Lions urged to trade for $23 million pass-catcher during 2026 NFL Draft

The Detroit Lions are hoping to get back to contention in 2026 after having a disappointing campaign in 2025. 

There's plenty of reason to still believe in the Lions. After all, the team still has Jared Goff, Jahmyr Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Sam LaPorta on offense, with some elite defenders like Aidan Hutchinson and Brian Branch. 

In the Goff/Dan Campbell era, the Lions have traditionally had a great offense. You can never have too much offense, so what if the Lions just decide to add as many weapons as possible? Vito Chirco of Lions On SN recently identified three players the Lions could trade for during the draft. 

One notable suggestion was tight end Evan Engram, who is currently on the Denver Broncos. Engram perhaps slightly underperformed in 2025, so it's possible the team could move him rather than keep him and his $14 million cap hit. 

Regarding this potential deal, Chirco offered the following: 

The two-time Pro Bowler (Engram) brings a solid degree of athleticism and proven production, and would be an instant upgrade over Brock Wright (and recently acquired Tyler Conklin) as Detroit’s No. 2 tight end. 

If the Broncos end up making Engram available, it wouldn’t hurt Holmes to dial up Sean Payton’s squad. 

As Chirco mentioned, Engram would certainly be an upgrade at TE2 for the Lions. Brock Wright has been around for a while and has never been much of a receiving threat. The team brought in veteran Tyler Conklin this offseason, but he caught just seven passes in 2025. 

Engram, meanwhile, is a two-time Pro Bowler who has had at least 600 receiving yards in four different seasons. Putting the veteran next to LaPorta, with St. Brown and Jameson Williams on the outside? That would be a tough group for any defense to deal with. 

Considering Engram is about to be 32 and is entering the final year of his contract, the Broncos shouldn't want too much in return. Perhaps a late-round pick and/or swap could be enough to get Engram to the Motor City. 

Teams like the Lions have big goals in 2026. Adding quality veterans for a low cost is the type of move winning teams make. 

More NFL news:

• Titans suggested to make bold trade for disgruntled star
• Ravens-Cowboys urged to link up for blockbuster deal
• Could Vikings shake up the 2026 NFL Draft? 
• Wild trade idea sends Hall of Famer's son to Green Bay
• Could Lions trade for Titans' star player? 
• Matt LaFleur delivers promising update on injured star