With the NFL Draft approaching, here are a couple of trades Detroit might consider making.
The Lions hold the 21st pick in the first round of the 2017 NFL draft, but as fans know the draft order is always subject to change until the team turns in their card. There have been plenty of talks and rumors of possible trades going down in this years draft, mainly involving Patriots back-up quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and the Cleveland Browns. Last years draft had a whopping seven draft trades involving first round picks, but the Lions stuck true at #16 and selected Taylor Decker. Could Bob Quinn make a move in the first round this year? Let’s look at two possible Lions Draft trade scenarios, one in which I could see the Lions moving up in the first round, and another where the Lions could move down.
Lions Trade with Houston Down to #25
After the free-agency dust settled, it was apparent that this years QB class were big losers. The Bears and 49ers both addressed the QB position, and dominoes still stand to fall with a possible Cleveland/New England trade. This means that when the Lions are on the clock, there’s a good chance one of the top three signal callers are still on the board in Mitchell Trubisky, DeShone Kizer, and Deshaun Watson. The Texans just shipped the biggest free agent bust of all time to Cleveland and currently have Tom Savage as their #1 guy, meaning their definitely in the market for a QB.
So what could the Lions get in return for this trade? A move of only four picks in the late first usually wouldn’t bring too much value, but Quinn would likely be able to prey on the desperation of the Texans to land their guy to get a little bit more. This years fourth or next years third wouldn’t be out of the question, and Houston could sweeten the pot a bit by throwing in LB Max Bullough or WR Jaelen Strong. Ultimately, I think a swap of firsts, one of the previously mentioned players and the Texans 2018 4th would be a reasonable trade, and maybe with the condition of that pick becoming a 3rd if Houston makes the playoffs.
Lions Trade with Arizona Up to #13
Before the Combine, LB Reuben Foster from Alabama seemed to be a top ten lock. In Indianapolis however, he had some sort of altercation with a medical staffer that has left many confused. His incident could lead to a bit of a fall in the first round, but there’s no way he gets all the way to pick 21, so the Lions would have to move up to get the middle linebacker piece they so desperately need.
So what would it cost for the Lions to leap from 21 all the way to 13? It wouldn’t be cheap. A swap of firsts and this year’s second round pick wouldn’t be out of the question, but there’s a much more interesting trade for both sides that would cause a shake-up.
The Lions trade tight end Eric Ebron and their 2017 4th round pick to jump to #13.
Bob Quinn may have already decided that Mayhew pick Ebron isn’t in the team’s future plans, and the Cardinals are in need of a tight end. Ebron may be an intriguing option for Coach Bruce Arians to bolster his air attack after his receivers proved to be sub-optimal last season.
Entering Quinn’s second draft in Detroit, I trust him to do what’s right to build the charging team that will not yield.
Let the blue and silver wave baby.
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