The Detroit Lions have a mighty tempting option that became available to them in terms of their standing in the NFL Draft with the news that Tua Tagovailoa would be skipping his senior season to head to the NFL.
Now, with Tagovailoa on the board, seemingly anything is possible in terms of what might happen in the draft. The Lions could draft the quarterback, or they could spin the pick off for a king’s ransom to a team in need of a signal-caller to lead their franchise.
What the Lions decide to do will tell the tale of what happens at the top of the draft, and it could very well hinge on what happens at pick No. 3.
If the Lions make a move, who’s going to be interested? Here’s a look at the top teams that could come calling for Detroit’s pick and what they could offer in a possible trade.
Miami Dolphins
The fit here is obvious considering the Miami Dolphins’ need at quarterback, and if there’s one team that would have the draft capital to pull this off, it’s the Dolphins. With pick No. 5 and No. 18, there’s plenty Miami could offer to Detroit in order to move up a few spots to ensure they select Tagovailoa.
This will be an interesting game of poker to play, however, as the quarterback could always slip a few picks to Miami. Will they want to chance that happening if they love Tagovailoa, however? Put them at the top of the possible trade list.
Carolina Panthers
GettyCarolina Panthers QB Cam Newton.
It’s no secret Cam Newton might be set to move on in Carolina, and if that’s the case, the Panthers and their staff are going to go all-in on a young quarterback to develop. Could Tagovailoa be the guy?
The Panthers wouldn’t have to move up that far from their pick at No. 7 to make it happen, but they would probably have to offer multiple picks in order to do so. Would the organization be comfortable doing this? It’s a gamble that might have to be made if the team wants to start over at quarterback with a brand new regime in town.
Los Angeles Chargers
Often mentioned as a potential landing spot for Tom Brady, it’s possible the Chargers have to move on from Philip Rivers and doing so would almost certainly mean that the team would be in the market for a quarterback.
Instead of Brady, the team might look at a young quarterback, and Tagovailoa could be in the mix for them as well. At the No. 6 pick, the Chargers could be in the market to vault up a few spots to grab a quarterback. Watch the Chargers given the uncertainty with Rivers.
Oakland Raiders
GettyOakland Raiders QB Derek Carr.
Are the Oakland Raiders committed to Derek Carr? It seems so given his big contract, but the potential to move on does exist if the team wants to start over with a younger quarterback. Trading up from pick No. 12 would require a little sweetening of the pot for the Lions, but the Raiders could be a dark horse team that thinks about quarterback.
It’s not the biggest need in the world for the team, but it could be a sneaky one if they want to save money and press the reset button this could be where it happens.
Indianapolis Colts
Further down the list are the Colts, who have Jacoby Brissett on the roster, but seemed to be reeling in the wake of Andrew Luck’s stunning retirement from football prior to the start of the season. At pick No. 13, the Colts would have to come all the way up 10 spots in order to make this move.
It doesn’t seem like a likely thing and they could look for a quarterback elsewhere, but if the team isn’t set on Brissett, they will be looking for another quarterback to develop. Detroit would certainly listen to this offer if it was made as well, but it’s probably too far of a trade back, so the pot would have to be significantly sweetened.
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Lions NFL Draft Trade Talk: 5 Teams That Could Move up for Tua Tagovailoa