Lions 'Definitely Open for Business' for Trades Involving No. 2 Draft Pick, GM Says

Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes confirmed Thursday that he is willing to trade the No. 2 overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft for the right price.

Holmes said he is "never scared to move around" and is "open for business" while speaking to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero at the Senior Bowl:

Detroit posted a 3-13-1 mark in 2021, which was its first season under head coach Dan Campbell and its first season without quarterback Matthew Stafford, who was traded to the Los Angeles Rams and subsequently led L.A. to the Super Bowl.

Part of the package that came back in return for Stafford was quarterback Jared Goff, who had an up-and-down season in 2021. He went 3-10-1 as a starter and completed 67.2 percent of his passes for 3,245 yards, 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

Holmes praised Goff for playing well down the stretch but also said Goff has to "prove it" during the offseason and preseason, and that he'll have to come in and compete. That suggests he isn't guaranteed to be the starter in 2022.

The Lions would normally be a prime candidate to take a quarterback second overall, but the 2022 draft class is considered a weak one for signal-callers.

As of now, there is no quarterback who is considered clearly worthy of a top-five pick, which is in stark contrast to last year when Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson, Trey Lance, Justin Fields and Mac Jones all came off the board in the top 15. Lawrence, Wilson and Lance went one-two-three.

Pittsburgh's Kenny Pickett, Ole Miss' Matt Corral, Liberty's Malik Willis, North Carolina's Sam Howell and Cincinnati's Desmond Ridder are some of the quarterbacks who have a chance to be first-round picks this year.

Taking any of them would be considered a major reach at second overall, though, which could compel the Lions to trade down if they are committed to getting a quarterback in the first round.

Detroit has a lot of holes to fill on both sides of the ball, and trading down could net an extra first-round pick. The Lions already have two first-rounders this year, as they acquired the Rams' first-round selection in the Stafford trade, which will be either 31st or 32nd overall depending on the result of the Super Bowl.

If the Lions stay put at No. 2 overall, Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson and Oregon defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux stand out as the likeliest selections.

Detroit ranked 30th in sacks this past season, and either Hutchinson or Thibodeaux would provide a massive boost to the Lions' pass rush. Given that both are considered game-changing pass-rushers with the potential to be elite, it will likely take a lot to convince Holmes to move out of that No. 2 position.