Evaluating Bold Detroit Lions NFL Draft Trade

Should the Detroit Lions trade up to select quarterback Malik Willis?

NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah has a bold trade proposal for the Detroit Lions.

The renowned draft analyst proposed a move for the Lions to move up from the No. 32 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft to acquire the No. 19 overall selection, in a recent segment on NFL Network’s "Move the Sticks." 

In this hypothetical trade, the Lions would still pick second overall but swap the 32nd pick, a third-rounder and a fifth-rounder for the Philadelphia Eagles' No. 19 pick. 

With this pick, Jeremiah predicts the Lions would select Malik Willis as their quarterback of the future.

“(The Lions) are gonna get right up in front of the Pittsburgh Steelers, who pick (No. 20),” Jeremiah said. “Let’s say you’re a Lions fan. Let’s say you get Aidan Hutchinson with the second pick, come back and make this move to get Malik Willis and oh, by the way, you still have pick number 34 at the beginning of the second round. If you want to move back from that slot, you’ll have an opportunity to do so.”

If the Lions did this, they’d add a first-round quarterback despite already having Jared Goff, a former No. 1 overall selection, in place as the team’s 2022 starter.

Despite this, Jeremiah said the trade would be perfect for general manager Brad Holmes and company.

“You’ve got somebody you can dream on with Malik Willis, with that huge upside,” Jeremiah said. “Jared Goff, with his presence, he’s not gonna have to rush onto the field. I think that would be a perfect setup for the Detroit Lions.”

Evaluating this from afar, the Lions have plenty of needs that need to be addressed early. Certainly, the case can be made that the team needs a signal-caller for the future.

Despite this, however, quarterback is not a pressing enough need for the team that should be addressed in the first round.

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If the Lions are to select a quarterback, they shouldn’t strive to acquire extra resources to do so. Because of this, I’ll give the proposal itself a “thumbs down.”

There’s also the issue of draft capital. With picks considered to be the most valuable currency in the league today, it isn’t uber-realistic for the allotment of picks Jeremiah offered to land an earlier first-round pick.

Yet, the Eagles do possess two other first-round choices in the draft, so their threshold may not be as high as other teams with less early options.

The Lions could still trade up, but if they do so, there are more pressing needs to attend to. 

In the event they decide to move up from No. 32 into the earlier stage of the first round, the team should consider drafting one of the available receiver talents or another talented defensive piece.

Willis is a unique talent with limitless potential, thanks to his athletic ability. He very well could be in play for Detroit at No. 2.

However, if the team decides to pass on him early, it would be wise to let him land somewhere else and take a signal-caller later in the draft, as opposed to moving up.