Lions-Bucs Trade Proposal Would Return Major Haul for T.J. Hockenson

Getty T.J. Hockenson before a Lions game against the Ravens in 2021.

The Detroit Lions are thinking about how they want to approach the NFL’s November 1 trade deadline, and a big idea that has been thrown around in recent days is that of becoming sellers.

Detroit might not have much to sell at all, but they do have one intriguing piece in the form of tight end T.J. Hockenson. If Hockenson is on the block, as many have speculated should be the case, he could command an interesting return for the team.

The Athletic recently took a look at naming six trades “they’d love to see,” and Hockenson to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers made the cut.

NFL reporters Mike Jones and Jeff Howe put together the list, and they had the Lions dealing Hockenson to Tampa Bay for a potential 2023 first-round pick and 2024 fourth-round selection. Such a cost could be very appealing for Detroit.

As the writers intimate, the Lions may have no choice but to agree to this deal if it was offered given the haul it represents and how it could impact their 2023 draft.

“This would be a tough offer for the Lions to ignore. They already have the inside track on a top-five pick with their own draft selection, which should be used on a quarterback, and another first-rounder from the Rams. Throw in a third opening-round pick, and the Lions would control the draft board. Maybe they’d even get lucky enough to get a quarterback and — possibly through another trade — Alabama pass rusher Will Anderson to pair up with Aidan Hutchinson,” The Athletic wrote.

Still, the piece concedes that kind of offer may not be on the table for Hockenson because it’s a lot. Indeed the piece is right to say that if such a deal were offered, the Lions should consider taking it.

Such a trade would represent a short-term loss for their offense, but could allow them the ability to control the 2023 draft in a huge way.

Lions Have Been Encouraged to Trade Hockenson

The idea that Hockenson could be on the move isn’t a new one leading into the trade deadline. For the last few weeks, many have hypothesized that if the Lions wanted to tear things down a bit, their tight end could be a good target.

The Lions have not re-signed Hockenson as of yet at this point for 2023, and given a deal has not yet been done, there’s a question of when it will happen. Reports surfaced that the team could get something done in-season, but it hasn’t played out. The Lions have

If the Lions don’t want to stick with Hockenson long-term and are not committed, the idea of trading him could make some sense. Detroit could get some assets for the 2023 draft with which to rebuild, and perhaps also package in a deal for other players. They could also use those assets to target his replacement in 2023.

Hockenson’s Career Stats & Highlights

Hockenson has indeed been inconsistent during his time with the Lions, something many folks notice when pondering his future with the franchise.

The team hasn’t gotten much from other tight ends on their roster the last few years, and while he hasn’t had the most dramatic statistical impact thus far, Hockenson was easily one of the team’s top rookies in 2019, as well as a top young player in 2020 and 2021 and a player capable of impacting both the run and the pass.

During his rookie season in 2019 after being a first-round pick out of Iowa, many fans were upset with Hockenson for not making a bigger impact. He had only 367 yards and 2 touchdowns on the year. 2020 was a major bounce back from that, though, and Hockenson put up 723 yards and 6 touchdowns to rebound well. Last season, Hockenson put up 583 yards and 4 touchdowns to his credit and at times was the only top pass catcher for the team given other injuries on the roster.

Here’s a look at some of Hockenson’s biggest career plays from the 2020 season:

This year, Hockenson has been far more volatile. He has only 315 yards and three touchdowns through the first seven weeks of the season. It’s long been figured that Hockenson could or should do more in the offense, but routinely, he’s been hard to unlock.

If the Lions could get a first-round pick for him, it’s something they should consider doing in a big way.