FanPost

Lions Draft Trade Buzz


I am starting to hear more rumours about the Lions being able to trade down from the # 13 spot. Here are a few of them:

Meanwhile, Detroit, which has the 13th pick, has reportedly taken some special interest in UCLA OLB Akeem Ayers. Again that would be a little early for Ayers, however, the Lions are likely to get plenty of trade offers from teams looking to move up and grab one of this year’s excellent DEs at that spot and could conceivably move down to a point where Ayers would make more sense. Stay tuned.

One of the teams that could very well be giving the Lions a call on the 28th in New England. The Patriots appear to be in the market for one of those pass-rushing specialists, but could end up be a pick or two late sitting at #17. Of course, with 6 picks in the first three rounds, the Patriots have plenty of weapons to manipulate the board. There has been some speculation, though, that the Patriots actually want to try and move up from the 28th pick, their other first rounder, into the middle of the first round such that they could hopefully acquire both a pass rusher - either a DE or OLB - and an offensive lineman. Indeed, like the Cowboys, the Patriots appear to have invested a lot of time in scouting this year’s top OL prospects including Smith, Pouncey and Colorado OT Nate Solder.

From Great Blue North Draft Report: http://www.gbnreport.com/draftbuzz.html

While our own Killer [Tom Kowalski] is much more pessimistic:

Thomas: Don't you think maybe the Lions, because most teams figure they may draft an OT at 13, are in a BETTER position to trade down, as opposed to a worse position, as a previous article suggests? One of those OT needy teams are apt to fall in love with a guy, and will be afraid the Lions will take him at 13, and trade up to 13 so they get "their" guy.

Tom Kowalski: I don't see that happening because, even if Tyron Smith is gone by No. 13, there are still a lot of good prospects sitting there. If a team thinks the Lions are going to take Anthony Castanzo, there are still guys like Nate Solder, Gabe Carimi and Derek Sherrod who are first-round possibilities.

I think the best scenario for the Lions to move down is if one of the top two quarterbacks (Cam Newton or Blaine Gabbert) falls. That's going to be nearly impossible. The better hope is that one of the top two receivers (A.J. Green or Julio Jones) falls. Unfortunately, that's also unlikely.

After that, I just don't see a player out there who would spark a team to give up draft choices to move up to No. 13. It's possible because you don't know how each team views these guys but, to me, I think the Lions need a stroke of luck to move down.

LINK: http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2011/04/answering_emails_how_detroit_l.html

I have already shown that historically, the # 13 spot is a great position to trade out of. Five times in the last ten years the original team holding this pick has traded it away. I think it is because it is far enough away from the top ten so that the cost of signing the player picked here is greatly reduced, and you are still getting good value as there are top ten talents who have fallen slightly and can be had for a bargain.

If I were the Lions, I would be very flexible in trading this pick, as more than likely the best players available may be at positions that the Lions are not that interested in acquiring up here. ie. DE, DT, OT, and RB.

But by flexible, I mean taking slightly less than the Draft Value Chart. Say around 95% of value if you get an extra two picks.

I would also not trade back less than six spots or so. For instance, trading back with the Rams at # 14 or the Pats at # 17 will not get the Lions much extra. Maybe a third rounder maximum. Then you are in the same spot. They may not have the choice, but I would prefer trades with the Giants at # 19, the Chiefs at # 21, the Eagles at # 23, the Ravens at # 26, or the Pats at # 28. That way the Lions end up with either three picks or a minimum of two with the second pick being a second round pick.

I like the idea of keeping a later first round pick to get a shot at an early first round talent that has slipped a bit.

Those are just my thoughts, I am sure that Mayhew has his own plans which I can't wait to see executed on Draft Day Weekend.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pride Of Detroit or its writers.