Getty T.J. Hockenson leaves the field after a Lions loss to the Bengals in 2021.
The Detroit Lions have made the move to deal away tight end T.J. Hockenson to the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for draft picks.
That news was revealed by ESPN’s Adam Schefter, who had the first reports of a trade. The Lions sent Hockenson and some draft picks away to Minnesota in exchange for a 2023 and 2024 pick.
Trade terms, source tells ESPN:
🏈Vikings get TE T.J. Hockenson, a 2023 fourth-round pick and a conditional 2024 fourth-round pick.
🏈Lions get 2023 second-round pick and a 2024 third-round pick.
“Trade terms, source tells ESPN: Vikings get TE T.J. Hockenson, a 2023 fourth-round pick and a conditional 2024 fourth-round pick. Lions get 2023 second-round pick and a 2024 third-round pick,” Schefter tweeted.
The deal itself was a surprise to many, given the Lions dealt Hockenson within the division. Minnesota already beat Detroit once this season, and plays them again in the second half. Now, they land Hockenson, who could be a puzzle piece for the team in the future if he returns via re-signing.
Detroit wasn’t likely to re-sign Hockenson, and the team needs some major help with their roster in terms of depth. Hockenson helps the Lions do this with the pick haul he brings back. For Minnesota, he adds a solid piece to the mix for not just this season but future seasons.
As a result of this, not everyone was thrilled about the Lions’ decision making with the deal
Will Compton Blasts Lions’ Dealing Hockenson
While many will see that the Lions needed to deal away assets like Hockenson, others aren’t sure it was for the better for the team to do this. Such is the case for Barstool Sports personality and former linebacker Will Compton.
Compton provided his reaction to the Hockenson trade and it was clear he liked it from the Minnesota perspective, but not so much the Detroit perspective.
Year 10 Willy gives his thoughts on the TJ Hockenson trade @_willcompton
“Holy s*** Lions, what are you doing? We’re talking, we might as well be in a Madden league playing a video game given how dudes are stealing. Minnesota stole him,” Compton said. “T.J. Hockenson? One of the better young tight ends in the f**** league. Not only that, it’s not T.J. Hockenson for a 2023 second round pick and a 2024 fourth round pick. No, it’s T.J. Hockenson plus a 2023 fourth round pick plus a 2024 conditional pick. T’s and P’s for Detroit fans. God bless those Detroit fans right now who are putting themselves in some type of spin zone saying this is a good move for the future. Brother you traded away your best knee biter out there. My god.”
The Lions are amid a rebuild, but it’s clear that Compton thinks the team should have held on to Hockenson for the future. As he said, he seems to like the deal from a Vikings perspective, but not Detroit’s. Only time will tell if he’s correct.
Why Hockenson Trade Makes Sense for Lions
While Compton doesn’t seem to like the trade at all, the fact is, it’s a solid move for a Lions team that is right in the middle of a major rebuild.
Hockenson himself has been a puzzling player. He’s flashed brilliance at times, as in 2020 when he cracked the Pro Bowl or in 2022 when he went for 179 yards and two scores during a game, but he also disappears.
Such inconsistency is not something the Lions were likely to want to spend big on in terms of a contract extension. The team was weighing whether or not to re-sign Hockenson in the coming months, and with this deal, it’s clear they decided not to. It long seemed it could be best for the Lions to cut bait.
Detroit didn’t get a 2023 first-round pick for Hockenson, but they did the next best thing in getting a second and a third in 2023. This move should help them build up their defense in a big way.
With a pair of firsts and a pair of seconds, the Lions now have a measure of control of over the 2023 draft. This is a tantalizing opportunity that it’s clear Brad Holmes understood the magnitude of.
This is true even as some are slamming the deal in a big way for the team.