Getty Aidan Hutchinson doing a radio row interview in 2022.
Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes has talked about being “open for business” as it relates to the 2022 NFL draft and trades, but many folks have speculated that to mean the team is looking to move back and not up.
It’s possible that a move in the other direction could be on the table for the team this April, as well. As mock season has reached a fever pitch, there’s been several interesting tidbits along the way included within some of the drafts that add some context to what the team could decide to do in a few weeks.
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One of the more interesting recent drops of information came from a Yahoo! Sports mock draft via Eric Edholm. As Edholm explained, while many mocks including his have the Lions staying put, there is much intrigue about who the pick might be or what position it could be at. Additionally, Edholm speculated about rumors of a trade forward for Detroit to land Michigan pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson.
“There also has been chatter of the Jaguars and Lions flipping picks, so Detroit can get (Aidan) Hutchinson. The top of the draft remains cloudy, which adds to the drama,” Edholm wrote.
Edholm had the Lions drafting Georgia’s Travon Walker as well as Utah linebacker Devin Lloyd in the piece, but most folks will be thinking of the Hutchinson angle first and foremost. The Lions could have to only surrender a modest cost to move up one spot which would include middle round pick for 2022 and a potential late round pick for 2023, which they could do if they love Hutchinson.
Regardless, this is simply another scenario for fans to keep watch of this draft season.
The Athletic Also Reported Lions Could Eye Trade up
Rumors of a trade up have been persistent for a few weeks. As it relates to what the Lions could do, there was a new rumor making the rounds courtesy of Dane Brugler of The Athletic that would shake things up considerably. According to Brugler as Chris Burke tweeted about, a rumbling has surfaced that the Lions could deal up in order to pick Aidan Hutchinson.
“Travon Walker would make a lot of sense with, especially, the timeline the Lions are on. … You can afford to pick a guy who doesn’t need to be Rookie of the Year but, by year two, you’re expecting him to be an impact guy for you. That’s certainly a realistic trajectory.”
Clearly, combined with reports in Edholm’s mock that seemed to imply the Lions wanted to trade up, there’s been a few places where the rumblings have been seen. Obviously, it does not mean that a deal is a lock, but it does show that there has been talk of such an event playing out around the league. That can only mean that the potential for such a move does exist.
Poll Favors Hutchinson for Lions Pick
A deal forward for Detroit with Hutchinson in mind would be sure to please plenty of fans. While the team picking a quarterback is surging into focus lately, most folks have been consistent in wanting to see a defender, specifically Hutchinson thanks not only to his overall talent but his local pedigree.
That fact was confirmed by a new poll and survey that was conducted by Bookies.com and oddsmaker Adam Thompson. In a piece, Thompson revealed that according to a survey of 287 Lions fans conducted in early March, 62% of folks responding identified Hutchinson as their ideal top pick for Detroit. Coming in second position was Oregon’s Kayvon Thibodeaux with 21% of the vote. Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton generated 12% of the vote while “other” placed at 5% of responses.
Numbers like that prove how fans might be all-in on a move like this, so the only thing left to see is whether or not the Lions would do it.
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