Detroit Lions: Updated list of 2019 NFL Draft picks after trade deadline

The Detroit Lions made two trades involving draft picks ahead of the 2018 trade deadline. Here is a look at where they now stand for the 2019 NFL Draft.

With the passing of the 2018 NFL Trade Deadline comes the freezing of all trading activity until the 2019 league year begins. That means no more swapping of draft picks over the next few months — something the Detroit Lions did a couple times in deals leading up to the 2018 NFL Trade Deadline.

All NFL teams are initially granted one pick in each of the seven rounds of the NFL Draft. Because trades involving draft picks are sometimes made a few years out, there is often significant shifting in the draft order by the time the draft actually arrives. Having one pick in each round is just a starting point and it is unusual for teams to make all their draft selections in their original position without any additions or subtractions.

That being the case, it’s worth taking a moment to look at where the Lions currently stand. That is especially true after the last week they have had in the trade market and the fact that this list will be locked in place for at least the next few months now that the trade deadline has passed.

Picks added

The Lions will finally see the benefit of two trades they made a couple years ago when the 2019 NFL Draft finally rolls around. They added an extra fifth round pick from the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for Laken Tomlinson and an extra sixth-round pick from the New England Patriots in exchange for Johnson Bademosi.

Akeem Spence was traded from Detroit to the Miami Dolphins just before the start of this season in exchange for a pick in the seventh round. While the player goes to the Dolphins it is actually the pick originally belonging to the Pittsburgh Steelers that the Lions get in return. That pick has already been involved in three trades as it went from the Steelers to the Browns for Sammie Coates, then from the Browns to the Dolphins in the deal for Jarvis Landry.

The biggest addition came this week when the Lions traded Golden Tate to the Philadelphia Eagles for a third-round pick.

Teams can also add compensatory draft picks awarded by the NFL based on the net movement of free agents. Overthecap.com does a great job tracking and projecting compensatory picks and, while it may have looked like the Lions could add a pick early in the process, it is no longer expected that the Lions will be awarded any additional picks.

Picks subtracted

When maneuvering during the 2018 NFL Draft left the Lions without a pick in the fourth round, Bob Quinn opted to dip into his bag of 2019 picks to make a move. He traded away the Lions’ third-round pick in the 2019 draft to move into the fourth round during the 2018 draft to select defensive lineman Da’Shawn Hand.

Quinn traded another 2019 draft pick to acquire a defensive lineman last week when he traded a fifth-round pick to the New York Giants for Damon Harrison. Since the Lions held two picks in the fifth round, the teams agreed to a condition that will see the Giants acquire the higher of the two picks.

In summary

Work it all out and the Lions will end the 2018 season looking ahead to the 2019 NFL Draft with nine draft picks.

• Round 1
• Round 2
• Round 3 (From Eagles)
• Round 4
• Round 5 (Lions’ original or from 49ers, whichever is lower)
• Round 6
• Round 6 (From Patriots)
• Round 7
• Round 7 (Steelers’ original pick from Dolphins)

This will be the list until at least March 13 when the 2019 league year begins and the moratorium on trading activity is lifted. The 2019 NFL Draft is scheduled for April 25-27 and will be held in Nashville, TN.