An analyst recommends the Lions trade down in the NFL draft.

The Detroit Lions have the opportunity to add another star in late April during the NFL Draft.  Holding the 29th overall pick, the Lions and general manager Brad Holmes may go a myriad of ways with their first decision.

The organization has never put necessity over talent under Holmes, and that will not change in 2024.  However, this will also be the latest that Holmes will pick since taking over in 2021. As a result, if players currently on the board don’t satisfy his desired criteria the team could chose to move out of the first round via trade.

While this would surely be a letdown for fans with the Draft being hosted in Detroit, it would likely give the Lions more Draft capital and opportunities for Holmes to add talent on the Draft’s second day.

Recently, CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin wrote if each NFL team should trade up, down or remain put in the NFL Draft when it begins on April 25. For the Lions, Benjamin proposed that the team trade down out of the first round.

“Moving up is certainly possible considering they’re in title-contention mode, but with zero picks for a long stretch between Rounds 3-5, a slight drop could help them add a Day 2 selection and round out spots like corner and pass rusher,” Benjamin said.

The Lions have typically been aggressive with Holmes. In 2022, they moved up from 32nd to 12th to take Jameson Williams. Last season, Detroit traded back from 6th to 12th and wound up selecting running back Jahmyr Gibbs.