Trading UP from #34

by n4ry4 on Feb 16, 2010 5:18 PM EST

I'm going to challenge conventional wisdom, a little bit, that says trading down is usually good for rebuilding teams that have a lot of needs, while trading up is usually good for good teams that are "one player away" or teams who need a franchise QB.

My question is...are there any prospects in this draft who, if they slipped into the 20's-ish, you would be comfortable seeing the Lions trade UP for?

Keep in mind realistic value...

Trading up from #34 all the way to #20 would probably cost us our high third-round pick.

Trading up from #34 to #25 would probably require swapping our high-third for their low-fourth.

Trading up from #34 to #30 would probably cost us our fifth and sixth (or swapping our fourth for their sixth)

If I there was one player I would trade up for, it would be Mike Iupati, G, Idaho. I don't think he makes it past Dallas at #27, but if Baltimore or Arizona would trade us their #25 or #26 for our #34 (and we'd swap our high-third at #66 for their low-fourth--#120-ish depending on compensatory awards), I'd be happy with the trade.

I would support this for a combination of reasons.

1. There is probably not a Guard after Iupati who is worth #34, and since Mayhew will certainly go BPA, that means we probably won't take a Guard at #34.

2. If we then take a Guard in the 3rd or 4th round he may be better long-term than Manny Ramirez, the last G we took with a 4th round pick, but a rookie almost certainly will not be better in his first year--going up against NFL DT's every game.

3. With the thin crop of free agents, we could hope to get a Guard that some other team let go--but how would this strategy likely get us a better player than Daniel Loper? I don't think it would. Teams tend to hang on to good O-Linemen, and it will be easier than ever for them to do it this year with the 2010 FA rules and no salary cap.

4. Left Guard is an immediate need for the Lions. We cannot be weak in the middle of the O-Line expect to generate a running game or protect the QB. I don't want to go into another season worrying about Backus getting overwhelmed, Stafford getting beat up, and Calvin Johnson getting triple-teamed because our interior OL can't generate a push for the run game.

5. Mike Iupati looks like a damn dominant Guard. He really impressed the coaching staff in the Senior Bowl practices (although he struggled a little bit when they moved him all around, so he should probably just settle into LG and stay there). I think he would very quickly be an immediate improvement over Loper/Jansen/Ramirez/other. There is probably a big drop-off after Iupati in terms of what kind of production we can expect immediately, and a drop-off in the long-term potential too.

6. His hair is like Fabio. It's flowing. It's beautiful. no homo, but I bet he gets more hair action than Stafford. Well, maybe not quite.

I'd swap a high-third for a low-fourth to make this happen. Would you?

Anybody else you'd like to see the Lions move up to get?

Poll

Are there any other players you'd trade up from #34 to get, assuming they fell into the 20's but might not be there at #34? (be realistic. Eric Berry will not be there in the 20's :-)

Yes, I would trade up from #34 to get ___ if he falls to _ (state who and how much you'd give up in the comments)

23 votes

I'm skeptical--I like having a high third-round pick, but if Mayhew and Schwartz value somebody enough to move up a few spots, I'd support the call

41 votes

NO, do not trade up. We can get a good enough player at #34, and we have too many needs. I'll be pissed if we give up anything to trade up.

46 votes

110 votes | Poll has closed

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pride of Detroit or its writers. FanPosts are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable fans.

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Comments

I voted NO, do not trade up.

For the sake of the post, I can see moving up for Iupati, Wilson, Dwyer and it would probably be worth it.
I really think Mayhew is going to trade down from #2 overall. He’s not going to get a kings ransom, but I think he will pick up some extra picks somehow. He might trade some 2011 picks for this draft

by JazzyBBP on Feb 16, 2010 5:27 PM EST reply actions

hope so more picks in this draft are going to be better than high pick

by trimpimp on Feb 16, 2010 5:30 PM EST up reply actions

voted no too

by trimpimp on Feb 16, 2010 5:32 PM EST up reply actions

Unless we have Kyle Wilson or someone similar targetted and we are afraid he might get picked

I vote no. I think there are a handful of guys that will be available at 34 that we can go with who falls to us. There are a couple who I’d be willing to move up for if a pick was imminent, but I certainly would not advocate giving up our 3rd rounder to do so.

Send them Anthony Henry or JP

by Nate D. on Feb 16, 2010 6:13 PM EST reply actions

Kyle Wilson, exactly.........he's a special player

If Kyle Wilson’s stock rises too much and we are afraid he might get picked. He’s that special. I honestly believe years from now, we’ll look back and say he was one of the 15 best players to come out of this draft. Look at what people are saying now about Delmas, and we got him at #33. I’d be willing to trade the 3rd to go up to #20 if necessary, but only for Wilson. Otherwise, I’d prefer to stay at #33 and let one of the many merely very good players fall to us. They can’t ALL be picked in the 1st Round…..there are only 32 picks.

Honorary Driver of the Kyle Wilson Bus and Keeper of the Dreadlocks!
The 313 Missile Squadron: Delmas, Berry, Wilson......seek and destroy!
Hey, as long as Zack Follett keeps hitting people, he can rap to Barney the Dinosaur for all I care.

by GRLion on Feb 16, 2010 6:53 PM EST up reply actions

err, 34

by GRLion on Feb 16, 2010 6:54 PM EST up reply actions

I am on this bus to stay

Get Kyle Wilson

The best there is, The best there was, and the best there ever will be - Bret the Hitman hart

by The Profiler on Feb 16, 2010 7:43 PM EST up reply actions

As am I...

