Grading Trade Proposal With Chargers That Upgrades Lions' Defense

The Detroit Lions could end up being one of the most active teams leading up to the Nov. 10 NFL trade deadline.

After losing out on the Joey Porter Jr. sweepstakes, they're still likely in the market for an upgrade at cornerback.

Subsequently, the Lions could be a viable landing spot for cornerback Donte Jackson, who is presently a member of the 0-6 L.A. Chargers. NFL writer Bill Barnwell believes such could be the case.

Jackson has not had a highly proficient season in coverage up to this point, with just two passes defensed and zero interceptions to his name. And for his efforts, he's earned a lowly Pro Football Focus coverage grade of 54.7, just the 70th-best coverage mark among 102 qualified cornerbacks.

However, he's fared much better against the run, earning a PFF run-defense grade of 77.5 (the 13th-best mark among all qualified corners).

It's also important to note that Jackson was highly productive in coverage a season ago, securing four interceptions and allowing a passer rating of just 56.3 on 399 coverage snaps. Plus, he earned a 75.0 PFF grade for his performance against the pass, which ranked as the 16th-best mark out of 114 qualified CBs.

In his latest article for ESPN.com, Barnwell proposed a trade between Dan Campbell's and Jim Harbaugh's squads that would net Detroit Jackson and EDGE Khalil Mack in exchange for a pair of mid-round draft picks (2027 fourth-and-sixth-round picks).

There is certainly logic behind such a swap for both teams. The Chargers are clearly already out of the playoff race, and the Lions could use help at each of the aforementioned positions. It will be interesting to see, however, if the usual stingy Brad Holmes decides to part with multiple draft picks for two rental players.

In addition to both Jackson and Mack being free agents at season's end, they are both due a sizable amount of money the rest of the season. Jackson is set to be paid $4 million over the remainder of the season, while Mack is owed $5.3 million. It'd be a hefty tab for Holmes & Co. to pick up; consequently, the deal would be significantly more feasible if the Chargers decided to cover a portion of Jackson's and Mack's salaries the rest of the way in 2026.

Jackson would supply Detroit with a solid cover corner to pair with incumbent No. 1 CB D.J. Reed. Meanwhile, Mack, with 116 career sacks to his name, would be a godsend for the Lions’ pass-rushing department. He'd provide the organization with a proficient pass-rusher to complement Pro Bowler Aidan Hutchinson's production.

As Barnwell writes, “The Lions have the league's second-best offense in terms of points scored per drive, but the defense needs help. And here Detroit adds two experienced starters on that side of the ball, giving the team a better shot at competing in what's going to be a dogfight in the NFC North.”

This mock trade would significantly upgrade defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard's unit going into the second half of the 2026 campaign. And it would greatly increase Detroit's chances of capturing the NFC North crown and making a deep playoff run.

As a result, I'm willing to give this trade proposal a “B+” grade.

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