The Vultures Are Circling
Well, well, well. Just when you thought the Lions might catch a break in the draft, here comes the annual reminder that nice things don’t happen to Detroit without a fight. According to NFL Draft analyst Todd McShay, teams are already calling the Buccaneers and Jets to trade ahead of our Lions at pick 17.
Why? Because everyone and their mother knows we need an offensive tackle after cutting Taylor Decker and replacing him with Larry Borom on a one-year, $5 million deal. McShay reports that “no team has done more work on the offensive tackles” than Detroit. Great. Nothing like telegraphing your needs to the entire league.
The Predators Lining Up
McShay’s intel shows teams with picks 15 and 16 are already fielding calls from franchises looking to jump the Lions. The list of potential tackle-hungry teams picking behind Detroit reads like a who’s who of organizations that would love nothing more than to screw over the Lions: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Chicago, San Francisco, Houston, Kansas City, New England, Cleveland, and Miami.
Ian Rapoport from NFL Network echoed the same concerns during “The Insiders,” noting that while the Lions publicly claim they might not take a tackle, “teams believe they will.” And yes, I know what you’re thinking. When has being predictable in the draft ever worked out poorly for Detroit?
Brad Holmes Has Choices to Make
Our general manager finds himself in a classic Lions predicament. He can trade up and burn extra draft capital to guarantee his tackle, something Holmes has shown he’s willing to do when he wants his guy. The alternative is pivoting to a different position entirely, which Holmes claims is always on the table since they won’t draft purely for need.
Or maybe the team that leapfrogs Detroit grabs a tackle the Lions didn’t even want. Or maybe these rumors are complete BS designed to create draft week chaos.
But let’s be honest. When you’re the Lions and everyone knows you need something, the odds of getting it easily are about as good as a playoff run without heartbreak. The vultures are circling Allen Park, and Brad Holmes better have a plan that doesn’t involve hoping other teams play nice.
Think Holmes should trade up to guarantee his tackle or stick at 17 and roll the dice? Tell us below if you trust this front office to navigate the shark tank or if we’re about to get Lions’d again.
Honestly I think Brad Holmes is smarter than to fall into this trap. The dude made some solid moves last year and he’s not gonna panic just because teams are sniffing around. If a tackle falls to us at 17 then great, if not we pivot and find value elsewhere. That’s what good front offices do.
Here we go again with the draft intel that’s designed to make us nervous. Every year it’s the same story, someone leaks something, everyone overreacts, and somehow the Lions still end up with what they wanted anyway. I’ll believe it when I see it on draft night.
You know the thing that gets me is that front offices have been doing this to each other forever, but when it happens to Detroit it feels different. We’ve been on the wrong side of too many draft day deals and it just stings different when you’re used to losing. Hopefully Holmes learned from watching other GMs operate.
I trust this team way more than I used to and I’m not gonna sit here and assume the worst before we even get to draft day. If Holmes wants his guy he’ll go get him, and if the value isn’t there we move on. That’s the confidence I have in where this organization is heading.