Dan Campbell: 'Hard to Say' if Lions Make Trade

Will Lions make trade before Tuesday's deadline?

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Detroit Lions are viewed widely as a team that could make a trade to acquire help at the trade deadline. However, time is running out for them to do so as the deadline is set for 4 p.m. Tuesday.

Coach Dan Campbell was asked directly if he sees the team making a deal before the deadline, and he admitted that it wasn't all in the hands of general manager Brad Holmes and the rest of the Lions' front office.

“It’s hard to say. I don’t think it’s entirely up to us," Campbell said. "I can tell you we’re trying. Brad’s trying and looked at everything. We really have. Made a ton of calls, and he’s been rolling on it. So we’ll see. We’ve still got a little bit of time here. We’ve got till tomorrow, tomorrow evening. So, we’ll see what happens.” 

On Sunday, a report surfaced that a trade between the Lions and Cleveland Browns centered around defensive end Za'Darius Smith was imminent. That has not materialized at this point, but the two are still viewed as potential trade partners ahead of the deadline.

MORE: Latest Lions Trade Buzz: Update on Za'Darius Smith, Maxx Crosby

Jameson Williams is back! Dan Campbell expressed physically, team is kicking him back into action. “Let’s go” pic.twitter.com/yVbzWsSAbw

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The Lions have already made subtle moves to address the injury to Aidan Hutchinson, including signing Isaiah Thomas off the Cincinnati Bengals' practice squad and adding veteran rusher Al-Quadin Muhammad to the practice squad. Muhammad has been elevated each of the last two games.

If Detroit is unable to make a deal before Tuesday's deadline, Campbell appeared content to continue giving chances to those on the roster, and added that the front office will continue to seek out potential additions off of other teams' practice squads.

“If it’s not, we’re rolling. We’ve got our guys and we’re going, and that’s the bottom line," Campbell explained. "And look, if something doesn’t get done, we’ll start poaching some of these other practice squads, see if we can find some guys that we really liked when they were coming out that have some ability, see if they can grow. And then, we’ll continue to give our guys on this roster a shot.”