Mayhew is about to do something real crazy.

[Gulf of Brazil]

And that kind of move would set the lions back five years.

It's been since 1957 since we won a championship. that's 57 years, what's another 5 years.

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

This just came in on the Freep; Dave Birkett: Detroit Lions seem willing to trade up to draft Clemson's Sammy Watkins | Detroit Free Press | freep.com


Mayhew has never been averse to making big moves in the draft, though he's not known as someone who will do so at any cost.
In 2010, Mayhew gave up minimal compensation - second- and seventh-round picks plus a swap of fourth-rounders - to move up four spots and draft playmaking running back Jahvid Best in an effort to add a new dimension to the offense. The move worked - until Best's career ended a year later with concussions.
In 2011, Mayhew tried to trade up from 13 to 5 to land Patrick Peterson, offering his first-, second- and fourth-round choices. Ultimately, the Arizona Cardinals wanted to stay put so they could take a player that's now one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL.


According to the draft value chart, to move from 10 to four, the Lions would have to offer a similar package to what they dangled in front of Arizona in 2011: first-, second- and fourth-round choices, with maybe a late-rounder coming back.

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

More from the Freep article from above.....


And for a team that's already talked privately about the Super Bowl being its goal, dealing a package of picks might make more sense than, say, saving one of those picks and parting instead with a player like Nick Fairley, the defensive tackle they ended up with after missing on Peterson and someone whose long-term future with the Lions is in doubt.
(The Lions have given no indication they're willing to trade Fairley, and picking up his fifth-year option - which Mayhew said he doesn't plan to do - would surely make him more attractive to potential trade partners.)

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

From Bleacher Report; Should Lions Sell the Farm to Trade Up for Sammy Watkins in NFL Draft? | Bleacher Report


Here's a great statement, IMO, from that article;


It's also not as if wide receiver is the Lions' only problem, or even their biggest one. The secondary, pass rush and offensive line could all use work. The Lions could also stand to add a tight end.
There are just too many holes to fill to justify the extra pick(s) needed to move up and obtain Watkins, especially in the deepest draft at the wide receiver position in years.
Of course, this could change if the asking price to move up drops, and the next time the Jaguars, Browns or Raiders do something inept won't be the first time.
With that said, though, the odds of a discounted top-five pick aren't good, and while Watkins' talent is tempting, the Lions are better served letting the draft come to them in this instance.
There's too much low-hanging fruit to pay a premium for the first orange off the tree.

 

[Kreton]

This whole thing will depend on what it would cost to move up. If we can land Watkins by swapping first and giving up a 4th and 6th I'd be ok with it. But giving up a first and a 2nd I would hate. I'd also prefer if we do move up to move up for Mack. I would give up a 1st and a 2nd for Mack.

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

Mack is the only one I'd move up for in this draft. I'd rather stay put, JMO. Mack is a freak of an elite LB but I truly think VanNoy could give us nearly the same impact as a 2nd rd pick, thus not losing that 2nd rd pick in trading up for Mack.

 

[Kreton]

Mack is the only one I'd move up for in this draft. I'd rather stay put, JMO. Mack is a freak of an elite LB but I truly think VanNoy could give us nearly the same impact as a 2nd rd pick, thus not losing that 2nd rd pick in trading up for Mack.

Van Noy may not be there in the 2nd.

 

[RobBase]

IF us fans are to believe the sales pitch the Lions are selling us, then this is the only realistic expectation come draft day - the Lions trading up to the 1st or 2nd pick...

Posted over a month ago, this Mayhew prediction was met with very negative reactions from many Lions posters, nobody liking the idea of trading up and giving up valuable draft picks.

Do fans feel differently now that ESPN is reporting this and the player the Lions are targeting is Watkins instead of Clowney?

Or does player not matter, and giving up draft picks and trading up for anyone is still a bad idea?

 

[RobBase]

All I know is that we're not drafting Dennard at #10... despite a certain guarantee that we were going to do just that...

Never guaranteed anything.

 

[Kreton]

Posted over a month ago, this Mayhew prediction was met with very negative reactions from many Lions posters, nobody liking the idea of trading up and giving up valuable draft picks.

Do fans feel differently now that ESPN is reporting this and the player the Lions are targeting is Watkins instead of Clowney?

Or does player not matter, and giving up draft picks and trading up for anyone is still a bad idea?

