Report: 'Chatter' of Lions Looking Into Cost of Trading With Jaguars For No. 1 Pick, Aidan Hutchinson

The Lions are unlikely to get local hero Aidan Hutchinson in the 2022 NFL Draft thanks to the Jaguars holding the No. 1 overall pick, but one draft expert believes the Lions are exploring the potential costs of trading with the Jaguars to ensure they get the Michigan defender.

Could the Jacksonville Jaguars actually have a team willing to move into the No. 1 draft slot next month? That is a question that will have to be answered over the next five weeks as the Jaguars ponder their next move.

While a trade-back in the 2022 NFL Draft has seemed unlikely from the jump due to the weakness of the quarterback class, there could be one team in the top-5 who has legitimate interest in moving up to the top spot.

According to The Athletic's Dane Brugler during an appearance on 'The Athletic Football Show', there are rumors of the Detroit Lions looking into a potential scenario where they trade with the Jaguars. The Lions hold the No. 2 and No. 32 overall picks in the first round and, according to Brugler, would be interested in moving up for Michigan edge defender Aidan Hutchinson.

"And there is even chatter out there, you know, just talking with people around the league about the Lions, looking to what it would cost to move up to No. 1 to get Hutchinson," Brugler said.

Hutchinson is of course a local product for the Lions due to his star-studded high school and college careers being played in Michigan. The Heisman Trophy finalist has been widely expected to be the Jaguars' top option at No. 1 overall in recent weeks due to the Jaguars making additions at offensive tackle and offensive guard but not edge rusher.

"We are open for business," Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke said in reference to the No. 1 overall pick last week.

The Jaguars spent big in free agency, signing seven first wave free agents at seven positions in wide receivers Christian Kirk and Zay Jones, tight end Evan Engram, right guard Brandon Scherff, cornerback Darious Williams, linebacker Foyesade Oluokun, and defensive tackle Foley Fatukasi.

But with all of their spending, the Jaguars never did sign a single pass-rusher. The Jaguars' pass-rush struggled throughout most of 2021 and Baalke has made it clear that adding to the pass-rush is a top priority. This would make Hutchinson the clear option at No. 1 overall, but could the Jaguars move down to No. 2 and still nab a pass-rusher?

“You are always open for business," Baalke said at the NFL Scouting Combine. 

"Now, whether we’re going to be able to move it or not [we don’t know], but we’re very comfortable taking the pick as well. You have to be prepared for anything in this league so to say we won’t shop it is probably not 100 percent correct, but to say we will is not [100 percent correct] either. We’re going to see what comes and if something comes our way and makes sense to us, we’ll make that decision at that time.”