If we're being honest, the Detroit Lions will never make a big move to add another high-end edge rusher opposite Aidan Hutchinson. General manager Brad Holmes bristles at questions about the concept of making a notable move to add an edge rusher, so they will have to find one in the depths of free agency or cultivate one after drafting him.
Holmes also bristles as the notion the Lions are in any kind of a "Super Bowl window", even though with the roster as currently constructed they absolutely are. So that pushes any idea of an "all-in" move to the back burner, if not out of the kitchen entirely.
Still, as edge rushers like Trey Hendrickson, etc. come up in trade rumors, the Lions are an easily proposed destination.
Dallas Cowboys owner/general manager/self-proclaimed smartest man in the room Jerry Jones continues to offer word salads about the Micah Parsons situation. But trade speculation won't be going away until the four-time Pro Bowler and 2021 Defensive Rookie of the Year has the long-term deal he's looking for. Parsons of course asked for a trade, while calling out Jones' negotiation tactics.
Of course deadlines and trade requests mean nothing to Jones, and a deal being formally agreed to at any point from now to Week 1 will instantly render all speculation about Parsons being traded moot.
Former NFL GM offers trade proposal to make Micah Parsons a Detroit Lion
Former NFL general manager and current ESPN analyst Mike Tannenbaum occasionally catches the "hot take" disease that's prevalent on certain shows the network airs, including a wildly ridiculous Lions-related trade proposal before last season's deadline.
READ MORE: Lions predicted to buck a major trend in latest 2025 season outlook
On Friday's edition of "Get Up", Tannenbaum was tabbed to offer up some hypothetical trade offers to acquire Parsons. The three teams involved were the Buffalo Bills, the Lions and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Here's Tannenbaum's hypothetical deal to make Parsons a Lion.
.@RealTannenbaum has Micah Parsons trade offers for the Bills, Lions and Buccaneers 👀
Which offer makes the most sense? pic.twitter.com/ONPBdOuGmA
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) August 15, 2025
"The Lions, who desperately need another pass rusher", Tannenbaum said, "they trade a first-round pick, two '2s' (second-round picks) and Brian Branch, a great young safety."
Tannenbaum then landed on the core premise of trading for Parsons if you're the Lions.
"If I'm the Detroit Lions, with Micah Parsons and Aidan Hutchinson, we're going to the Super Bowl."
Host Dan Graziano asked analyst Damien Woody "who says no?", and Woody summed up his thoughts by saying "that's a heavy price right there" for the Lions.
Graziano also offered a slight rebuttal, on the idea the Lions are also trying to sign Hutchinson to a big contract extension and paying two top of the market edge rushers isn't realistic. Tannenbaum then said, on that notion of paying both of them and of course without having to have regard for salary cap consequences (which Graziano teased him about), "Sure. With that offense, let's go."
It's incredibly unlikely Parsons is traded, and it's even less likely the Lions are the team he gets traded to if he does happen to be moved. But if Holmes hasn't at least called Jones to see what it might take, he's not fulfilling his duties as general manager of a team that is in a window to win the Super Bowl (whether he likes it or not).
More Lions news and analysis