Using trade value chart to map out potential Day 2 deals for Detroit Lions

The big swing

If there's a prospect they love, the Lions could realistically go up as high as pick No. 39 with the Cleveland Browns or No. 40 with the Kansas City Chiefs by packaging their second-round choice and both fourth-round picks in a trade.

The Lions' 50th pick is valued at 400 points, and their two fourth-rounders – Nos. 118 and No. 128 overall – carry values of 58 and 44 points, respectively.

Clemson defensive end T.J. Parker (3) celebrates a tackle against LSU during the first quarter at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, S.C. Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025.

Dropping 10 spots is significant for a team with one of the first eight picks on Day 2, but the Chiefs have just four picks in the final three rounds and like the Lions don't have a third-round choice. The Browns, who have nine picks remaining on Day 2 and 3, seem less likely to do such a deal.

Cleveland's pick at No. 39 is valued at 510 points, while the Chiefs' pick at No. 40 is valued at 500 points. In both cases, a three-for-one pick swap – combined, the Lions' second- and fourth-round choices have a value of 502 points – is about the book value of a trade.

Something more moderate

If the Lions wanted to deal one of their two fourth-round picks, they should be able to make a smaller move up in the second round.

Packaging No. 50 (400 points) and No. 118 (58 points) in the middle of the fourth round would get the Lions in the 44-45 range. The New York Jets' pick at 44 is worth 460 points, while the Baltimore Ravens' pick one slot later is valued at 450 points.

If the Lions need to throw in a sweetener to get either deal done, their final sixth-round pick at No. 213 overall is worth 5.8 points and their lone pick early in Round 7, at No. 222, is worth two points.

Oct 25, 2025; Pullman, Washington, USA; Washington State Cougars quarterback Zevi Eckhaus (4) is tackled by Toledo Rockets safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (7) in the second half at Gesa Field at Martin Stadium.

The Ravens are loaded with Day 2 and 3 picks and might not see the value in collecting extra choices, while the Jets have no picks in Rounds 3, 5 or 6 and two each in Rounds 4 and 7..

If the Lions were to strike out with the Ravens or Jets, they might be able to package their second fourth-round pick (44 points) with No. 50 to move up four spots to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' pick at No. 46 (440 points).

The Bucs have one pick remaining in every round and could swap sixth-round picks with the Lions – Tampa's pick at No. 195 is worth 13 points while the Lions' second sixth-rounder at No. 205 is nine points – to make up the difference.

Inching up

Every team uses their own version of a trade chart to value draft picks, so these numbers won't work for everyone. But if the Lions want to go up a spot or two, it shouldn't cost much.

The Minnesota Vikings pick at No. 49 (410 points) and the Atlanta Falcons at No. 48 (420 points), and the Falcons in particular might be interested in collecting an extra choice given their lack of draft capital. Atlanta didn't pick in the first round, doesn't pick in the fifth either and has just five choices overall.

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To cover the 20-point difference it would cost to go up two spots to No. 48, the Lions could probably send one of their two fifth-round choices to the Falcons, No. 157 (28.6 points) or 181 (18.6 points).

If they gave up No. 157 in the deal, the trade might also involve a swap of late-round picks. The Lions could close the 8.6-point difference in the deal by exchanging the Falcons' sixth-round choice (No. 215, worth five points) for their seventh-rounder (No. 222, two points) or asking for a fourth-round swap in return (the Lions would move up six spots from No. 128 to 122 at a cost of six points to the Falcons).

A deal down

Holmes hinted at wanting to move down in Round 2, and while several of the teams directly below the Lions don't have the right picks to make a trade worth Detroit's while, there's at least one team flush with draft capital that might be looking to move up: The Jacksonville Jaguars, who won't make their first pick of the draft until No. 56 overall and have three picks in the third round.

Jacksonville's second-round pick is worth 340 points. If the Jaguars include their final pick of the third round, No. 100 overall (100 points), in the deal, and the Lions send back their second pick in Round 4 (No. 128, 44 points), it's a near even swap.

If the Lions want to extract a premium for the pick, they could try to get Jacksonville's second third-rounder choice (No. 88, 150 points) and send the Jaguars fourth- (58 points) and fifth-round choices (28.6 points) in return.

Of course, for any deal to happen the right player will have to still be on the board. But as teams make their draft calls before Day 2's picks, the Lions have plenty of options to test out.

Dave Birkett covers the Lions for the Detroit Free Press. Contact him atdbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him onBluesky,XandInstagramat @davebirkett.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Using NFL Draft trade value chart to map Day 2 deals for Detroit Lions