The Detroit Lions are entering an important draft day, and all eyes are on their plans for the offensive tackle position. With plans to move Penei Sewell to left tackle, the right tackle spot seems wide open with free agent pickup Larry Borom projected to take over. But according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Lions may have another idea in mind.
Fowler reported that the Lions have “been making calls” to move up in the first round and added it “wouldn’t surprise to see four OTs go in the first 15 to 17 picks” on Thursday night. While Miami’s Francis Mauigoa and Spencer Fano are “consensus” top tackles per Fowler, he also believes that Georgia’s Monroe Freeling and Alabama’s Kadyn Proctor “have worked their way into [the] conversation.”
With the Lions holding the 17th overall selection, they may have to get aggressive to land the offensive tackle they want. That could lead to a draft day trade, and it would make the most sense to make a deal with the Los Angeles Rams for the 13th overall pick.
Potential Trade with Rams Could Solve Lions’ Offensive Tackle Problem
This projected trade is based on several factors. ESPN’s Peter Schrager had the Lions making a potential trade with the Rams in his final mock draft, which included the 118th overall pick as well as a 2027 second-rounder to move up to No. 13. This deal makes sense considering most teams are higher on next year’s draft and next year’s picks are treated one round lower in value in Rich Hill’s draft value model. But that trade also is the difference of 20 points, which equals the value of a fourth-round pick.
That may be worth the price for the Lions to get a long-term starter at offensive tackle. But they could wind up creating something of more equal value. The 17th overall pick is worth 296 points in the Rich Hill model, and the Lions could still toss in the 118th overall pick with two fourth-round selections in this year’s draft. But instead of coughing up a 2027 second, they could use some Day 3 picks to get a deal done.
The Lions also hold two fifth-round picks in this year’s draft and could use one of them to sweeten the pot. The 157th overall pick is worth 10 points in the model, and a 2027 fourth is worth a minimum of seven points that could be worth more if the Lions finish higher in next year’s draft order.
Putting those numbers together, the Lions would be giving up 338 points to acquire the Rams’ first rounder, which is 336 points. The two-point difference equates to a mid-to-late seventh-round pick and could be an equal trade for both sides.
The Rams may want more, of course, and perhaps bumping it to a 2027 third-round selection (minimum value of 15 points) could be enough to get a deal done. But whatever they decide to do, the cost of doing business is worth the Lions solving their offensive tackle problem.
The Lions’ left tackle situation was blown up with Taylor Decker’s release earlier this offseason. While they have plans to move Sewell to left tackle, they may also want to keep him at a position where he has earned four Pro Bowl and three straight first-team All Pro selections (2023-25) over his first five seasons. General manager Brad Holmes has also talked up Borom as a starter but his upside could be limited after being a swing tackle during his previous stints with the Chicago Bears and Miami Dolphins.
If there is an offensive tackle run at the top of the draft, it may also entice the Lions to jump the line with the Cleveland Browns (pick No. 24), Pittsburgh Steelers (No. 21) and New England Patriots (No. 31) also candidates to move up in the first round to solve their tackle issues.
For a team that has been aggressive to get players Holmes has wanted in the draft, this seems like a fair deal and it could be the answer that finally sets up the Lions’ offensive line in 2026 and beyond.
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