In addition to considering players, the Detroit Lions have a lot to ponder in the 2022 NFL draft in terms of trades that could make sense for the team.
Teams across the league will be looking to move up or down the board, and will be looking at Detroit’s picks seeing a potential chance to pounce on players they like. Selecting with the second-overall and 32nd picks in the draft, the Lions have lots of opportunities to move around the board and shake things up.
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Obviously, not all deals will make sense for the team, especially considering the Lions will want to find the best possible trade for them if they decide on a move. With that in mind, though, Bleacher Report recently looked at ranking the best possible deal for every team in the NFL draft and had a massive swap with the Philadelphia Eagles suggested.
Writer Gary Davenport suggested the team putting the second-overall pick up for sale, and accepting what would prove to be a major deal from the Eagles. Davenport had the Lions dealing their top pick in a swap which would net them the 15th and 18th pick as well as a third-round selection in 2023.
“They could add a wideout. A cornerback. A pass-rusher. And an elite linebacker. All in just over a day. That may do more to accelerate Detroit’s rebuild than adding one potential superstar,” Davenport wrote within the piece as to why the deal makes sense.
There’s no question quantity over quality could be a great way for the Lions to proceed, but the Eagles would have to be motivated to make such a move. Davenport admits in the piece that Detroit would likely have to hope Howie Roseman “got the vapors” and desired a certain player high for a major deal like this to occur.
Overall, the trade would be a smart one for Detroit, especially if they were not sold on their options with the second-overall selection.
Trading Back Might Make Sense for Lions
As much as there is a definite allure for a top player, the ability of Detroit to add multiple selctions could come in handy. The Lions have to find a way to patch multiple holes on their roster, given the team has needs on defense and offense. Finding a trade for the second-overall pick such as this one could allow the Lions to add to their draft pick stable. Detroit already has eight selections for this year after adding three more compensatory picks to the mix last month. While that amount of picks is a good start, it might not be anywhere near enough for a needy team like the Lions. Detroit needs to find a way to get more players in order to keep getting their rebuild off the ground, and dealing back could allow the Lions to pick up at least a few more selections. In this trade, the Lions would sacrifice in terms of distance near the top of the draft board, but make up for that in adding another first-round selection.
Detroit has plenty of needs and a pair of first-round picks already. If the Lions could move back and pick up an extra third-round pick or fourth-round pick along with another first, it would represent fantastic business for the team in terms of getting enough cracks at finding difference makers for the near future and rebuilding the roster.
Todd McShay Doesn’t See Lions Finding Trade
In spite of a trade like this making sense and the Lions always being open for business, the likigood of a deal could be low. ESPN’s Todd McShay was speaking on a conference call with reporters including Justin Rogers of the Detroit News, and aside from his assertion that the Lions could draft Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton with the second-overall pick, his other takeaway was that the team might have a pretty hard time moving the selection if they want to this year. The reason? This impending NFL draft is flush with talent along the offensive line and defensive line, a pair of spots that could be poised to have players picked early in 2022.
“Todd McShay said he doesn’t see there being any trade market for the Lions at No. 2. Depth at offensive tackle and edge rusher makes it prohibitive,” Rogers tweeted after listening to McShay speak.
One thing that could change the game for Detroit’s pick is the potential addition of a quarterback into the mix. For this reason, the Lions are likely hoping that Malik Willis or Kenny Pickett catch fire into the final weeks of April. Even such, the Lions could stay put and take one of those players themselves, complicating matters.
As much as the Lions want to do a trade, they might find the semantics very difficult. To that end, it is likely not wise for fans to expect to see such a deal play out, even as amazing as it could seem in terms of landing more picks.
Would the Eagles see a player they deem as needed to move up for to facilitate such a move? It’s not wise to bet that’s going to be the case when all is said and done.
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