The looming trade deadline presents the Detroit Lions with a few secondary gaps to fill, but one All-Pro cornerback appears to be off the menu.
Some experts predict the Lions would be searching for additions at the trade deadline on October 31 in light of the injuries sustained by cornerback Emmanuel Moseley and safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson. Cornerback Patrick Surtain II of the Denver Broncos had been mentioned as a major target, but it appears that he is no longer on the table according to a recent source.
Broncos Not Willing to Trade Top Cornerback
While the Lions are not known to make many big moves under general manager Brad Holmes, MLive.com’s Kyle Meinke speculated that they could be willing to make an exception if the retooling Broncos were willing to part with the All-Pro Surtain.
“There could be some good options on the trade block too, notably Denver’s Patrick Surtain,” he wrote.
The Athletic’s Dianna Russini wrote that the Broncos are not willing to part with Surtain, and may not have much movement on other players at the upcoming trade deadline as they are asking a high price.
“The Broncos are not open to trading cornerback Patrick Surtain II, in fact, one team source described him as ‘the best and smartest player on the Broncos roster.’ Denver is listening to offers on others like receivers Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton and linebacker Josey Jewell, but no offer has come close to motivating GM George Paton to make a move,” Russini wrote. “A general manager who spoke to Denver told me, ‘The Broncos aren’t selling cheaply.’ ”
There could still be a glimmer of hope for the Lions, though they would need to make a big offer. Charles Robinson of Yahoo wrote that there could still be a chance the Broncos deal Surtain, specifically naming the Lions as a potential suitor.
“That doesn’t mean a team like the Detroit Lions couldn’t get aggressive and take a stab, but Surtain is the one guy the Broncos view as essentially an automatic ‘no,’ ” Robinson wrote.
The Lions would likely have to make a large offer, something Holmes has been reluctant to do in the past as they have made moves focused on getting draft picks rather than giving them.
Lions Could Address Other Needs
While the Lions may be closed out of landing Surtain, some insiders believe Holmes will make other moves to bolster their defense. SI.com’s Christian Booher suggested the Lions could make a run at Las Vegas Raiders pass rusher Maxx Crosby, noting that the team will soon need to extend quarterback Jared Goff and should take advantage of the cap space while they still have it.
“If the Lions want to show they are truly all-in, they should make a move of this caliber,” Booher wrote. “Crosby would be the perfect running mate for Aidan Hutchinson, and could take Detroit to the next level.”
The safety position, where Gardner-Johnson most likely had a pectoral tear that ended his season, is one of the other voids the Lions could try to address. The Lions have also had issues with depth in their offensive line, missing extended periods of time with running backs David Montgomery and Jimmy Gibbs.
