NFL Draft could get shaken up even more as Lions discuss trade

There already has been a big shakeup in the top 10 of the NFL Draft, with the Niners trading up to the third overall selection from No. 12 in a deal with the Dolphins before Miami moved back up to No.

There already has been a big shakeup in the top 10 of the NFL Draft, with the Niners trading up to the third overall selection from No. 12 in a deal with the Dolphins before Miami moved back up to No. 6 in a trade with the Eagles. And the Lions could add to that.

General manager Brad Holmes is open to moving his team’s pick, the No. 7 overall selection.

“Yeah, there has been discussion with other teams,” he told reporters on Friday. “I will keep those in-house, but there have been discussions.”

The Lions went 5-11 last year and have had three straight losing seasons. Coach Matt Patricia and general manager Bob Quinn were fired and replaced by Dan Campbell and Holmes, respectively. They are in a full rebuild, needing to upgrade a defense that was ranked last. That could mean trading down to add picks.

“At 7, we do have a cluster of players that we’re comfortable with picking, but at the same time we will be very prepared and also willing to move in either direction,” Holmes said. “So, we’re still open in those regards, but there are a cluster of players that we would be comfortable with.”

Lions general manager Brad Holmes says he’s had trade discussions about the No. 7 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.

The Lions had the No. 3 pick last year, which they used on cornerback Jeff Okudah, who had an underwhelming rookie year. Detroit has struggled to draft well, but what previous moves the franchise has made won’t impact what the current decision-makers choose to do.

“More so from a culture fit, regardless of scheme, and obviously scheme does play a part, but at the end of the day, if the player has certain standards of toughness, passion, if a player has grit, that doesn’t have anything to do with if a guy is a press corner or an off-zone quarters corner, or if a guy is a 3-4 rush backer,” Holmes said. “Does a guy play hard or he does not? Does he have a high motor or does he [not]? Does he take plays off, does he not? Does he love football, does he not?

“So, those are the standards that we look for, but having that grit, passion for football that’s at an elite level, those are pretty much the standards that are the fits, more so of if the guy is just a scheme fit.”

On Friday, the Chiefs gave up their first-round pick to the Ravens as part of the trade in which they acquired Orlando Brown.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Zach Braziller