The Detroit Lions hold the No. 2 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft and, with needs up and down a 3-win roster, could look to trade down to acquire more ammunition.
Speaking from the Senior Bowl this week in Mobile, Alabama, Lions general manager Brad Holmes told NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero that he’d consider trading out of his top pick.
“I’m always open for whatever,” Holmes said. “We’re still in the early stages of it, we’ve got a good feel of the class, we’re at a much better place at this stage of the process than last year. But, still, we’ve got a lot more work to do. But, I’m never scared to move around, so we’re definitely open for business, always.”
With the lack of sure-fire franchise quarterbacks atop the 2022 NFL Draft, moving down could be challenging. There are likely several teams in the top 10 that would like to trade down to stockpile additional draft assets, like the Lions, but finding a trade partner willing to move up for a non-QB position could prove difficult.
The Lions hold the No. 2 pick in the first round and will also select either 31st or 32nd, depending on the outcome of Super Bowl LVI between the Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals, after acquiring the Rams' 2022 first-round pick in the Matthew Stafford trade last offseason.
Detroit has needs all over the roster, from edge rusher to wide receiver to quarterback.
Jared Goff sits as the placeholder QB in Detroit after an up-and-down 2021 season. With the 2022 draft offering question marks at the position, the Lions could kick the quarterback further down the road and ride Goff another season. However, it would make sense for Detroit to add a young signal-caller to groom at some point during the draft.
Holmes was tepid on Goff when asked about his future under center in Detroit.
“Jared knows what he has to do this offseason, heading into 2022,” the GM said. “He’s got to show improvement. He finished the season off, that second half well. He battled through some adversity early, but I like how he stayed the course, played some good football late. But he’s got to show up and do it again and compete.”
Who Goff will be competing with is an unknown at this stage. At the Senior Bowl, the Lions coaching staff is working with Liberty's Malik Willis, North Carolina’s Sam Howell and Western Kentucky’s Bailey Zappe. Detroit will also get an up-close look at Pittsburgh’s Kenny Pickett, Cincinnati’s Desmond Ridder and Nevada’s Carson Strong during Senior Bowl week.