One of the big conversations that always dominates Detroit talk radio and Lions message boards following the NFL draft is the topic of trades.
Could the Lions have traded up? Did they get offers to trade back? What teams were looking to create some action?
While we’ll never know the full extent of the offers, the latest behind-the-scenes video production from the Lions helps answer a lot of the base questions there. GM Brad Holmes was busy on the phones, both incoming and outgoing calls.
We already knew about the calls while the Lions were on the clock at No. 7 overall, and this video reinforced the overjoyed reaction to the team realizing they would land Oregon OT Penei Sewell following Miami’s selection at No. 6. This latest edition “Inside the Den” highlights a couple of later incidents where the Lions had chances to move but ultimately stayed put.
The first is with second-round pick Levi Onwuzurike. Holmes coveted the Washington defensive lineman enough that he inquired with other teams in the first round about possibly moving up to land Onwuzurike. Senior personnel assistant John Dorsey — former GM of the Chiefs and Browns — advised Holmes to be patient and not too aggressive in chasing after him, and Dorsey proved correct.
Coach Dan Campbell commented,
“People that have experience, John Dorsey being one of them, who was like ‘listen, sit tight, trust the process, let the board come to you’, and to Brad’s credit he held on.”
The details of the calls Holmes made are not known, but we did get to see the collaborative approach to the front office that Holmes stresses. We also see Holmes indicating that he called two other teams and told them the Lions were not interested in their trade advances for the pick.
The more revelatory trade situation came with the Lions on the clock in the third round at No. 101 overall. Another team, which contextually gets revealed as the Jacksonville Jaguars, calls and offers Holmes compensation to move up and take the pick. The details are not specifically revealed, but they involve the No. 130 overall pick and additional assets.
“Go down to 130? Yeah, no, I think we’re just going to stay pat,” Holmes says politely.
The Jaguars later traded up from No. 130 to No. 121 in a deal that sent a package of picks each way between Jacksonville and the Los Angeles Rams.
The Rams traded picks 121 (4th round) and 209 (6th) overall to Jacksonville in exchange for fourth-, fifth, and seventh-round selections 130 (4th), 170 (5th) and 249 (7th) overall. That wouldn’t be the same package for the Lions pick at No. 101, of course, but that’s the kind of trade offer Holmes got. The Lions rejected the offers and happily selected Syracuse DB Ifeatu Melifonwu, who they were quite pleasantly surprised was still on the board.
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