Detroit Lions Mailbag: Is a Dexter Lawrence trade an option for the Lions? Could Detroit be switching its defensive scheme?
Plus what’s going on with the top-30 news? Do the Lions like Giovanni Manu more than we think? Are the Lions better or worse now?
Just 17 more days, and we can talk about the Detroit Lions draft haul, and then we’ll get the schedule a little bit later, and then it’s summer time, baby. Also known as the dead zone. Let’s answer some questions.
Is Dexter Lawrence an option for the Lions?
Let’s start here. If the Lions wanted to trade for Lawrence, they would have to find a way to take on $18 million in 2025 and $18 million in 2026, and then the Giants are rumored to be seeking a Quinnen Williams-like deal. So that’s a second-round pick this year, a first-round pick next year, and Mazi Smith.
In theory, the Lions could move McNeill over to New York along with the picks, but that is a lot of give-up for a player who’s coming off a 2025 season that wasn’t much better than McNeill’s. He’s not as good as McNeill against the run, and he didn’t notch a single sack in 2025.
It’s just not worth it for the Lions to trade players, all those picks, and then probably have to restructure contracts for a player who didn’t have that much better of a season than the guy you already have, who is cheaper and allows you to keep the picks.
Could the Lions be changing their defensive scheme?
Sort of. I wouldn’t say there’s going to be a full-on scheme change, but I would say that Dan Campbell’s comments at the annual league meeting point to the idea that the Lions would like to have multiple looks on defense at any point during a game. So they’re probably going with their usual base, but there could be some flexibility. This might be a better question to answer during training camp and preseason, when we can really see what their thoughts are in practice.
Where are all the big Top-30 visits?
Things are different this year for sure. Let’s start here: the Lions are having their top-30 visits for sure. They’re happening. But this year, they’re just not being reported as much, and players and agents just haven’t been as open about what they’re doing as they have been in the past. So it’s not that the Lions aren’t having them. It’s that everyone is playing things close to the chest right now.
Could the Lions be higher on Giovanni Manu than we think? Like OT2 high?
I don’t see that at all. Manu still has a way to go before the Lions might feel that way about him. That’s if they ever do. At this point, he’s a tackle drafted away from possibly not even being on the Lions’ roster in 2026. Maybe he could make the practice squad, but I just don’t know how much longer the Lions want to wait. He just didn’t pick things up like everyone thought he might.
Why does it feel like Lions fans will be upset with Keldric Faulk or Kaydn Proctor?
A good way to go into the draft is with the understanding that not everyone is going to like the pick. I can see fans being upset with either of these. I can see some fans being stoked.
For me, I get the Proctor selection all the way. He fits the Lions on so many levels and could be a solid NFL right tackle. I don’t get the Faulk selection at all. Decent run defender, but really hit or miss in the pass rush game. He had just two sacks in 2025. Not what the Lions need in a pass rusher. If the Lions drafted him, I could understand fans being upset there. Unless he gets back to the 2024 version of himself.
Did the Lions get better or worse in free agency?
As the Lions roster stands today, is this team better or worse than last year's team that failed to make the playoffs?
— ProudDetroiter (@detroitstrong.bsky.social) April 6, 2026 at 8:31 PM
Some Lions fans are going to hate me, but they got better, and you can really see the goal for the draft now. They got younger and deeper in the secondary, and they’re about to do the same on the defensive line and in the linebacker department in the draft. I think the offense got a lot better with all the additions there, and if they nail the tackle pick, they’re going to be super dangerous in 2026.
I know they didn’t sign any big names, but there really weren’t very many big names to be had, and the ones who did get signed got paid way more than they usually would have because of that. It just wasn’t a good market this year. The Lions played it smart.
Who are some guys I liked that the Lions missed out on in previous drafts?
There are a lot of guys I’ve liked in previous drafts. Too many to name. So what I’m going to do is give you my personal favorite of the last five drafts under Brad Holmes.
- 2025: LB Chris Paul
- 2024: CB Kris Abrams-Draine
- 2023: DT Siaki Ika
- 2022: WR Chris Olave
- 2021: WR Jaylen Waddle
I had some hits, and I had some misses. I still think Paul would be great in Detroit, and I’m surprised they didn’t go after him.
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