Detroit Lions could benefit if Dwayne Haskins gets past Giants

The Detroit Lions are open for business when it comes to trading down in the first round. How could a falling Dwayne Haskins help?

The Detroit Lions are open for business when it comes to trading down from their first-round selection in the upcoming 2019 NFL Draft. After finishing 6-10 last season under first-year head coach Matt Patricia, Detroit earned itself the eighth overall selection.

But earlier this month, general manager Bob Quinn made it clear that he’s willing to move down out of the Top Ten in order to acquire more draft ammunition. And it could be a run on quarterbacks that could make a beneficial move down a possibility for Quinn and company.

According to NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks, the top five quarterback prospects in the upcoming draft class are Ohio State’s Dwayne Haskins, Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray, Missouri’s Drew Lock, Duke’s Daniel Jones, and North Carolina State’s Ryan Finley. But the name to watch for Lions’ fans is likely Haskins.

Murray is expected to be the Arizona Cardinals’ top selection in the draft. If he is not, you can probably bet there will be a team trying to trade up in the top three to snag him before the Oakland Raiders’ selection at fourth overall. The next franchise expected to draft a quarterback early are the New York Giants, who own the sixth overall pick.

It has been speculated by many that Haskins would be the likely choice for the Big Apple. But there seems to be a growing belief that either Lock or Jones may actually be the pick. Yet, New York also owns the 17th overall selection, so they could simply hope either passer lasts until then. But if somehow Haskins makes it past the Giants, that’s great news for Detroit.

Following the G-Men, the next team that is believed to need a quarterback are the Denver Broncos at No. 10. If another franchise believes the Broncos are set to scoop up the Buckeye passer, they could attempt to leapfrog Denver by making a trade with the Lions. Other teams that might have a need for a first-round passer include the Cincinnati Bengals at No. 11, the Miami Dolphins at No. 13 and the Washington Redskins at No. 15.

It’s easy to connect the dots between the Lions and any of the above teams for a possible trade if the right passer falls. I believe Haskins could be that kind of player.

But when speculating about draft day trades and the Lions, you also have to consider the New England Patriots. Because Quinn and Patricia are both Patriot alums, Detroit was able to make two trades with New England during the draft just last year.

The Patriots’ first-round selection isn’t until 32nd overall. But they also own two second-round picks (56,64) and three third-round selections (73, 97, 101). Although it is very unlikely New England head coach Bill Belichick would trade up in the first round all the way to Detroit’s spot at No. 8, their past history suggests a deal could easily be hammered out between the two familiar front offices.