The Detroit Lions have some fairly obvious needs heading into the 2025 NFL Draft. Everyone has heard about how Detroit’s defensive injuries cost them in the playoffs. As a result, the Lions lost against the Commanders at home during the Division Round.
Lions GM Brad Holmes is determined to not let this happen to his team two years in a row.
Holmes cannot prevent injuries himself. But he can add significant depth to Detroit’s roster to ensure that they’re covered when something inevitably goes wrong again.
The Lions got a head start by making some smart moves during NFL free agency. Detroit replaced Carlton Davis III with former Jets CB DJ Reed. They even got him for $12 million less than the Patriots paid Davis.
They also made a number of re-signings and additions to specifically add depth on defense. The Lions extended linebacker Derrick Barnes and brought back players like Levi Onwuzurike and Marcus Davenport. Detroit also added depth on the defensive line by bringing in Roy Lopez from the Cardinals.
Now the Lions are positioned well to attack their biggest positions of need (edge rusher, guard) in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Detroit has seven selections in the 2025 NFL Draft, including the 28th overall pick.
However, Brad Holmes has proven that he is not afraid to move up and down the draft board. He has moved up twice in the first round. Once when selecting Jameson Williams in 2022 and last year to get Terrion Arnold.
Could Holmes do it again and make another shocking trade this year?
Below we will explore a few options for the perfect trade the Lions could make during the 2025 NFL Draft.
Trade up: Lions swap first-round picks with Panthers in aggressive move
Lions receive:
- 2025 first-round pick (8th overall)
Panthers receive:
- 2025 first-round pick (28th overall)
- 2026 first-round pick
- 2025 third-round pick (102nd overall)
You don’t have to look too hard at this proposal to see it is an aggressive move by the Lions.
In this scenario, the Lions give up their 2026 first-round pick, as well as a third-round pick in 2025, to move up 20 spots in the first round. This lands them at the bottom of the top 10 where plenty of talented players will still be available.
But who could Detroit want to move so far up the board for?
The Lions would have plenty of tantalizing options to choose from at eighth overall.
It is easy to imagine Cam Ward, Abdul Carter, Travis Hunter, and Ashton Jeanty will all be off the board by the eighth pick. Throw in a few offensive linemen, and maybe Shedeur Sanders, and the Lions could theoretically have their pick of the litter for edge rushers.
I believe the Lions could feel convicted enough in a few of this year’s edge rushers to make a big move up the board. The short list for me is Mykel Williams, Mike Green, and possibly Jalon Walker.
Williams looks like exactly what the Lions want from an edge rusher. He boasts an excellent frame and already has plenty of tricks in his bag that make him a dangerous pass rusher. He is also good enough to hold his own in run defense. Williams could be a great pick by the Lions.
Green is another talented edge rusher who has flew up the draft board over the past few months. Green also fits the bill as a prospect the Lions could fall in love with. He does have some off-field issues, which is seemingly his only red flag.
Finally, Walker could be a solid pick as well. However, he plays a role currently filled by Derrick Barnes. While Barnes should not stop the Lions from going after a talented rookie, it would surprise me to see the Lions spent so many resources at the one position.
There’s also the possibility that Detroit has fallen in love with an offensive lineman or wide receiver, which might require them to trade up. That would be shocking among the fanbase, but I could see Holmes justifying the pick if he lands a good enough player.
Of course, the Lions could also be tempted to trade down instead of up.
Trade down: Detroit could trade down with a QB-needy team
Lions receive:
- 2025 second-round pick (33rd overall)
- 2025 third-round pick (94th overall)
Browns receive:
- 2025 first-round pick (28th overall)
I’ve used the Browns for this trade proposal, but there are several teams who might make a similar move.
The 2025 NFL Draft is fairly weak in terms of the quarterback position. That is an unfortunate reality for many of the QB-needy teams around the NFL.
Miami QB Cam Ward is viewed by many as the only player who is close to a “sure thing” in this year’s class. He will be off the board with the first overall pick.
That leaves several teams (Browns, Giants, Raiders, Saints, Steelers) who might be interested in drafting a quarterback. Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders will likely land with one of these teams in the first round. The rest will have to come up with some kind of plan.
Both Jaxson Dart and Tyler Shough have emerged as the next best QBs in this class. It is certainly within the realm of possibility that a team tries to trade up into the later parts of the first round to acquire one of them. Not only would that team beat the rush for QBs in the second round, but they would also gain the fifth-year option. That is especially important for a QB on a rookie contract.
But what would Detroit get out of this scenario?
The Lions essentially gain an extra third-round pick at the cost of moving down only five spots. That is excellent value.
This could set up Detroit to snag a value at edge rusher (perhaps Nic Scourton or Donovan Ezeiruaku slip into the second round?) or pick the best player available. Then they can return to their game plan with their original second-round pick.
Brad Holmes has proven that he can find studs on the second day of the draft, so filling his quiver with a few more arrows would certainly be a win.
It will be interesting to see if the Lions end up making a trade on draft day in a few weeks.
