Detroit Lions trade rumors: Teams have called about Golden Tate

The Detroit Lions have not earned the label as trade deadline sellers, but that hasn’t kept teams from calling about wide receiver Golden Tate.

The Detroit Lions made a big addition via trade last week when they acquired defensive tackle Damon Harrison from the New York Giants for a fifth-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. Could they turn around and make another big trade but this time have it be one that sees an important player leave the team?

NFL Network and NFL.com reporter Tom Pelissero doesn’t rule it out in reporting that the Lions have received calls about wide receiver Golden Tate. Pelissero does say that it is unlikely that Tate would be moved unless someone came in with a big offer and he makes it sound like any talks are being initiated by teams that would like to acquire Tate rather than him being shopped by the Lions.

The Lions dropped a disappointing game to the Seattle Seahawks in week eight that saw them fall to 3-4 on the year but they are hardly in a position that should see them be sellers ahead of this week’s trade deadline. The NFC North is very much up for grabs with all four teams separated by just a single game.

Tate is in the final year of his deal and many have wondered if the Lions would lose Tate in free agency following this season. However, Tate is as big of a part of the Lions offense as ever, leading the team in targets, receptions, receiving yards and ranks second on the team for receiving touchdowns.

Pelissero suggests in his report that a strong offer for Tate would be something on the order of a mid-round pick, perhaps a fourth rounder. The problem with such a return on a possible Tate trade is that the Lions might be able to get as good or better in a compensatory pick if they hold him through the season and lose him in free agency.

There are more moving parts that determine whether a team receives a compensatory pick but a fourth round should be the absolute minimum a team should be calling with rather than that being a “strong” offer the Lions should consider.

We’re now less than 24 hours from the trade deadline so we will know where Tate will finish the 2018 season. Do you think he gets moved?