The Detroit Lions don't have very long to lick their wounds after JJ McCarthy and the Minnesota Vikings picked up a victory at Dan Campbell's expense in Week 9, as Brad Holmes needs to finalize his plans for the 2025 NFL Trade Deadline if this team is to compete.
While the Lions may have entered the last few days with some clear and obvious holes to fill, it seems as though their loss to Minnesota may have created another one, thanks to an injury sustained by one of their up-and-coming young offensive linemen.
Guard Christian Mahogany suffered a serious injury in the Vikings game, which could open up a massive wound at the heart of the Lions' mighty offensive line. Luckily for Holmes, he won't have to look very far when it comes to finding a replacement.
The Tennessee Titans will sell everything that isn't nailed down, and guard Kevin Zeitler is still productive. Can these two parties come to some sort of deal that brings Zeitler back to Honolulu blue?
Lions must trade for Titans OG Kevin Zeitler after Christian Mahogany injury
Zeitler's 67.6 PFF grade, which ranks firmly in the top half among guards in the NFL, is even more surprising when one considers that he is playing alongside rookie quarterback Cam Ward and a wholly disappointing unit around him. At this stage of his career, Zeitler likely doesn't want to hang around in Tennessee.
The Lions might not have to give up an arm and a leg to acquire Zeitler, who provided a year of meritorious service with Detroit in 2024. With over 200 starts to his name at the NFL level, durability and consistency have become the two hallmarks of Zeitler's game.
While Tennessee might try to tell itself that it doesn't want to give away offensive linemen when Ward is struggling as it is, Zeitler is almost assuredly not going to return to the Titans in 2026 and beyond. Why not at least get a pick from a GM who is fairly aggressive when it comes to making trades for proven players?
The Lions don't have a ton of tradable assets, and the secondary might need one more addition, but Zeitler is likely going to be a very cheap addition who keeps one of the best overall units in football performing at the top of their game. He should be on a plane to Detroit by Tuesday.