The Detroit Lions went into the first round of the 2026 draft with two top needs, and it really didn't matter which they filled with the 17th overall pick. They checked once of those boxes by standoing pat and taking Clemson offensive tackle Blake Miller.
The Lions will enter the second day of the draft with just one pick (No. 50 overall) between the two rounds. That could change of course, more likely with a trade down to add, say a third-round pick, than a move up that is likely to require dipping into highly-valued 2027 draft capital.
Staying put, again, at No. 50 and taking the best edge rusher, cornerback or safety on their board is also very possible. And if we're trying to predict a scenario for the second night of the draft, that would be the one.
But what if general manager Brad Holmes broke his general mode on a particular front and took an opportunity to strike?
Huge Lions' trade target could be in play after Blake Miller pick in the first round
Max Dible of Heavy.com noted draft week comments from The Athletic's Minnesota Vikings' beat writer Alec Lewis regarding a trade candidate on the Lions' division rival, and how Detroit has the aforementioned pick No. 50 on Day 2 of the draft.
"If a team were to try to call and get a Jonathan Greenard deal done, at some point, I would expect the pick to come, like, around that 49 range,” Lewis said on the April 21 edition of his namesake podcast. “That would be a range where it would start to make sense to me. Anything worse than … 60, you start to have a lot of questions about whether the Vikings would even listen to that as an idea.”
Greenard had 12 sacks and earned his first career Pro Bowl nod in his first year as a Viking in 2024. He fell to three sacks last season, with some almost comical misses, as he also missed five games. But by a good amount of deeper measures, on a per-snap basis if not otherwise, Greenard was actually a more effective pass rusher last year than he was in 2024.
When it was first reported the Vikings were open to, but no necessarily overly inclined to, trade Greenard, it was also reported they wanted a Day 2 pick in return. His reported desire for a pay raise also seemed to shorten the list of potential suitors.
Draft week brought some natural ramp up of trade speculation around Greenard, and the timing easily lined up to possibly happen during Day 2 of the draft like Lewis suggested.
Then a potential leak before the first round suggested a deal to send Greenard to the Philadelphia Eagles was all but officially done, and lined up to happen on Day 2.
READ MORE: Lions' next move after drafting Blake Miller couldn't be clearer
Greenard's desire for a pay raise with two years left on his contract might turn the Lions off, as it likely has multiple other potential trade suitors. But Holmes also can't just let him go to the Eagles without considering the move himself, and offering a pick that's four spots better than Philadelphia's current second-rounder.
The Vikings probably wouldn't want to trade Greenard to a division rival if they can help it, but Holmes should still consider making an offer if it becomes plausible. If the second round has the most desirabe remaining edge rushers spoken for beforehand, offering the 50th overall pick (and more?) should not be an issue if it means adding Greenard and weakening a division rival.
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