Clowney is an idiot and I believe is going to be a bust. Fuck him. Moving up for a player like Mack/Watkins I'd support far more than Clowney. I wouldn't take Clowney if he fell to 10.

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

Van Noy may not be there in the 2nd.

That is a possibility as well. I guess that I'd counter that it would be less costly to move a couple spots up in the 2nd round than it would for Mack in the 1st round. I've seen numerous mocks where VanNoy went much later in the 2nd round or even in the early to mid 3rd round.. Who knows what will transpire in the draft as far as what slot # each player is taken. But you have a point, Kreton

 

[Rollingthndr]

The Lions are doing a awful lot to be calling it BS. Why on earth would they bluff about Watkins when they pick at ten? Why waste all that time on him? If they like another player, wouldnt it just be easier to be quiet about it?

Exactly! It's not like they are picking 3rd or 4th and hoping Clowney falls by doing a Sammy Watkins smoke screen.and making another team jump in front of them. They are picking 10th and Watkins is a top 7 lock.

 

[lionstop1]

Gvs,

So if the Lions traded up for Mack or Clowney, would that set them back five years also? Drafting players or using all of your original draft picks doesnt mean a set-back wont ever occur.

 

[lionstop1]

Big Blue,

I cant agree with some of those statements you highlighted from Bleacher.

 

[lionstop1]

The part where they say that the Lions should let the draft come to them is the part that I'm iffy about. Personally, I like GMs that are aggressive and go after the players they think are the best. I agree that if you're at ten and one of those elite players are in reach, why not try?

The draft is very much like a crapshoot or gambling. With big trades like the one we are discussing, its like putting all your bets down on one guy instead of several. You play the odds.

 

[lionstop1]

Rob,

To answer your question, fans will "except" a trade only if he fits their preference. Media hype will also help fans change their tune about whether a team should trade up or not.

 

[TBBishop]

I'm fairly sure that if Mayhew moves up to get Watkins, he won't give up much for him. I'm OK with maybe a 3rd this year and maybe up to a 3rd next year but any more than that, just sit tight, there are too many WRs in this draft to spend too many picks on Watkins. A moron on local talk radio today said something like "if the Lions are willing to swap 1sts with the Bucs and give them a 2nd this year and a 1st next year, the Bucs should make the trade". The other guys pretty much told him that he was an idiot for even suggesting that anyone would give up 2 firsts and a 2nd to move up 4 spots. This is the kind of idiocy that makes me cringe any time people suggests trades.

 

[TrustMeIamRight]

If they get him, I know most of you will change your tune once the media starts saying how good the Lions will be. Lol

Unless Watkins is going to be playing on defense too, the only thing the media is going to be talking about is the possibility of how good the offense could be. Unfortunately, teams have to play defense too.

 

[TrustMeIamRight]

Gvs,

So if the Lions traded up for Mack or Clowney, would that set them back five years also? Drafting players or using all of your original draft picks doesnt mean a set-back wont ever occur.

Mack or Clowney would put an elite talent on the side of the ball with multiple holes to fill. Trading away picks to draft a WR, when you have the highest paid WR in football and signed a guy to a 5 year 31 million dollar contract is overkill.

It'd prove the point most who hate the idea of trading up for WR have been trying to make. Mayhew, like Millen, is trying to build the unstoppable offense. Denver had arguably the best offense in the history of the NFL last year, and while they made it to the Super Bowl, they were embarrassed when they got there.

It would make the Lions offense entertaining to watch, but it isn't going to take the team to the next level. It may make them a playoff team, but Detroit isn't winning anything much with the defense they put on the field right now, unless they add some talent.

 

[TrustMeIamRight]

It's also not as if wide receiver is the Lions' only problem, or even their biggest one. The secondary, pass rush and offensive line could all use work. The Lions could also stand to add a tight end.
There are just too many holes to fill to justify the extra pick(s) needed to move up and obtain Watkins, especially in the deepest draft at the wide receiver position in years.

Truer words have never been spoken. This is basically what I've been saying since the Lions signed Golden Tate.

They put out a list of the top WR tandems in the NFL. Detroit was rated 5th with Calvin and Tate. When you have a top 5 tandem as your #1 and #2 WR -- why in the world would you need to trade up to draft another WR, unless your team was set at every other position?!?

It makes no sense. About the only way I could see it being something feasible is if the WR was the 2nd coming of Calvin Johnson. If Watkins was the 2nd coming of Calvin Johnson, St. Louis wouldn't be talking to teams about trading away the pick.