Lions general manager reveals willingness to trade up in Round 1

Lions general manager reveals willingness to trade up in Round 1 originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

There's no two ways about it. The 2025 season was a disaster for the Detroit Lions, stumbling to 9-8 and fumbling what was once considered a lock of a playoff spot.

It was a shock to the system and a suggestion that their competitive window may be closing quicker than anticipated. Still, with one of the league's better rosters, above-average quarterback play, and a beloved head coach, the Lions aren't destined for futility just yet.

Detroit's current situation demands urgency and, in some cases, aggression. And with the 17th pick, the Lions may be in position to move up the board for a needle-mover during the 2026 NFL Draft.

Could Detroit trade up?

In the middle of the first round in a class with few elite talents, Detroit is incentivized to move up the board. There are holes at offensive tackle and edge rusher, linebacker and safety.

Fortunately for Detroit, the class is strong at virtually all of those spots, and its non-premium-position headliners -- Ohio State safety Caleb Downs and linebacker Sonny Styles -- may fall far enough to become acquirable.

General manager Brad Holmes recently spoke about the possibility of trading up for an impact player.

"Absolutely. Yeah, if it's the right guy. You guys know me," Holmes said, via ESPN. "If we have that kind of conviction for a player, absolutely. We're going to go and get him."

Perhaps the Lions will only move up for a player at a premium position, fortifying their offensive line or pairing Aidan Hutchinson with an ample co-star.

That seems to be increasingly possible for Miami Hurricanes edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. Bain spent part of the draft cycle as EDGE1 and a near-lock to be a top-five pick. However, strong seasons from other edge rushers, concerns over his arm length, and general draft fatigue seem to have pushed him down boards.

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Part of that calculus may have been a fatal car accident from 2024 in which Bain was cited for careless driving. The charges were ultimately dismissed, but it's a part of Bain's profile that wasn't public until Ollie Connolly reported it on April 12.

Holmes didn't tip his hand, but did acknowledge Bain's report, saying that Detroit already knew about the incident.

"We’ve known that for a while so that doesn’t really change anything from our standpoint," Holmes said.

Bain is largely considered a top-10 prospect, and if he gets past the Kansas City Chiefs at No. 9, the Lions would be in a strong position to pounce. They have seven Day 3 picks at their disposal, adding both ammunition and insulation to a deal. Paired with 2027 draft capital, Detroit has enough in its stockpile to move up.

Bain might make the most sense, assuming the Lions aren't concerned with his newfound baggage. His stock is already slipping, but the talent is obvious, and a few teams may hesitate to invest heavily in someone with a potential off-field flag. That opens the door for an aggressive team to stop his slide. The Lions have a need on the edge, a competitive window to keep open, and the ammo to survive a draft-day trade.

It isn't clear whether Detroit is actively trying to jump teams in the middle of Round 1, but the pieces of the puzzle are waiting to be put together. If the Lions do make a deal, don't be surprised if it's for a top-10 talent falling farther than expected.

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