Grade the trade proposal: Lions make difficult deal to get draft mulligan

The Detroit Lions have the core of what should again be one of the best offenses in the NFL this year. The most notable loss from last year's group was wide receiver Josh Reynolds. There has been a firm commitment to finding his replacement internally, and it's fair to say as the preseason finale looms it's not working out.

During an appearance on 97.1 The Ticket last week, head coach Dan Campbell directly named Reynolds in light of what he's looking for from someone in the wide receiver room.

"Honestly, what it is, is we just need a reliable staple, you know? Like, that's what Reynolds was for us. Josh Reynolds was the reliable guy we could count on he was gonna be where he's supposed to be when he was supposed to be there to play any spot, and he'd make a critical catch for you" "You need a steady reliable, when the ball needs to find you because coverage dictates it, and that's the guy we need to find. Who is that guy?"

The confidence the Lions had in the entirety of what they have down the depth chart at wide receiver should be waning, if it's not gone. The outside options to fill an "X" receiver void are of course not plentiful at this point, and any effort to fill it now may require a tough decision.

Grade the trade proposal: Lions basically get a draft mulligan

Mike Payton of AtoZ Sports has created a mutually beneficial trade proposal that would essentially give the Lions a draft mulligan on someone who looked like a nice fit during the pre-draft process, even if it would've required a trade up to get him.

Lions get: Devontez Walker
Ravens get: Kalif Raymond and a 2025 fifth-round pick

For a lot of Lions' fans, and maybe for the coaching staff and front office, trading Raymond would be an absolute no-go. But as undrafted rookie Isaiah Williams makes a strong push for a roster spot this preseason, there's a redundance of smaller slot receiver types among the best 53 players the Lions have. A notable move to thin that surplus can be deemed very unlikely, but it would have to involve Raymond.

As for Walker, he's currently dealing with a rib injury that limited his action in the Ravens' second preseason game. But the skill set he showed in college would be a welcome addition to the Lions' receiving corps, despite having just 28 games of high level college experience. The latter thing is not his fault.

After a breakthrough 2022 season at Kent State (921 yards and 11 touchdowns), Walker transferred to North Carolina after head coach Sean Lewis left to be Deion Sanders' offensive coordinator at Colorado. The NCAA considered him a two-time transfer (oh, the blasphemy of that in today's world of college athletics) after he had transferred from North Carolina Central in the FCS to Kent State in 2021. So he was ruled ineligible.

Walker was finally ruled eligible after missing four games last season, and he posted 41 catches for 699 yards (17.0 yards a catch) with seven touchdowns in eight games.

While it would be hard to part with Raymond, he was phased out of the Lions' offense pretty significantly last year. Filling a void that has lingered, and is now clear enough internally for Campbell to say things publicly, might be worth being open to parting with a well-regarded player.

Trade Proposal Grade: B