Lions lock up top-two draft pick with loss to Seahawks in Week 17
Justin RogersSeattle — Call it a silver lining from an otherwise bad day, but the Detroit Lions assured themselves a top-two pick in the 2022 NFL Draft following Sunday's loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
With a 2-13-1 record heading into next week's season finale, only the Jacksonville Jaguars have a worse mark, sitting at 2-14 after getting smashed by the New England Patriots on Sunday, 50-10.
Next Sunday, the Jaguars play the 9-7 Indianapolis Colts, who are fighting for one of the final playoff spots in the AFC after falling to the Las Vegas Raiders on a last second field goal this weekend. The Jaguars previously lost to the Colts, 23-17, in November.
The Lions, meanwhile, will host the Green Bay Packers. Following the Dallas Cowboys' loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, the Packers have nothing to play for when they come to Ford Field. The Packers locked up the No. 1 seed in the NFC with a victory Sunday night against the shorthanded Minnesota Vikings, missing several players, including quarterback Kirk Cousins, due to COVID cases.
The last time the Lions drafted as high as No. 2 was 2010, when they snagged Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh. That capped a four-year stretch where the Lions drafted in the top-two three times, also selecting quarterback Matthew Stafford in 2009 and future Hall of Fame receiver Calvin Johnson in 2007.
Assuming the Lions don't trade the asset for addition draft picks, the early consensus is the best players available will be one of two edge rushers, Michigan's Aiden Hutchinson and Oregon's Kayvon Thibodeaux.
The Jaguars are on the verge of selecting No. 1 overall for the second consecutive year. They took Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence in 2021.
jdrogers@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @Justin_Rogers