NFC Notes: Lions, Packers, Vikings

Lions

New Lions’ GM Brad Holmes said his team is open for business when it comes to trading in the draft.

“Yes, there have been [trade] discussions with other teams,” Holmes said, via Kyle Meinke of Mlive.com. “I will keep those in-house, but yeah, there have been discussions. Whenever you’re picking in the top 10, obviously it’s an extremely valuable pick, but it’s very exciting to be looking at this crop of players that would be worthy of selecting [there]. Where I just came from, we weren’t really used to picking in the first round that much. So being up in the top 10 [is cool]. But at seven, we do have a cluster of players that we’re comfortable with picking. But at the same time, we would be very prepared and also willing to move in either direction. So we’re still open in those regards, but there is a cluster of players that we would be comfortable with.”

Holmes went in-depth about what the team may be willing to do with the seventh overall pick, which is theirs for the time being.

“At 7, we do have a cluster of players that we’re comfortable with picking, but at the same time we will be very prepared and also willing to move in either direction,” Holmes said. “So, we’re still open in those regards, but there is a cluster of players that we would be comfortable with.”

On draft day, Holmes will have at least ten people alongside him in the Lions war room to help make crucial franchise decisions.

“More so from a culture fit, regardless of scheme, and obviously scheme does play a part, but at the end of the day, if the player has certain standards of toughness, passion, if a player has grit, that doesn’t have anything to do with if a guy is a press corner or an off-zone quarters corner, or if a guy is a 3-4 rush backer,” Holmes said. “Does a guy play hard or he does not? Does he have a high motor or does he [not]? Does he take plays off, does he not? Does he love football, does he not? So, those are the standards that we look for, but having that grit, passion for football that’s at an elite level, those are pretty much the standards that are the fits, more so of if the guy is just a scheme fit.”

• The Lions have met multiple times with Boston College LB Isaiah McDuffie. (Justin Melo)

Packers

• According to Tony Pauline of ProFootballNetwork.com, the Packers are a team that highly values Western Michigan WR D’Wayne Eskridge 
• Pauline reports that Eskridge has “cemented himself” as a second-round pick. 

Vikings

Adam Schefter said that people in the NFL believe the Vikings will focus on the offensive and defensive lines during the draft.

“When I talk to people about what they think the Vikings are going to do in the draft, and you know the team better than anyone, Paul. They think that Minnesota is going to be looking for help on both lines,” Schefter said, via Vikings Wire. “Offensive and defensive, defensive and offensive, break it down however you want. And so wherever they find the value to be, that’s where they’ll go and draft somebody.”

• The Vikings have met multiple times with Houston LB Grant Stuard, according to the player. (DaSilva)