The Detroit Lions weren’t just sitting on their hands during the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.

And for a moment, they had their sights set on moving up.

According to reporting from The Athletic, Detroit showed interest in trading up to No. 13 overall, a pick held by the Los Angeles Rams.

The Lions weren’t alone in exploring that slot, but nothing ultimately came together.

Here’s the full context from The Athletic’s reporting:

“The trade offers that came the Rams’ way at No. 13 were ‘soft,’ a team source told The Athletic. The Dallas Cowboys traded up to take Ohio State safety Caleb Downs. The Detroit Lions had interest in moving up, a team source said, but the return didn’t excite in a draft that thinned out considerably by Day 3 due to so many college players returning for name, image and likeness compensation.”

That lines up with how Detroit has operated under general manager Brad Holmes.

In this case, the Lions explored the possibility, evaluated the cost, and chose discipline over urgency.

With more college players returning to school for NIL opportunities, the overall depth of the draft took a hit. That meant the board thinned out faster than usual.

In that kind of environment, giving up additional picks to move up—even just a few spots—becomes a tougher sell.

Despite not moving up, Detroit still came away with offensive tackle Blake Miller at No. 17.

And based on everything we’ve heard since, that was a player they were more than comfortable taking without sacrificing extra assets.

They just didn’t see enough value to pull the trigger.

And in typical Brad Holmes fashion, they trusted the board, stayed disciplined, and still landed a player they believe fits their long-term vision.