Lions Pegged as Trade Landing Spot for $111 Million DT

The Detroit Lions could really use an upgrade at cornerback at the NFL trade deadline. But that hasn't stopped pundits from linking the Lions to defensive playmakers at other positions.

This week, Sports Illustrated's Matt Verderame called the Lions one of the two best potential fits for Washington Commanders defensive tackle Daron Payne.

"Slated to hit free agency after this season, Payne is a fascinating player to watch. At 29, he hasn't had more than four sacks or 11 quarterback hits since 2022, the lone time he was a Pro Bowler," wrote Verderame. "Still, he's an impact player on the inside who commands double teams, logging at least 61% of the snaps every year of his career.

"If Washington makes Payne available, expect a market to develop."

Payne has 14 combined tackles, including two tackles for loss and five quarterback hits this season. He also has one sack and one forced fumble.

The veteran defensive lineman could be on the move before the deadline because the Commanders sit at 1-4-1 entering their bye this week. Payne has earned $111.8 million during his NFL career according to Spotrac .

Why Commanders DT Daron Payne Could Fit With Lions

The Lions enter Week 7 last in total defense and pass defense. They are also second-to-last in third-down percentage allowed and yet, the Lions are first in sacks.

Those statistics point to Detroit needing a cornerback. Based on the eye test, Lions fans everywhere would likely agree.

The team planned to have former first-round pick Terrion Arnold on the roster this season. They then didn't really replace him when the team released Arnold following his legal trouble over the summer.

Yet, some pundits are still proposing the Lions acquire a defensive lineman.

It's not the worst idea, especially if Detroit makes multiple trades before the deadline to improve the defense. Payne would add a veteran presence to the team's defensive line interior. That's something the Lions lost this past offseason with the departures of D.J. Reader and Roy Lopez .

Payne made the Pro Bowl in 2022 with a career-high 11.5 sacks, 18 tackles for loss and 20 quarterback hits. He also had five pass defenses that season.

Since then, the lineman has just 12 sacks in 55 games. But he remains a reliable contributor along the interior. If it doesn't take much draft capital, the Lions kicking the tires on acquiring Payne would make sense.

The question of whether the Lions could be in the market for someone like Payne greatly depends on how aggressive general manager Brad Holmes will be in the market. Being aggressive at the trade deadline isn't typical for Holmes.

Last season, the Lions didn't make any significant trade deadline acquisitions. The year prior, they added one player through a notable trade — edge rusher Za'Darius Smith .

If the Lions are only going to acquire one player again, it should be a cornerback. Payne is a nice to have, but he isn't essential to trying to fix the Detroit defense.

With Alim McNeill and Tyleik Williams , the Lions have two quality starting defensive tackles. Dan Campbell has also regularly praised the team's interior defensive line depth such as rookie Skyler Gill-Howard .

The Lions have two and a half weeks to decide their trade deadline strategy. The league's trade deadline is set for Tuesday, November 10.