3 trades to make the Detroit Lions playoff contenders in 2022

INGLEWOOD, CA - JANUARY 30: Deebo Samuel #19 of the San Francisco 49ers heads to the end zone on a 44-yard touchdown catch during the game against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium on January 30, 2022 in Inglewood, California. The Rams defeated the 49ers 20-17. (Photo by Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images)
INGLEWOOD, CA - JANUARY 30: Deebo Samuel #19 of the San Francisco 49ers heads to the end zone on a 44-yard touchdown catch during the game against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium on January 30, 2022 in Inglewood, California. The Rams defeated the 49ers 20-17. (Photo by Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
4 of 5
Next
(Photo by Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images)
(Photo by Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images) /

Trade
Lions Receive: QB Jimmy Garoppolo and WR Deebo Samuel
49ers Receive: 2023 & 2024 1st-Round Picks, 2023 4th-round pick, QB Jared Goff

This is the “swing for the fences” move the Lions could try to make. This would be the hardest trade of these three deals to pull off, but the offseason is for dreams–realistic or otherwise.

Trey Lance appears to be quarterback of the future for the 49ers, and they seem to want the future to start this year. But it also doesn’t seem like they  want to move on from Garoppolo just yet, as he recovers from shoulder surgery. An offer that includes two first-round picks could entice them to make a move sooner rather than later though.

Deebo Samuel appears to still want out of San Francisco, and it will cost a lot for any team to acquire him. But it shouldn’t cost as much as the deals for Davante Adams and Tyreek Hill.

In this deal, the 49ers get two first-round picks, a fourth-round pick and take back Goff to be their (expensive) backup quarterback behind Lance. San Francisco also gets to recoup some of the draft capital it gave up to trade up for Lance.

While it’s unlikely the Lions would be able to trade for Garoppolo and Samuel, and Garoppolo is only a fit if they part ways with Goff, it would certainly be a move made with contention in mind.

The Lions make this move believing that Garoppolo can stay healthy and be consistent, and with a deal in place to extend Samuel all but signed, sealed and deliverd. They would theoretically upgrade at the quarterback position, and add one of the premier skill position players in the league to an already emerging group.

While the Lions would be giving up two premium picks with a third pick tacked on, it isn’t enough to destroy their future and they would have an offense that could rival that of the Minnesota Vikings (or Green Bay Packers) in the NFC North.