Lions Pull Massive Heist: Stealing $57 Million Super Bowl Hero from Eagles in Stunning Move
After they were bounced from the playoffs via a blowout loss to the Washington Commanders, the Detroit Lions need to make improving the defense a point of emphasis this offseason.
One position in particular that needs some love is edge rusher, where the Lions have a solid starting duo in Aidan Hutchinson and Za’Darius Smith, but no depth, which is especially concerning after the plethora of injuries the Lions had in 2024. Adding to that, Smith is 32 years old and will be a free agent in 2026, so the Lions also need a long-term solution to line up opposite Hutchinson.
With that in mind, Jeff Risdon of Lions Wire wants to see the Lions bring in a Super Bowl hero in Philadelphia Eagles edge rusher, Josh Sweat, who tallied 2.5 sacks and three quarterback hits in the win over the Kansas City Chiefs.
“Sweat is cut straight from the Lions cloth as a pass rusher to align opposite of Aidan Hutchinson,” Risdon wrote. “He’s got requisite length and size at 6-foot-5 and 265 pounds, and he plays with a “crush the can” style of power and burst off the line that Detroit figures to keep favoring with new DC Kelvin Sheppard. Sweat turns 28 in March, meaning he’s still got a lot of productivity and juice left in his legs after being in a timeshare role for much of his career with the Eagles. He represents a more consistent and versatile option than Za’Darius Smith, who can still return as a veteran reserve. The Lions will have the cap room to fit in Sweat even with the expected bump in pay that his tour de force performance in the Super Bowl likely commands.”
Not only did Sweat shine in the playoffs, he had a strong 2024 campaign overall. The former fourth-round pick and 2021 Pro Bowler finished with eight sacks, which was the second-most of his career.
Not only would Sweat’s production provide an upgrade in Detroit, he’d also check the box of a long-term solution, seeing as how he’s going to turn 28 in March. The Lions would have quite the formidable trio of pass-rushers, assuming they hold on to Smith for another season after signing Sweat.
Per Spotrac, Sweat is projected to receive a three-year, $56.4 million deal in free agency, which amounts to $18.8 million per year. Detroit’s cap space situation ($51.8 million) allows them to easily afford that.
While we’d obviously love to see the Lions make a huge splash for an edge rusher like Myles Garrett, being able to acquire him is far from a guarantee. If the Lions are forced to aim lower, Sweat would be a fantastic option.