Clearing up confusion on terms of Akeem Spence trade

It was initially reported the Detroit Lions received a seventh-round pick from the Miami Dolphins on Thursday after they sent defensive tackle Akeem Spence to South Beach. Since then, there have been conflicting reports on whether that draft pick was conditional or not. The Detroit Free Press is reporting that there are no conditions. ESPN is reporting that it is indeed a conditional draft pick.

Thankfully, there’s an official NFL transaction list to help clear up matters like this. According to their daily report from May 3, the Lions’ compensation is a conditional seventh-rounder.

The transaction report does not list the specifics of the conditions that need to be met, and there are no current reports out there offering those details. However, there is one more noteworthy thing about the pick: It is not the Dolphins’ original seventh rounder.

The seventh-round pick originally comes from the Pittsburgh Steelers. If the conditions of this trade are met, the Lions will actually be the fourth team to hold this pick. Here’s the route this pick has already taken.

• Pittsburgh trades Sammie Coates and seventh-round pick to Browns for sixth-round pick
• Browns trade that seventh-round pick and a fourth roudner to Dolphins for Jarvis Landry
• Dolphins trade (conditionally) seventh-round pick to Lions for Akeem Spence

So if you’re rooting for a better draft pick in 2019, don’t just root for the conditions of the trade to be met (whatever they may be), but also root for a poor season from the Steelers, as a poorer season means a higher draft pick next year.