Roundtable: Starter Lions Could Trade for Draft Picks

The Detroit Lions On SI staff examines whether the Lions will trade a starter for draft picks this April.

1. What is your reaction to Taylor Decker airing out his issues with the Lions in the media?

Christian Booher: This was a surprising revelation that came out regarding how things went down with Decker and the Lions. Since Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell took over, the Lions simply haven't let things like this get out very often, and while the NFL is a business and things like this happen, it was definitely a shock to read about the way Decker has been ghosted by the organization for over a month now. Detroit has preached loyalty to its guys during the Holmes and Campbell regime, and for this to play out the way it has with someone who was with the organization for 10 seasons is a stark contrast to how the team appears to have operated in the past.

Vito Chirco: First off, I’m not surprised that a veteran of Decker’s caliber was upset with how his exit was reportedly handled. For as much as I don't fault the Lions for asking the veteran left tackle to take a pay cut, I also find it frustrating that Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell failed to offer him a proper goodbye. For as much as Decker’s play declined last season, he still deserved a better send-off from the organization. 

2. What’s your biggest takeaway from general manager Brad Holmes’ podcast interview? 

Booher: I was intrigued by Holmes' comments about the team's approach in free agency. He was very open about the desire to retain some of the drafted talent, and as a result that has had a ripple effect on their free agency moves. The team has signed just one player to a multi-year deal this offseason, and it leads me to believe that they at least have hopes of getting deals done with players like Jahmyr Gibbs and Jack Campbell fairly soon. I also thought his comments on the potential for Penei Sewell playing left tackle were pretty revealing, as that seems to be a very realistic direction the Lions could go in this offseason.

Chirco: For me, it was hearing him admit that the looming contract extensions with Jahmyr Gibbs, Jack Campbell, Sam LaPorta, and Brian Branch affected Holmes’ approach to free agency. While I understand the logic, I still believe Holmes should’ve made room in “the budget” to acquire a high-impact EDGE like Trey Hendrickson or even a smaller-profile EDGE like Boye Mafe. Subsequently, I fault Holmes for being too conservative in his spending this offseason. 

3. What would you ask Dan Campbell at the owners meetings?

Booher: I want the Lions' side of the Taylor Decker story. I think Campbell has a chance to explain himself, and while coaches are generally pretty guarded about matters such as this, I think the fan base would appreciate some openness from the head coach as he explains what happened from his point of view. Campbell is big on loyalty, and as I mentioned earlier this whole situation seems to be a pretty jarring reversal of course. I would like to hear Campbell comment on what happened from his point of view.

Chirco: I’m on the same wavelength as Christian with this one. I’d love to hear Campbell open up about how Decker’s exit truly went down and the veteran left tackle’s decision to take the story to the media. I don’t believe reporters will be able to get much out of Campbell regarding this topic, but at the very least the subject should still be broached (and I bet it will be). 

4. Brad Holmes also will speak. What more do you want to know?

Booher: In addition to Holmes also providing some clarity on the whole Decker situation, I'd like to get some explanations on some of the free agency additions in more depth. I'd like to hear him explain how he feels players like D.J. Wonnum and Roger McCreary fit within the Lions' scheme, as those are two veterans who could play massive roles. I'd also like to get his thoughts on what the team has in store for the draft, and whether or not he has a sense of if this could be the year for a big trade up or move down.

Chirco: I’d like to hear from Holmes on what the team’s draft priorities will be after its free-agent haul of mostly depth pieces. While I expect players like Roger McCreary, Larry Borom and Tyler Conklin to fill valuable roles, I also don’t expect them to move the needle that much for Detroit in 2026. And the Lions still have a relatively sizable void at both EDGE and left tackle. So, I’d love to hear about Holmes’ plan to address the aforementioned needs in next month’s draft.   

5. Would you trade any starters for draft picks this year? 

Booher: I don't think I would trade any starters for draft picks at this point. I think Montgomery was the easy answer to this question several weeks ago, but I don't think the Lions at this point have many players who would get a good return that they feel they need to move on from. Obviously their stars would likely fetch massive returns, but I simply don't think the team could thrive if they were to move on from any of them.

If the team had any intentions of trading any of their starters, I think one possible option could be tight end Sam LaPorta. One of the NFL's best young tight ends when healthy, the only argument for a trade of LaPorta would be the fact that he's entering the final year of his rookie deal and the team may not be able to afford a hefty contract extension. He's also coming off a season-ending injury a year ago, and there could be concerns about his health in this scenario. Again, I would put those odds extremely low, but if there's a player the Lions could fetch an adequate return for that they could part with, a player like LaPorta could fit that bill.

Chirco: With the Lions looking to return to the playoffs after missing out in 2025, I would not look to do so. Jack Campbell, Jahmyr Gibbs and Sam LaPorta are all seeking hefty contract extensions, and would be valuable trade chips for Brad Holmes & Co. While LaPorta, with his injury past, would make the most sense to deal for a nice haul of draft picks, I don’t envision Detroit parting with the Pro Bowl tight end. And if anything, I could see Holmes trading back this April in order to acquire more draft capital. This, to me, is far more likely than him shipping off one of his starters for a draft pick or two.