3 Trade Scenarios for Lions to Land Will Anderson Jr.

Three ways the Detroit Lions could draft one of the best defensive prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft.

In Aidan Hutchinson and James Houston, the Detroit Lions drafted two of the best rookie defenders in the 2022 NFL Draft. 

Hutchinson's performance was more expected, while Houston emerged as a pleasant surprise, after spending the first 10 games of the season on the practice squad. 

Though the duo gives Detroit a solid foundation of talent on the edge, Detroit general manager Brad Holmes and company may not be done adding to the talent pool. 

This year's draft class offers plenty of options. The best of the bunch is Alabama's Will Anderson Jr., who finished his career with 34.5 sacks across three seasons. 

The Alabama product is confirmed to be on Detroit's radar, as the organization hosted him on a top-30 visit. 

There is one drawback to the Lions' pursuit of the talented defender. They will likely have to trade up for him, as he's considered to be the first defender that will be drafted on April 27. 

Holmes has showcased in the past that he's not afraid to move up to get players he desires. For instance, he traded up in the first round last year to select wide receiver Jameson Williams at No. 12 overall. 

Could Detroit move up to select Anderson? Here are three trade possibilities for the Lions that would allow them to move up in the draft and do so. 

Trade 1: Lions trade picks No. 6 and No. 48, along with a 2024 second round pick, to the Arizona Cardinals for No. 3 overall.

Assuming that both the Carolina Panthers and Houston Texans both select quarterbacks with the first two picks of the draft, the Cardinals are the first team on the board that could threaten to select Anderson. 

This offer would allow Arizona to remain in the top 10 of the draft, so that the Cardinals could still get a quality player for their roster. 

The Lions, meanwhile, would be giving up two of their top three selections in pursuit of Anderson. Moving up three spots could be costly, but this package allows the Lions to keep their second first-round pick (No. 18 overall). 

Kirby Lee, USA TODAY Sports

Trade 2: Lions trade picks No. 6, No. 81 and No. 152, along with a 2024 first-round pick, to the Houston Texans for No. 2 overall.

Given that the Texans are actively pursuing a quarterback, the compensation for this trade would have to be hefty. 

If the Lions want to keep their second first-rounder, they'd likely have to sacrifice a future first in order for this move to work. This specific package would allow the team to hold on to both valuable second-round selections. 

Quarterback is a valuable commodity, so the Texans will be demanding a ransom for someone to take their pick. This move would allow the Lions to surpass Arizona and secure Anderson. 

Trade 3: Lions trade picks No. 6 and No. 81 overall to the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for No. 5 overall. 

This scenario only works if Anderson slips past Arizona and Indianapolis, which holds the fourth overall pick. If he's on the board when the Seahawks are on the clock, Detroit could be calling Seattle GM John Schneider. 

Given that the Lions would only be moving up one spot, there likely wouldn't need to be a large compensation package. The value of this deal would be based on the value Seattle would place on Anderson. 

By making this trade, the Lions would be getting their guy. Additionally, Seattle could still look to add a contributor with the following pick or look to accumulate more capital by trading back once again.