Ranking Bob Quinn's Best Trades
The NFL trade deadline is now upon us, and the Lions have already made a move, trading for defensive end Everson Griffen. Will they make another?
No matter the case, let’s evaluate the best swaps that Quinn has orchestrated while at the helm for the Lions.
4.) Everson Griffen - Dallas Cowboys
The aforementioned Griffen trade -- and the most recent trade pulled off by Quinn -- finds its way on this list.
He hasn't played a single down with the Lions yet, but his pass-rushing resume from his decade-long stint with the Minnesota Vikings speaks for itself.
And giving up a conditional mid-to-late-round 2021 pick in order to acquire him seems to have been worth it, especially now that Detroit defensive end Trey Flowers has been placed on injured reserve and has to miss at least the next three weeks.
3.) David Blough – Cleveland Browns
This 2019 trade flies somewhat under the radar. It’s not necessarily a game-changer, but considering the Lions only have to conditionally drop down a few spots in the seventh round of the 2022 draft, Quinn received Blough for peanuts.
Again, it’s not like Blough is some hot commodity, but Blough does have some NFL starts under his belt and looks to have the potential to be a future backup.
Even the Dallas Cowboys tried to pluck Blough off the Lions' practice squad this season after their starter Dak Prescott was lost for the season due to injury. The Lions retained Blough by signing him to the 53-man roster.
All in all, Blough may never turn into much more than a solid clipboard holder.
Quarterbacks, though, provide more value than most, and Blough has outplayed his trade cost -- which was next to nothing.
2.) Damon “Snacks” Harrison – New York Giants
Another player who only took a fifth-round draft pick to pry away was Damon “Snacks” Harrison, who came over from the New York Giants in 2018.
He instantly turned the Lions' porous run defense around that season.
Unfortunately, he failed to repeat that success in 2019, dealt with a plethora of nagging injuries and basically forced his way out of Detroit after signing an extension the offseason before.
Given that it was only a fifth-round selection that Quinn gave up, it was minimal risk and a high-reward type of situation for a short period of time.
There was no denying how dominant Harrison was for those first eight games with the team.
© Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
1.) Duron Harmon – New England Patriots
In the middle of last season, Quinn surprisingly shipped off team captain and safety Quandre Diggs.
It was a move that made little sense at the time, but at least Quinn semi-redeemed himself by making a trade with his former team in the New England Patriots.
With the fifth-round pick he acquired for Diggs, Quinn turned that into safety Duron Harmon.
Harmon is a better fit as a true single-high deep safety, and has done quite well in Honolulu Blue.
He currently has the third-best overall Pro Football Focus grade for safeties, and is only allowing a 32.9 passer rating when targeted.
Meanwhile, Diggs is the 57th-ranked safety, with a 109.7 passer rating allowed this season with the Seattle Seahawks.
© Rob Schumacher/The Republic via Imagn Content Services, LLC
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