What Lions Week 5 Win Changed about Trade Deadline Plans

Although the Detroit Lions enter their Week 5 bye above .500 (3-2), it's no secret they have a variety of needs headed into the NFL trade deadline November 10.

Now it just comes down to which ones Brad Holmes & Co. will fill with less than a month to go until the deadline.

Despite the need for potentially a backup running back and a No. 3 receiver, Detroit's biggest flaws still lie on the defensive side of the ball. Most notably, Dan Campbell's squad remains thin in the secondary: both at cornerback and safety.

While the return of Brian Branch will provide an immediate boost to the defensive backs group, the organization is still in need of a No. 1-caliber cornerback and arguably another safety to pair with the Pro Bowler.

In a perfect world, D.J. Reed would be reliable enough to be the team's No. 1 corner while Kerby Joseph would be on the mend and ready to return to his pre-injury All-Pro form. However, if anything has been proven this year, it's the fact that the Lions can't rely on either of those things to be the case.

While Reed has shown flashes of being a top-tier cover corner, he's not consistently productive enough to be depended upon for No. 1 corner-type production on a weekly basis. It's why even after missing out on Joey Porter Jr., Holmes & Co. should continue to be in the market for a high-level cover corner. And if the front office fails to land one prior to the deadline, it'd be a big misfire.

Then, when it comes to Joseph, Detroit can ill-afford to count on him to be his All-Pro-caliber self again upon his return to action. He reportedly might have a degenerative knee issue that hinders his production level the remainder of his career. Subsequently, the Lions can hardly rely upon Joseph for high-level production in 2026.

And on top of that, there's no definitive timetable for his return. It furthers the reason why the Lions must also make a concerted effort to add a safety to pair with Branch prior to the deadline.

So, even after an improved performance from Kelvin Sheppard's side of the ball against the Cardinals, defense remains Detroit's biggest issue. Consequently, the onus is on Holmes and the front office to upgrade the secondary in the weeks ahead. And if they fail to do so, the Lions could end up on the outside looking in when it comes to the playoff picture this season.

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