The Dan Patrick Show is stirring the NFL pot once again and Detroit Lions' fans might not be too happy about it. With NFL Draft officially over and free agency basically wrapped up for every team, the sport's talk radio show made a bold statement. Per Spotrac.com, the Dan Patrick Show reported the Lions might be considering trading Calvin Johnson in the near future. Yes, the Calvin Johnson on the trading block. It cannot be true, can it?
File this rumor under "never in a million years." There is a better shot of Tim Tebow starting for the New England Patriots next season than Johnson getting traded, but entertain the idea for a moment because some numbers have the trade making a brief amount of sense. However, before social media blows up, note that the trade report is merely a suggestion and not fact.
Johnson is a large salary cap hit to a money-strapped team. The wide receiver will count $13 million against the Lions in 2014. A trade this year will not make sense the Lions would have to clear $16 million in cap space to work out a deal. That makes the move only possible in 2015. Johnson has $29 million in dead money left on his large contract extension and a deal in 2015 also has them eating $20 million in cap space next season. The Lions would love some financial breathing room and Johnson's contract makes that tough. Pair that with some recent injuries over the past two seasons and a recent knee surgery and the Lions could start to look at the bigger picture.
The Detroit Lions have a solid receiving corps with or without Johnson. The drafted versatile tight end Eric Ebron in the first round to pair next to re-signed Brandon Pettigrew. Golden Tate was signed in free agency after several solid seasons with the Seahawks. He joins youngster Ryan Broyles who is hopeful to be healthy for an entire year. Johnson is of course the center piece of that corps, will no longer be expected to carry the load like he has in the past.
A trade would give Detroit a lot of options and freedom. Is it worth it? It would take two wide receivers to replace the numbers Johnson constantly puts up, but his contract paired with an Ndamukong Suh extension will box Detroit in for the next few seasons.
Johnson is not getting traded, plain and simple. Yes, it is an entertaining thought, but will not happen. If Suh is not getting dealt than neither is Johnson. Now, Broyles is another story.