The Detroit Lions earned a noteworthy “B” grade from you benevolent dictator for their two draft day trades. All teams start with an average “C” grade and then need to impress me in order to move up. In the end I really liked the Lions trade strategy with the two moves they made. Here’s the net of what they did

Began with: No. 88 (3rd), No. 111 (4th), No. 204 (6th)
Ended with: No. 81 (3rd), No. 117 (4th), No. 186 (6th)

Simply put, they moved up seven spots in the third round, moved down six spots in the fourth, and up 18 spots in the sixth.

Detroit obviously won by moving up seven spots in the third round from No. 88 to No. 81. This isn’t a gamechanger of a move, but in a vacuum any sane person would rather have No. 81 over No. 88. (But then again, you’d have to ask why a sane person would get inside a vacuum to begin with. LAUGH AT YOUR DICTATOR’S CORNY JOKES!) Next, they moved down six spots from No. 117 to No. 111, but there is very little difference in the quality of players available at that point in the draft. Even if this was all the Lions did, they would’ve come out on top. But there’s still more. Detroit moved up 18 spots in the sixth round from No. 204 to No. 186. While it’s rare for players drafted that late to carve out meaningful NFL careers, there is more value in having No. 186.