But I would do one better and trade our third and JP to move up and get Wilson. If there is another player I’d move up to get (as long as we also get Wilson) is Brandon Graham. UofM fans know how special he is. Before the season he was touted as top 15 pick but fell once Michigan started losing. Then somehow people thought he’d be a second-third rounder. Well the Senior game proved he’s a top 20 talent. I seriously think if there is another Freeney out there in this world, Graham is it. I think he, Berry and Wilson should be gotten by the Lions at any cost — even if that means trading our third, fourth, Julian Peterson and Dwayne White. (Although I would like to keep JP if we can).

JF
Louis Delmas, Eric Berry and Kyle Wilson - 313 Missile Squadron - Seek and Destroy!
Best article/comments on the Lions' Draft Philosophy - READ

by Lions Rant Artist on Feb 17, 2010 11:43 AM EST up reply actions

Say no to trading up!

I have to say no. We have too many holes to fill.
If we only had one or two holes than I would say yes… if we were strong enough to need only one or two players we would have a better record and have a #20 or lower draft pick and not a #2 pick.

Now the Jets have a good solid team and it was a good move for them to give up several picks and trade up last year to pick up Sanchez.

Hopefully we won’t be in this position for too much longer.

by coolbreeze42 on Feb 16, 2010 6:30 PM EST reply actions

I voted skeptical

As you said, I value that high third but if Schwartz and Co. are very high on someone like Iupati, Wilson, Graham or someone of that nature than I wouldn’t mind them moving up. But I doubt it, I think it will cost too much.

The Bringers of Hope: Stafford - Delmas - C. Johnson - Pettigrew - Levy - Hill - Schwartz
Zack Follett: he will hurt your mind.

by Hyperion Ecta on Feb 16, 2010 6:35 PM EST reply actions

I voted skeptical as well

I don’t like the thought of fewer picks in this deep draft, but I have enough faith in Mayhew and Schwartz that I would back their call. I would not be opposed to using some 2011 picks to move up into this draft, or if we move down from #2 then move back up from round 2 to get a couple of first round picks with what we gained from moving down, that could be OK as well.

by Lions-fan-SLC on Feb 16, 2010 7:09 PM EST up reply actions

I voted no to trading up.

These guys are all prospects. I think the best strategy is to wait and take the best player available when it is our turn for the first two rounds. Maybe in the third and fourth rounds if someone unexpected has dropped, I could see making a move up.

And I agree with a few of my fellow Lions fans……I will trust in Mayhew and Schwartz to do the best thing for this team. Pass the kool-aid.

by NorthLeft12 on Feb 16, 2010 8:50 PM EST reply actions

Trust

I do trust in Mayhew and Schwartz. If they want to move up… then there must be a good reason.

by coolbreeze42 on Feb 16, 2010 9:30 PM EST reply actions

I would trade up if

someone such as Joe Haden falls into the late teens or early twetnties or a top tier offensive tackle falls into that same spot. The players I would trade up for probably wont fall that far but if they did it might be beneficial to trade up. Joe Haden, Top OT, Eric Berry(highly unlikely), or even Dez Bryant are the only people I would like the lions to trade up to get. Kyle Wilson could fall to the 2nd round so they might not need to trade up to get him.

by David7 on Feb 16, 2010 9:47 PM EST reply actions

If C.J. spiller fell in the 20's i'd think about it.

by msivits on Feb 16, 2010 9:54 PM EST reply actions

I would too

Maybe not the low-20’s where we’d give up our third-round pick.

But if he fell into the mid-20’s, I’d swap our third for their fourth to get Spiller.

by n4ry4 on Feb 17, 2010 8:01 AM EST up reply actions

I say yes on a couple of conditions..

1st) If we draft Suh at #2. Personally, if we get Suh. That is a home run draft. The dude had 85 f-in’ tackles, 12 sacks, and 24 TFL, this season( according to wikipedia). At DT. Those are Madden numbers.

2nd) If if gets around the twenty-ish pick. And Derrick Morgan, Mike Iupati, or Joe Haden are still on the board. That would be hard not to try and do something. To get one of those players.

Any draft pick after those players would just be icing on the cake

if the shoe fits...get another one just like it - George Carlin

by JCruize on Feb 17, 2010 2:01 AM EST reply actions

If we were to trade up....

The only player I’d trade up for is Brandon Graham. Graham is a beast and could be a 10 sack guy by his second season. Iupati had too many flaws from what I saw, I would not want to give up an additional pick for him. Preferably I’d like to stay put at 34 and draft a CB such as Kyle Wilson or Donovan Warren. I think both would be just as good as getting Iupati, if not better.

by lionsman81 on Feb 17, 2010 8:20 AM EST reply actions

Would you trade up for Kyle Wilson?

if it meant swapping our #66 all the way down to #120? (trading our third for their fourth)

by n4ry4 on Feb 17, 2010 8:53 AM EST up reply actions

assuming they didn’t think he’d last to #34

by n4ry4 on Feb 17, 2010 8:54 AM EST up reply actions

I wouldn't get to excited about

the lions trading up to reach for a guard in the first round.

by BtotheLT on Feb 17, 2010 11:03 AM EST reply actions

I somewhat agree with JCruize

I would say if the stars aline and we get Suh at 2, then we should go for broke on the D-Line and try to get Derrick Morgan. Even if we have to trade into the mid teens.

http://cmufootball.blogspot.com/

by CapitolLions on Feb 17, 2010 12:35 PM EST reply actions