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Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes shared a message on rookie linebacker Jack Campbell.
While there were plenty of rumors surrounding the Detroit Lions in the days and weeks leading up to the 2026 NFL Draft, which was completed late last month, general manager Brad Holmes stood pat in the opening round and selected offensive tackle Blake Miller out of Clemson.
However, there were trades made by Holmes, as he and the Lions traded pick No. 50 and pick No. 128 (fourth round) to the New York Jets to acquire the 44th overall pick, which they used to select Michigan Wolverines edge defender Derrick Moore. Additionally, the Lions traded picks No. 181 and No. 213 to the Buffalo Bills in exchange for a fifth-round selection (No. 168), which was used on WR Kendrick Law.
However, it looks as though Holmes nearly pulled off a major swap with the New York Giants in order to move ahead for the 37th overall selection, a move which ultimately wasn’t made.
The Detroit Lions Nearly Made A Major Draft Trade With The New York Giants
A recent video showing the Draft war room of the Giants and general manager Joe Schoen fielding offers for the 37th overall selection, which New York would ultimately utilize toward selecting Tennessee defensive back Colton Hood.
However, video shows Schoen on the phone with Holmes in discussions for the 50th, 118th, 128th, and 157th overall selections.
Here’s what the trade would have looked like:
Lions get: 37th pick
Giants get: 50th pick, 118th pick, 128th pick, and 157th pick
Would this have been a wise move for the Lions?
Lions GM Brad Holmes Spoke Of Targeting Derrick Moore
Following the selection of Moore with the 44th pick, Holmes explained that he was in a group of players that they were considering.
“I will say he was part of that cluster of guys that we were targeting today,” Holmes said. “He was already at top of mind going up. Just kind of paying attention to who was in front of us, who was behind us. It felt like, just right in that area, there were multiple edge rushers that were flying off,” said Holmes. “Again, that’s the fascination of the Draft – you don’t know. Derrick might have been our No. 3 or No. 4 edge rusher, whatever it is, but today, he was our No. 1 for what was available. For other teams, he could have been their No. 7 or No. 8. You can’t worry about that, you’ve just got to get the guy that you want.”
Given that Moore played down the road in Ann Arbor for the Wolverines, it was quite beneficial for him and his staff to scout him from so close by.
“It’s very beneficial,” Holmes said of Moore playing for Michigan. “It’s hard enough playing all the forecasting and projecting that we have to do when we’re evaluating these prospects, so when you see guys coming out of these programs like a Michigan or what we’ve done in the past at Alabama or Iowa or Georgia, those guys run NFL systems all the way down to the alignment and the assignment,” said Holmes. “To be able to kind of take a little bit of weight off your back from a projection standpoint, and now you can hone in on what kind of physical and mental makeup they have for us.”
Michael Whitaker Michael Whitaker is a sports journalist based in metro Detroit with nearly a full decade of experience with publications like Clutch Points and The Hockey News. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism from Eastern Michigan University. More about Michael Whitaker