Grade the pitch: Jaguars send franchise building block to Lions and embrace rebuild

The Jacksonville Jaguars could hold a fire sale if they fail to steer the ship in the right direction. Some of their players could garner interest before the deadline, which leads Tyler Brooke of The 33rd Team to believe that one of their marquee defenders could land with the Detroit Lions.

Brooke put together a list of players the Detriot Lions could pursue before the November 5 deadline to replace defensive end Aidan Hutchinson and included Josh Hines-Allen, pointing out that they could "pick up significant draft capital while clearing cap space" if they trade the two-time Pro Bowl nod.

"The Jaguars are in freefall after a blowout loss to the Chicago Bears in London, moving to 1-5 on the season. Big changes are likely coming this offseason, and if they want to embrace a full rebuild, trading one of their biggest assets in Hines-Allen could be a worthwhile move to pick up significant draft capital while clearing their cap space."

Brooke goes on to say that the Lions or any other team that considers targeting Hines-Allen may not be willing to give up a first-rounder for him given that he just got a five-year deal worth $151 million in the offseason. In fact, he thinks that trading for him would make it difficult for Detroit to extend Hutchinson when he's eligible for a contract.

This begs the question, what kind of compensation could the Jags potentially get for the former Kentucky Wildcat? Brooke suggests that second-round picks in 2025 and 2026 would be fair.

The Lions wouldn't probably mind giving up two second-rounders to replace Hutchinson, who suffered tibia and fibula injuries that cut his season short.

On the other hand, head coach Dan Campbell said that Detroit is open to anything but won't make a move unless it feels right.

What Brooke doesn't take into account is that the Jaguars wouldn't create cap space if they traded Hines-Allen before the deadline. Instead, they would accelerate a cap charge of $65.35 million and leave $76.5 million in dead money. That would make a potential deal hard to pull off.

Grade the trade: The Lions acquire Josh Hines-Allen from the Jaguars to replace Aidan Hutchinson

It's true that the Jacksonville Jaguars have struggled on defense this season. They're currently 31st in the league in both points allowed and total yards, so you could make the case that they cannot get much worse by trading Josh Hines-Allen. Having said that, there are a handful of reasons the Jags wouldn't consider moving on from one of their franchise cornerstones. For starters, it would send the wrong message to the locker room.

Amassing future assets could come in handy in a potential rebuild, but trading their best defender and one of their leaders could be demoralizing for players who will remain in Jacksonville beyond 2025: "Why should I give my best effort if the team will get rid of me?" Moreover, it doesn't make sense for the Jaguars to create $76.4 million in cap space in exchange for a pair of two second-round selections.

Maybe the Jaguars should listen if the Lions were offering two first-rounders and a third-rounder. But in Tyler Brooke's proposal, they're just willing to give up two second-rounders. That won't get a deal done.

Simply put, Josh Hines-Allen is too valuable. If the Jaguars turn things around this season or next, he will have played a massive role. Add the fact trading him would make it difficult for them to navigate free agency next year, and it's nearly impossible to imagine Jacksonville picking up the phone if the Lions call.

Grade the trade: D