Thursday open thread: Which offseason trade most benefits the Lions?

For fans of the NFL, few offseasons have been more exciting than this one, with plenty of big-name players changing teams. Superstars and franchise cornerstones have been swapped for various draft picks, and the competitive landscape of the league will be shifted because of all this movement.

The Detroit Lions have not been an active part of these musical chairs, and nor should they be, as the team needs to hold onto the few valuable assets (both picks and players) it currently owns. But even without actually making any deals, the Lions may still come out of this trade season in better shape than entering.

Today’s Question of the Day is:

Which offseason trade most benefits the Lions?

My answer: Two trades will significantly impact the NFC North going forward with All-Pros Davante Adams and Khalil Mack both finally leaving the division. Though the Packers will get back Aaron Rodgers, Adams has been one of the best receivers in the entire league and a big part of Green Bay’s three straight division titles.

From a Lions’ perspective, Mack is probably the more meaningful move. Detroit was unlikely to compete with the Packers in the near term, but losing the star defender could see the Bears slip down in the division pecking order. As the Lions ramp up the rebuild, facing a weaker Chicago squad twice a year could be helpful.

None of the other moves have as direct of an impact, but if the team starts to get good quickly, it will be nice to have quarterbacks such as Russell Wilson and Matt Ryan in the AFC. The same goes for Deshaun Watson, who is staying on the other side of the league with Carson Wentz the only quarterback coming over to the NFC.

One other trade to call out: Robert Woods leaving Los Angeles. The Lions of course own the Rams’ 2023 first-round pick, and Woods has been a solid receiver. Matthew Stafford still has plenty of weapons around him, though, so this might not substantially change the fortunes of the defending champs.

Your turn.