A few options will be in play for the Lions at No. 3 overall. Despite their video chats with Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert, one of them does not appear to include using their top pick on a quarterback. But a few other avenues are open.
The Lions are torn between a possible best-player-available pick with Ohio State cornerback Jeff Okudah and bolstering their front seven by taking Auburn defensive tackle Derrick Brown or Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports notes.
Earlier this month, Okudah appeared to be Detroit’s preference in the expected event that Washington drafts Chase Young at No. 2. The Lions traded Darius Slay and added Desmond Trufant at corner. However, Detroit ranked 29th in DVOA pass defense with Slay in the fold. Okudah would make sense here — if the Lions do not trade down. That course of action looks to be the way the Lions hope to go, La Canfora adds.
Detroit has engaged in trade-down discussions, and those conversations produced some interest. The Lions, though, are not interested in moving down too far. They would like to add draft capital but still come away with a blue-chip defensive talent, JLC adds. The Lions already have nine picks in this draft, however. Only seven teams possess more.
If the Lions do trade down, they would like to have a deal in place by Thursday afternoon, Bob Quinn said (via the Detroit Free Press’ Dave Birkett, on Twitter). They do not want to make the decision to move down while on the clock in this virtual draft. Quinn confirmed he’s discussed trading down and noted the talks will pick up next week.
The Lions recently added ex-Patriots Jamie Collins and Danny Shelton at the respective positions Simmons and Brown play. The franchise has chosen an offensive player with five of its past six first-round picks, with linebacker Jarrad Davis (2017) being the only break in that trend. They have not taken a defensive tackle in Round 1 since selecting Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley in 2010 and ’11, respectively.
Take chase if he’s there…..otherwise trade down if you can get a good package….Lastly take okudah or Simmons….dealers choice.
“get a good package” is the key phrase. If the Lions are just offered a 6th or 7th round pick in addition to swapping 1st’s, it doesn’t really behoove them to trade down at all.
If they’re really undecided between 3 players with the #3 pick then they 100% have to trade down, let the other teams make the choice for u while adding needed draft capital. Knowing Patricia tho that rocket scientist will blow it and blame everyone else for the Lions continuing to suck
Trade down.
Lions aren’t one player away from competing with the Vikings and Packers.
If not take wirfs and put him at RG. Protecting your qb and establishing a running game should be top priorities for the lions.
Uh, no
I think if they can trade down with the Dolphins or Chargers they will still be a great spot to pick up one of their targets.
Detroit should take that kicker that bench pressed 200lbs 25 times. Or whatever he did, at 3. solid Lions move.
Yeah classic lions also drafting those kickers in round 1 good one
Maybe he is confusing the Lions and the Raiders? I mean the Raiders took 2 in the 1st round. I mean of the 3 teams that ever took a kicker in the 1st round. It certainly wasn’t the Lions.
Lions probably one if the teams that have CJ Henderson ranked higher than Okudah
So they want to trade down far enough to not lose him.
They cannot trade this pick before the draft. If they trade before then they are losing the chance that Chase Young falls to them. They have to trade while they’re on the clock.
This is spot on. If Washington went QB, Detroit would kick themselves for a decade for missing out on Young.
Absolutely. You know how I know Bob Quinn is bad at his job? He says he doesn’t want to trade down while on the clock. That means in the rare chance Chase Young is there, the Lions would miss out on him. The smartest guy in the room isn’t smart at football.
He needs to have deals in place just in case. I don’t believe he said that as a smokescreen either.
The Chiefs could trade Chris Jones and the number 32 pick to Detroit for the number 3 pick and another pick in the middle to late 2nd round.
Lions would laugh as they hang up on that offer.
That being said they should trade down and get two blue chip picks with another couple picks in the 3/4 round area.
They are a long ways from competing in the division. Load up on picks and then in a year or two possibly be back contending.
The chiefs don’t have force trades on wouldn’t work
I think rootedinoakland said it all. You’ve gotta trade down to get more draft capital, and in doing so the decision is made for you. I feel Okudah is the pick here but by trading out he may not be there. Your defensive backfield was AWFUL last year, yet you aren’t going to automatically take a CB that didn’t have a single Def. Pass Interference or def hold called on him all year long in the powerful Big10? Wow, put in the OSU vs. Penn st or other tough Big10 opponents and watch Okudah, then tell me you’re having a hard time choosing. Pure Detroit, have a franchise corner right there for the pickin and try to talk your way out of it!
I don’t think you trade down until you see if Young’s gone. This is a team that tied for next to last in sacks, too. Regardless of how you feel about Okudah, even good corners get exposed when there’s no pass pressure. If Young is there, he’s your guy. If not, trade back, take a lesser corner, and just try to add more defense overall.
Not many big ten WRs have speed. I sure hope okudah looks good in conference play.
“Detroit ranked 29th in DVOA pass defense”
Try to image how bad it would have been if they hadn’t faced Trubisky twice and Haskins.
For whoever said the big ten wrs didn’t have speed, go watch Michigan play which has 3 wrs that will play in the nfl, hamler from Penn state or the the kid from Wisconsin that will be a mid round pick. Or you can just go watch him lock down tee Higgins and Ross in the playoffs. Dude is the 3rd best player in the draft and they need to sit at 3 and take him. Not a Ohio state fan either.
I assume this is all just draft week chatter. If they are truly unsure 4 days out, I say welcome to our new GM and HC.
Lions will most likely get a lot of interest from other teams wanting “their” qb at the third pick. Lions will be fine with any pick in top 10, plus additional picks. They got better the day they got rid of Slay. They‘ve done decent with FA. Looking forward to it.