Friday open thread: How far down should the Lions be willing to move?

Ever since the 2020 NFL Draft order was finalized, fans and analysts speculated that the Detroit Lions would be wise to exploring moving the third-overall pick. With plenty of quarterback-needy teams and a few good signal callers at the top of the board, it only makes sense for the Lions to move back in the draft and acquire extra picks in the process.

It is nearly impossible to know what a trade could look like. We reviewed four potential options on Thursday, ranging from a high second rounder for moving back a few spots to picking up an additional first rounder for moving down six or more picks. It is possible the Lions could do even better than these scenarios, but they represent at least the general range of a return.

More picks is usually better; it means more darts to throw and it gives a team the chance to move up later in the draft if necessary. However, not often does a team land a top-three pick, and the Lions are in position to add a true difference maker to a roster that desperately needs one.

Today’s Question of the Day is:

How far down should the Lions be willing to move?

My answer: This question first assumes that the Lions are getting a fair value back in the first place. Consulting trade charts and recent history suggests that Detroit should receive a second-round pick at the very least, and probably should be aiming for a first rounder. Working out the exact details of a potential trade is a fool’s errand, but knowing the general parameters are important.

To me, though, I honestly do not think the Lions should move down much further than sixth overall. While it would be great to pick up an additional first from a team like the Raiders or Jaguars (two of the teams with multiple top-20 picks), falling down to ninth limits Detroit’s opportunity to grab a star.

Meanwhile, trading with the Dolphins (pick five) or Chargers (pick six) will almost certainly leave the Lions with a stud defender left on the board and would likely net a high second rounder or maybe even a late first. Unless a team outside the top six picks is really willing to pay up, I believe Detroit should just stay put at pick number three.