Detroit Lions Questionable Trade

This week, the Detroit Lions traded their former No. 3 overall pick, Jeff Okudah, to the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for a fifth-round pick.

The Lions had spent the offseason improving their secondary by signing Cameron Sutton, Emmanuel Moseley, and C.J. Gardner-Johnson, which left Okudah fighting for a depth spot.

As a potential CB4, his $10 million cap hit didn't make sense for the Lions. Despite the trade not providing much financial relief for the team, head coach Dan Campbell felt that giving Okudah a fresh start made sense for both parties. Okudah had shown promise early in the 2022 season but struggled later on and missed the Lions' Week 18 game due to injury.

Although Okudah displayed athleticism and willingness to play against the run, he wasn't an ideal fit for the Lions' scheme under Aaron Glenn. Nevertheless, the Lions managed to upgrade their secondary, even though trading a former first-round pick for a fifth-round pick may be disappointing.

Okudah now joins the Falcons, where he could potentially pair well with fellow 2020 first-rounder A.J. Terrell on the rebuilt Falcons defense.