Will the Detroit Lions trade down in the first round?

The Detroit Lions will enter the 2021 NFL Draft with a total of six selections. But new Lions general manager Brad Holmes, who is the former longtime director of college scouting for the Los Angeles Rams, would surely love to have more picks.

And Holmes may certainly get his wish if he is willing to move off his first-round pick which currently sits seventh overall. And apparently, those conversations have already started to take place according to the man himself.

Here’s what Mike OHara, Columnist for DetroitLions.com wrote in his latest mock draft about Holmes and the Lions being far more likely to trade down out of the seventh overall selection than up.

"“Holmes said in his pre-draft presser that he’s willing to trade, up or down, adding that he has already had discussions. Trading down is the more likely option than trading up by a wide margin. The Lions are in a building process, and additional draft picks — which the Lions would get from trading down — are key building blocks in that process.”"

In full rebuild mode following a trade that sent longtime franchise quarterback Matthew Stafford to the Rams in exchange for future draft capital and passer Jared Goff, the Lions are more than one key player away from contention.

After all, this a franchise that’s been in the basement of the NFC North for the last three seasons straight. The Lions have posted a combined record of 14-33-1 since 2018. And that was with Stafford under center for all but eight of those games.

And the roster is arguably worse than it was last season when the team went 5-11. Not only did the team part ways with Stafford, but both the wide receiver and linebacker corps were gutted by the new regime this offseason with little done in the way of upgrading those voids.

As it stands, the Lions are more likely to be in contention for the number one overall selection in the 2022 NFL Draft rather than the playoffs this upcoming season. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing if Detroit is wanting to find their next franchise quarterback.

It appears the Detroit Lions are willing to sacrifice the seventh overall selection on Thursday night in order to get more bites at the draft apple if possible. They just need to find a willing trade partner. And if one of the top quarterback prospects is still on the board when the Lions’ number is called in the first round, perhaps that would the catalyst for Detroit moving back for more picks.