The Lions should take a shot at a trade for a former first-round receiver

The Detroit Lions have had a need on their roster for a receiver for a while now. Not just any receiver though, we're talking a big bodied receiver that can go up and get the contested catch. The thought process was that the Lions would get that player in the draft. A lot of their offseason moves and the loss of Josh Reynolds pointed to that. 

But lately a lot of signs are pointing to the Lions prioritizing the secondary early. They're doing a lot of due diligence on cornerbacks and safeties during the draft process and that could lead to the team pushing receiver down the board to the second or third-rounds.

I still think they'll ultimately draft a receiver. But if they don't want to, a potential trade could get the Lions their piece without having to use a high draft capital. The best target for them is Titans receiver Treylon Burks.

The Titans took Burks with the 18th pick in the 2022 NFL Draft and it hasn't really worked out for him there. I'm not sure that this is a problem with Burks so much as it's been a problem with the Titans offense and their quarterbacks. 

The Titans have primarily been a run first team and they've cycled through four different starters (Tannehill, Willis, Dobbs and Levis) since Burks was drafted and none of them were really very good. A lot of check downs and short passes. The Titans are trying to change that and that's why they signed Calvin Ridley to a massive deal, brought in DeAndre Hopkins last year and re-signed Nick Westbrook-Ihkine. 

Burks now finds himself as the odd man out with these moves. It's a situation that feels reminiscent to the one that Josh Reynolds was in with the Titans before he found himself released and picked up by the Lions. The Titans aren't going to release here though. A trade would have to be made. 

The good news is that the Lions wouldn't have to give up the farm on this one. I have a very simple proposal that the Titans would very likely bite on. 

Lions get: Treylon Burks and the 182nd pick
Titans get: 2025 fourth round pick. The pick the Lions got from the Eagles in the D'Andre Swift trade. 

This works out pretty well for both teams. The Lions get a receiver that's still on his rookie deal without having to give up any immediate assets and the Titans get to add a fourth-round pick to next years draft assets. That's helpful to them since they sent their 2025 third round to the Chiefs for L'Jarius Sneed. 

Burks won't be expected to be the top guy in Detroit. That spot belongs to Amon-Ra St. Brown. What he can do is be the guy that he was at Arkansas. The man with the giant hands that can go up and get contested catches. Something the Lions really need. 

Put that specialty with what St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Sam LaPorta and Jahmyr Gibbs can bring to the table and you give Jared Goff all kinds of options. This is one the Lions should look into. Maybe they have a repeat of Josh Reynolds post Titans success. Even if they don't, they don't lose a whole lot in the process.