Why the Lions Had to Jump Pittsburgh for Kendrick Law
Look, we all saw the Lions trade up in the fifth round and thought the same thing: what the hell are we doing here? Trading up for a receiver when we’ve got Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, and even Greg Dortch already handling the small, shifty guy role?
But here’s the thing about Brad Holmes. He doesn’t make moves just to make moves. When he trades up, there’s a reason.
The Lions gave up picks 181 and 213 to move up to 168 for Kendrick Law. That’s basically swapping a fifth for a sixth and change. Not exactly mortgaging the future here. The real kicker? They were jumping the Pittsburgh Steelers at pick 169, and Pittsburgh was reportedly the only team that brought Law in for a top-30 visit.
You do the math. Holmes knew Law wasn’t making it to 181.
The Greg Dortch Question Everyone’s Asking
Yeah, I get it. My first thought was the same as yours: don’t we already have this guy in Dortch? Small, quick, does the slot thing, returns kicks. What’s the point?
Well, Dortch is 28. Law is not. Sometimes the answer is that simple.
But it’s more than just age. The Lions need Law right now as a gunner on special teams. They might need him returning kicks too. And down the road? This kid projects as a positionless weapon in the Kalif Raymond mold, the kind of guy who can line up anywhere and create mismatches.
The Long Game Makes Sense
Law isn’t just a slot receiver. He’s the kind of player who can take handoffs, stretch the field, and do all the creative stuff that makes defensive coordinators lose sleep. Think Jahmyr Gibbs versatility but from the receiver position.
Will he jump into that role immediately? Probably not. But Holmes isn’t drafting for just one season. He’s building something sustainable, something that can adapt and evolve as the roster changes.
The trade up for Law was part of an otherwise strong draft. When Brad Holmes makes a move in the fifth round to get a guy he wants, you trust the process. This isn’t the Matt Millen era. This is a GM who has earned the benefit of the doubt.
So was trading up for Law a luxury pick or a chess move we don’t fully understand yet? Let me know what you think in the comments.
