The Detroit Lions know that the 2024 season is a tough act to follow. Detroit won 15 games and secured the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs, both of which were franchise firsts. The Lions did not make any noise in the playoffs though, which is their biggest area of improvement for the 2025 season.
The Lions made some big moves this offseason to help get them back to the playoffs in 2025. But it will be tough sledding after losing both coordinators to head coaching jobs. And the sudden retirement of All-Pro center Frank Ragnow.
The next big test for the Lions will be training camp and the preseason. There are several position battles that Lions fans should be watching during training camp. Especially because the roster has more depth than ever before.
Since Detroit has so much depth, they will face some hard decisions on roster cut down day.
Below we will explore three sneaky Lions trade candidates entering training camp. Could Detroit move any of these players during the 2025 NFL season?
What could the Lions get for DJ Reader in a trade?
Detroit Lions defensive tackle DJ Reader asks for crowd noise before a play against the Buffalo Bills during the first half at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024.
Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Reader is probably the most surprising player on this list. The 31-year-old veteran has been everything the Lions hoped he would be.
Mike Payton of A to Z Sports shared a hypothetical trade offer back in June. That offer would send Reader to the Bills in exchange for edge rusher AJ Epenesa.
But could Reader actually be on the trade block? Anything is possible in the NFL, but I seriously doubt it.
Reader is in the final year of his two-year contract with a $12.93 million cap hit. That alone makes him borderline unmovable. But it would also be a bad move to trade Reader because of how much the Lions will need him early in the season.
Alim McNeill tore his ACL during the second half of the 2024 season. He is not scheduled to return until the second half of the 2025 season.
Detroit did draft Tyleik Williams in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, which helps. The Lions also have Levi Onwuzurike, Mekhi Wingo, and Roy Lopez as reserve players.
If the Lions did trade Reader, they would suddenly have big question marks on the interior of the defensive line.
Is Alex Anzalone a part of Detroit's future at linebacker?
Alex Anzalone may be the most difficult player on this list to figure out.
Anzalone turns 31 years old in September and it feels like he's coming towards the end of his time in Detroit.
The biggest reason to suspect that Detroit might move on from Anzalone is his contract situation.
Anzalone is in the final year of his existing contract with a cap hit of $7.26 million in 2025. His future with the Lions is not guaranteed past this season, which some believed has irked the veteran linebacker.
Jeff Risdon of Lions Wire reported back in June that Anzalone made a cryptic post on Instagram. Based on the video, and comments from his teammates, it appears Anzalone is referring to a perceived contract issue with the team.
If the rumblings are true, this is an issue that this regime in Detroit has not had to deal with yet.
But the situation is more complicated than that.
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The Lions have some depth at linebacker, but they don't have enough players to field a talented starting lineup without Anzalone.
Detroit still has the young Jack Campbell as their new MIKE. They also re-signed Derrick Barnes to a three-year contract this offseason. But behind them, the situation isn't great.
Malcolm Rodriguez is recovering from a season-ending ACL injury he suffered in late November. The Lions expect him to return in 2025, but he probably won't be ready to play until November. As a result, the Lions will need a backup plan while he gets back to football shape.
After Rodriguez, the Lions can turn to backups Ezekiel Turner, Trevor Nowaske, Zach Cunningham, and newcomer Grant Stuard.
Despite the tension, I don't realistically see how the Lions can part ways with Anzalone this season. But this potential contract dispute is one for Lions fans to watch for the rest of the summer.
A healthy Ennis Rakestraw Jr. could make Amik Robertson expendable
Detroit Lions cornerback Amik Robertson (21) celebrates 40-34 win over San Francisco 49ers as he exits the field at Levi's Stadium.
© Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Lions will be getting back a healthy Ennis Rakestar Jr. in 2025. That could be a problem for Amik Robertson.
Rakestraw missed time in 2024 due to hamstring injuries. He played in eight games but only managed six total tackles. Those injuries really slowed him down.
The expectation heading into the season was that Rakestraw could man the slot. At the time this was a big development, because Brian Branch played mostly in the slot the year before. Branch was able to move back to safety, but it was Robertson who took up the slot cornerback role.
Robertson stepped up and played well for the Lions, both in the slot and outside. He displayed the signature “grit” that Dan Campbell wants from all his players.
So why is he a trade candidate?
For one, Robertson is in the final year of his current contract and has a cap hit of $6.4 million in 2025.
The return of Rakestraw is the other big factor. If he is able to beat Robertson for the starting slot cornerback slot, then Robertson would essentially become a rotational player at best.
Ultimately, the Lions are most likely to keep Robertson for some secondary depth. If the Lions have learned anything over the past two seasons, it is that you can never have too many defensive backs. Or too many defensive players in general.
If Detroit decided to trade Robertson, I imagine it would happen at the trade deadline. And it would require the Lions getting a player back at a position of need.