The Detroit Lions have the opportunity to make a move that could help their defense prior to the Nov. 10 trade deadline.
Through the first six games of the season, the Lions' biggest area of weakness has been their secondary. While things trended up in their win over the Green Bay Packers in Week 7, the Lions could do wonders for their secondary stability by adding a player before the deadline via trade.
There are several intriguing options thought to be available, and one team has already begun to deal off key players in anticipation of a rebuild. On Tuesday, the Indianapolis made a pair of deals trading two key veterans in offensive lineman Quinten Nelson and defensive end De'Forest Buckner.
With those deals appearing to be the start of a sale, the Colts could be willing to listen on their cornerbacks. Sauce Gardner is the headliner of the group, but he doesn't fit the Lions financially having signed an extension just last year.
However, Charvarius Ward has emerged as a intriguing target for the Lions, as his value fits what the team may be willing to spend in a trade come the deadline.
Under general manager Brad Holmes, the Lions have not pursued the traditional splash trade and instead have targeted value within the margins. Ward fits that mold, and could offer exactly what the Lions need from both a play-style and experience standpoint.
Now in his ninth season, Ward has started all seven games up to this point for the Colts. The veteran has recorded 21 tackles and five passes defensed thus far for a team that has sputtered to a 2-5 start.
Ward is well traveled, having began his career with four seasons playing for the Kansas City Chiefs before moving on to the San Francisco 49ers. After three years playing for the 49ers, he joined the Colts last season on a three-year deal.
The Middle Tennessee State product is under contract through the end of next season, but his deal is not guaranteed next year and the Lions could take on $18 million in cap savings if they elected not to keep him according to OverTheCap .
As a result, the contract makes sense to add for Detroit, who has some potential big extensions on the horizon in addition to the moves they've already made under Holmes.
To acquire Ward, the Lions would need to part with a pick in the later rounds, most likely a pick later on Day 3. Detroit is uniquely equipped to make this deal, as they hold their own sixth-round pick in addition to a projected compensatory pick for the loss of cornerback Amik Robertson as well as three seventh-round picks.
It's not a guarantee that Detroit gets that extra sixth-rounder, but with all their late-round picks Detroit could put together a package in lieu of trading a fourth- or fifth-round pick.
If the cost for Detroit is in that range of a late Day 3 pick, it's absolutely a move worth making as Ward would give them another veteran presence with a contract that has a manageable out following the sea
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/lions/onsi as What It Would Cost Lions To Trade For Charvarius Ward: And Is He Worth it? .
