The Detroit Lions are coming up on the 2026 NFL draft, and while nobody knows quite what will happen, we do know that whatever it is will draw some controversy, because general manager Brad Holmes likes to shake things up during the event.
It’s widely believed that the Lions may get a backup quarterback for Jared Goff in the draft, but why start from scratch when you can get a young quarterback who already has experience in the NFL? That’s the idea behind a mock trade idea from Mike Payton of A to Z Sports, who thinks the Detroit Lions should work out a blockbuster trade during the 2026 NFL draft, which is set for April 23 to 25 in Pittsburgh.
Trade Idea Gets Detroit Lions the Franchise’s ‘Quarterback of the Future’ in the 2026 NFL Draft
In a Monday, April 13 feature for A to Z Sports, Payton notes that Holmes and the Detroit Lions are known for making a splash and getting “aggressive” when it comes to trades during the NFL draft.
“We’ve seen Holmes do all kinds of crazy trades to go get the players that he wants,” he states in the piece. “So you have to think that maybe there could be blockbuster trades this year that involve the Lions.”
This year, Payton likes the idea of “getting the quarterback of the future” from the Colts in Anthony Richardson Sr. His idea is that the Lions get Richardson and the Colts get a 181st pick. Honestly, that’s a sweet deal for the Lions, and I would be surprised to see the Colts go along with that deal, but Payton likes the idea.
“I still believe that the Lions are the best landing spot for Anthony Richardson, and since I believe they might draft a quarterback anyway, here’s a chance to get a guy who is still just 23-years-old and have him sit under the learning tree of a bunch of former NFL quarterbacks and quarterback coaches on your staff,” Payton says in the feature.
Plenty of teams are interested in Richardson, though, including the Pittsburgh Steelers. In a feature for SI, Mark Morales-Smith has him going to the Terrible Towel crew.
“Richardson would get a fresh start in Pittsburgh, where he can sit behind Rodgers and learn for a season,” he states in the feature. “The Steelers have a winning culture and a Super Bowl-winning head coach. It could do wonders for his career and potentially earn him the starting job in the future. He is still just 23 years old.”
Is Anthony Richardson the Right Fit for the Detroit Lions?
Even though the Detroit Lions have signed Teddy Bridgewater to be a backup quarterback to Goff, he’s been in and out of the NFL for years, and if Goff were to go down, God forbid, it would be a nervous experience to have to rely on Bridgewater.
So, the Detroit Lions would be wise to get another solid backup for Goff, and Richardson would be it. Plus, at just 23 years old, it’s possible that when Goff eventually steps down, he could take over as franchise quarterback. Not to get ahead of ourselves, but it’s something to think about.
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