At first glance, the Lions’ 2022 decision to send T.J. Hockenson to Minnesota made plenty of sense. Detroit wasn’t ready to commit to the massive four-year, $66 million contract the Vikings ended up giving him, and Sam LaPorta’s emergence has since solidified tight end as a strength. The issue isn’t that the Lions traded Hockenson—it’s what they received in return, which, so far, has brought minimal payoff.
Here’s how the trade shook out: Detroit dealt Hockenson, along with a pair of fourth-rounders (2023 and 2024), to the Vikings in exchange for a 2023 second-rounder and a 2024 third-rounder. On paper, not a bad haul. But once you follow the domino effect of those picks, the return becomes disappointing.
The Lions essentially walked away with quarterback Hendon Hooker, defensive lineman Brodric Martin, and wideout Antoine Green. By now, Green has already been waived after suffering a preseason concussion last year that derailed his rookie season. Martin, whom Detroit reached for in the third round of the 2023 draft, played just five games as a rookie and entered this summer fighting for a roster spot near the bottom of a loaded defensive line group. Hooker, meanwhile, was always a questionable investment: an older rookie coming from Tennessee’s spread-heavy system. While talented, his transition to the NFL has been bumpy, with struggles in timing and decision-making limiting his growth.
There are, however, two silver linings. First, the Lions flipped the 2024 third-rounder from Minnesota into a trade-up that landed them cornerback Terrion Arnold, who looks like a Day 1 starter. Second, they used part of the return in a chain of moves that eventually netted safety Sione Vaki, a strong special-teams contributor whose long-term upside remains uncertain.
To spell it out:
The 2023 second-rounder (No. 55) was flipped to Kansas City for three picks (No. 63, No. 122, No. 249).
Detroit then dealt the No. 63 and No. 183 (from a prior trade) to Denver, landing the No. 68 pick (Hooker) and No. 139.
The Lions packaged No. 139 with No. 122 to move up for Martin.
The No. 249 pick was shipped to Philadelphia in the D’Andre Swift trade, turning into the No. 219 selection (Green) plus a 2025 fourth-rounder. That 2025 fourth was later used in the move to grab Vaki.
In the end, the Lions traded away a Pro Bowl tight end and got back a handful of players, most of whom may not survive roster cuts—save for Arnold, who could make this deal look at least somewhat respectable down the road. Still, it’s hard to escape the feeling that Detroit came away with far less than it hoped when it pulled the trigger on the Hockenson deal.
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