The Detroit Lions, who released Za’Darius Smith in March, are in desperate need of another starting-caliber edge rusher to pair with Aidan Hutchinson, and a trade with the Houston Texans could solve the problem.
Last Word on Sports’ David Latham lists the Lions as one of the top landing spots in a trade for Texans edge rusher Denico Autry.
“A Denico Autry trade could give the Lions two above-average pass rushers, as the current Texans edge defender is just one year removed from an 11-sack season with the Tennessee Titans,” Latham wrote.
Autry is coming off a down year in 2024, as he played just ten games due to suspension and posted three sacks with 11 quarterback pressures and six defensive stops. The veteran pass rusher signed a two-year deal worth $20 million with Houston last offseason.
With Autry entering the final year of his deal and unlikely to play a major role on the defense, the Texans could look to trade him and get some value back for an aging defender.
Though he was lackluster last season, Autry can still be a solid rotational pass rusher for a contender. The Lions could look to trade for the Mississippi State product and add him to the defensive line to take some pressure off Hutchinson, who is returning from a season-ending leg injury suffered in Week 7 of the 2024 campaign.
Autry is just two years removed from a career year in 2023, where he posted 11.5 sacks and 53 quarterback pressures with the Tennessee Titans. If the Lions trade for the former undrafted free agent and he can recapture his 2023 form, it would be a masterful move from general manager Brad Holmes.
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