Dan Campbell: Lions in 'a good spot' despite quiet NFL trade deadline

The Detroit Lions didn’t make a splashy move like most of the NFC’s other top Super Bowl contenders before this week’s NFL trade deadline, but Lions coach Dan Campbell said he likes how his team has positioned itself for a run in the postseason.

“I feel good,” Campbell said Wednesday, Nov. 11. “We love our guys, man. We love our guys. And these guys are competitive, there’s been constant improvement, consistent improvement and we’re pretty good with depth right now.”

The Lions made one in-season trade this year, acquiring backup safety Andre Cisco from the New York Jets for a 2029 sixth-round pick.

Cisco is expected to play a depth role in the Lions secondary. Campbell acknowledged Monday that the uncertainty of Kerby Joseph’s return from a knee condition contributed to the trade.

But the deal fell far short of the impact moves many of the league’s other top teams made before the deadline.

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In the highly competitive NFC North, the Chicago Bears added Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jeffrey Simmons and the Minnesota Vikings traded for quarterback Kirk Cousins. The Bears lead the division with a 7-2 record, the Lions and Vikings are tied for second at 6-2, and the Green Bay Packers, who did not make any deadline deals, are in playoff position at 6-3.

The NFC West-leading San Francisco 49ers also traded for help on the defensive line (DeForest Buckner) and at wide receiver (Keenan Allen), and the defending Super Bowl-champion Seattle Seahawks added All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson.

In the AFC, the Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills and Denver Broncos added starting-caliber players before the deadline.

Campbell said those moves mean “nothing” to him.

“I mean, we got to get ready to play New England, and I know what our squad looks like, I know who they are and we’re going to have them ready to play and be ready to compete,” he said. “That’s what I know.”

While the Lions did not make any big moves in-season, Campbell said “a lot of things were looked at.”

The uncertainty around Joseph’s knee was “one of the reasons we got Cisco,” Campbell said. And the Lions considered moves at linebacker to bolster that position after injuries to Jack Campbell and Jimmy Rolder. Campbell acknowledged the fact the Lions may need to use future draft picks to bolster those positions also played a role in their deadline decisions.

“The biggest issue [at linebacker now is] special teams,” Campbell said. “How do we replenish, we get the depth? So absolutely our eyes are there. We were looking at it, looking at things and it didn’t work out.”

The Lions have won four straight heading into this week’s game against the New England Patriots in Germany, and their defense has played considerably better since a 2-2 start.

They’ve held opponents to 15.5 points per game the past four games after allowing 31.8 points the first four weeks, and they’ve held four straight opponents under 85 yards rushing.

“I think we’re in a good spot here, man,” Campbell said. “As long as these guys just keep improving, keep trying to correct all the little things and we keep gaining confidence and finding ways to win, that’s what it’s about.”

Dave Birkett covers the Lions for the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Bluesky, X and Instagram at @davebirkett.