’ve made immoderate sense, because they don’t person that benignant of field-stretcher, and a subordinate for illustration him would activity to weaponize Allen’s limb strength. He coiled up going to Seattle for a fourth- and fifth-round pick. Doing that woody for nan Bills, though, would’ve meant having zero picks betwixt nan 3rd and seventh rounds.

I might’ve done it anyway. But I tin understand why nan Bills didn’t.

From Ryan Oletzke (@ryanoletzke): Seahawks do enough? Really wanted OL help

Ryan, I get it. Seattle has had interior violative statement issues. Even pinch betterment successful that area, acknowledgment successful ample portion to nan summation of rookie Grey Zabel, correct defender remains a problem spot.

This, of course, isn’t ideal. But it is the benignant of weakness you tin manage.

I’d reason adding Shaheed is astir apt much of a difference-maker than trading for, say, a Jackson Powers-Johnson from Vegas. Shaheed is simply a cleanable complement to Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp, and could upwind up being much than a rental (though having to motion some he and Smith-Njigba could complicate things). I really for illustration that waste and acquisition for nan Seahawks, and nan Saints, too.

New York Giants 

From Jimmy T (@jimmy_tomredle): Did nan Giants get calls connected anyone aliases immoderate offers for Dexter Lawrence?

Jimmy, nan Giants listened but I heard early connected that they weren’t readying to move Kayvon Thibodeaux, overmuch little Dexter Lawrence. Lawrence is only 27 years old, and nan squad is successful a weird spot, pinch its uncertain early gumming  up nan useful connected shipping guys retired of town.

I’d besides presume if location are changes, caller guys coming successful would spot Lawrence arsenic a monolithic asset, some virtually and figuratively.

From MAV (@BLUEMOON_MAN): Do nan Jets widen Breece Hall? Do you deliberation they spell QB successful 2026 aliases 2027? What is nan scheme astatine Florham Park?

Mav, I deliberation astatine this point, it’s difficult to widen Breece Hall because he’s truthful adjacent to free agency. As for what it mightiness return to support him, I deliberation nan James Cook deal—$48 cardinal complete 4 years—could beryllium a imaginable comp.

For what it’s worth, nan Jets did look astatine nan thought of dealing him. My consciousness is he could’ve been had for a fourth-round prime successful nan summer. The value went up arsenic Hall proved his worthy complete nan first half of nan season. Also, Braelon Allen’s wounded analyzable nan Jets’ outlook connected dealing Hall, pinch Allen’s absence making Hall moreover much indispensable to nan team’s offense.

The Jets sent Sauce Gardner to nan Colts for 2 first-round draught picks. / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

From Stephen Zantz (@szantz): Is location thing down nan scenes pinch Sauce Gardner aliases Quinnen Williams that led nan authorities to sour connected them?

Stephen, that’s a analyzable question.

What I would opportunity astir Gardner is that it does consciousness for illustration thing changed—and I’m not judge what—between nan clip Gardner was extended successful July and nan waste and acquisition this week. But portion of that is natural, since nan brass did that woody earlier having Garnder for a azygous time successful pads, and built successful elasticity to get retired of it if request be. On Williams, I’m not judge overmuch changed—so overmuch arsenic nan Gardner waste and acquisition opened things up a bit—and nan statement successful play location near a small little certainty beyond this twelvemonth (he has only $5 cardinal guaranteed left).

From GIANFRANCO ILLIANO (@illiano15): Which squad did you consciousness needed to make a waste and acquisition for a peculiar position but yet decided to enactment put?

Maybe nan Bills astatine protect tackle, nan Lions connected nan separator aliases nan Vikings astatine corner?

I didn’t deliberation location was immoderate crying request a contender had wherever location was immoderate immense missed opportunity. Outside of nan 2 Jets’ trades (Gardner to nan Colts and Williams to nan Cowboys), this was a beautiful emblematic waste and acquisition deadline.

From Paul Andrew Esden Jr (@BoyGreen25): Are nan Jets done shipping disconnected players for picks? Or could we spot immoderate much trading splashes successful nan offseason successful a mates of months?

Paul, I think, philosophically, they’re ever going to listen.

But nan much elaborate reply rides connected really nan remainder of nan play goes. Opinions connected players that are signed to large deals could change. Jermaine Johnson, for example, could beryllium extended aliases traded successful March. How nan Jets determine to proceed will beryllium colored by really he performs from present connected out, arsenic it should be.

From Paul Andrew Esden Jr (@BoyGreen25): Albert, nan Jets asked for a 2027 first alternatively of a 2026 first from nan Cowboys. Can you locomotion america done nan thought process of that? What does NYJ person successful mind?

From Dehls (@JoelDehls): More apt nan Jets look to waste and acquisition picks for a vet aliases a rookie successful ’26/’27?

Yes, Paul, nan Jets preferred to person nan first-round prime successful 2027 for a mates reasons.

The first being that nan apical of nan 2027 draught is expected to beryllium stronger, pinch draft-eligible players specified arsenic Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith, Alabama WR Ryan Williams, Texas DE Colin Simmons, South Carolina DE Dylan Stewart and Notre Dame CB Leonard Myers. There are besides quarterbacks (Nebraska’s Dylan Raiola, Notre Dame’s C.J. Carr, Texas’s Arch Manning, Ohio State’s Julian Sayin) who could onshore successful that class.

The 2nd is that it gives nan Jets elasticity should a high-end seasoned backmost go available. Being diligent will alteration them to enactment loose for opportunities some this twelvemonth and next, pinch 3 first-round picks successful 2027.

The 1 caveat present is that this will require self-restraint from an proprietor who hasn’t ever shown overmuch of it complete nan years. But if Woody Johnson gives these guys time, there’s a bully chance Nov. 4, 2025, is remembered arsenic a bully time for nan Jets.

Chicago Bears

From Ryan (@RyanHeckmanNFL): How do you return nan Bears not going aft a cornerback?

Ryan, it’s a reliable spot for them to beryllium successful because, while it’s been a problem, they’re profoundly invested successful guys astatine nan position. The issue, of course, is injury, pinch Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon some out. There’s dream they get some back, and that Tyrique Stevenson returns to form, but there’s nary guarantee astir what style those guys will beryllium successful erstwhile they return.

So, fixed that this isn’t a semipermanent need, do you waste retired to find 1 now? Or do you thrust nan injuries retired and clasp connected to your draught picks? I tin understand why they took nan second path.

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