After the Detroit Lions selected homegrown product Aidan Hutchinson, at the 2nd overall pick, most believed they could relax and enjoy the rest of the draft until the Lions made their selection with the last pick in the first round.
General Manager Brad Holmes had other ideas in mind.
In a stunning move, Holmes orchestrated a trade with division rival, the Minnesota Vikings, in some, might call highway robbery. To move up 20 spots, the Lions gave up picks 32, 34, and 66 while receiving pick 46 back in return. But, from all intents and purposes, the Lions came away with the better end of the deal.
Now trading picks is only the first part of the equation. It is what the teams do with those picks that determine if this trade is a winner or a bust.
Below is the aftermath of the Lions-Vikings draft-day trade and the subsequent trades made with the selections.
- Vikings traded 34 to the Green Bay Packers for Picks 53 and 59
- Vikings traded pick 53 to the Indianapolis Colts for Pick 42, selected Andrew Booth Jr
Lions:
Pick 12 – Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama
Pick 46 – Josh Paschal, EDGE, Kentucky
Vikings:
Pick 32 – Lewis Cine, S, Georgia
Pick 34 – Traded to Green Bay Packers
Pick 42 – Andrew Booth Jr, CB, Clemson
Pick 66 – Brian Asamoah, LB, Oklahoma
Packers:
Pick 34 – Christian Watson, WR, NDSU
Colts:
Pick 53 – Alec Pierce, WR, Cincinnati
At the end of the day, it’ll be premature to determine a winner from the trade. However, considering what the Lions were able to get and the terms of the trade, it is not hard not to admire the chess game Brad Holmes is doing in getting the players he wants.
