Lions, Giants talk moving down … With Cincinnati pretty much locked into LSU QB Joe Burrow with the first pick in the opening round of the 2020 draft on Thursday night, and Washington seemingly intent on taking Ohio State DE Chase Young at #2, it appears that the ‘real’ draft will start with Detroit and the Giants with the 3rd and 4th picks respectively. And both the Lions and Giants indicated at their pre-draft pressers earlier this week that they were open to trading down from those spots. However, right now they are taking somewhat different tacks. Detroit G.M. Bob Quinn, who is in the catbird seat so to speak with the 3rd pick, for example, indicated at the Lions’ presser that he has had trade discussions with multiple teams about the pick from as early as the combine in late February. Quinn wouldn’t say definitively whether he currently has any solid offers on the table, but he did indicate that if there was going to be a deal, that he’d like to have it consummated before the start of the draft. Giants’ G.M. Dave Gettleman also indicated that the Giants would consider trading down, but unlike the Lions who have already received calls, its possible they haven’t yet had any calls. Gettleman said, for example, that he would be making some calls which just isn’t how it usually works, as normally its the teams that want to move up that initiate the calls. Gettleman also indicated that while he’d like the parameters of any deal to be made on the 23rd in place before the draft, he suggested that the Giants wouldn’t be finalizing anything until the Giants actually get on the clock with the 4th pick. That suggests that the Giants might not be willing to move if a player they player they really liked was still on the board at that point. Of course, the Giants may not have much choice in the matter as it is unlikely that anybody is going to deal with them until the Lions make their move. Of course, it has long been thought that the most logical deal for the Lions was to flip the 3rd and 5th picks with Miami, who would then take Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa. However, it does appear that the Dolphins’ interest in Tagovailoa may have cooled and that Miami may have refocused on Justin Herbert of Oregon. At the same time, there is a growing buzz around the league that the LA Chargers, who pick 6th, may in fact be the team that currently has the most interest in the former Alabama star. The question for Thursday is whether either – or both – the Dolphins and/or Chargers will consider moving up for fear that a team picking behind them such as Jacksonville at #9 or Las Vegas at #12 might try to leapfrog them by dealing with the Lions or Giants and leaving them essentially empty handed at the position. Stay tuned!
