Is It Time To Trade Calvin Johnson?

A few weeks ago, I posted a poll on this very page asking whether it is time to trade away Calvin Johnson. Many of you thought I was losing my mind. When I initially put the poll up, I was 100 percent opposed to trading Calvin, but things have changed since then. Since I put the poll up, the Lions have lost to the lowly Rams and have looked horrendous in every game since. They gave up a 17 point lead against the Seahawks and if they lose this week against the Browns, then we’re back to square one. There has also been one important addition to this argument. Calvin Johnson’s body language has gone sour. As fans we always joke about a player becoming “lionized”. What this means is that, the stench of losing so many games as begun to affect the player on the field and off. Calvin is one of those players we thought we didn’t have to worry about. When he was drafted, like all players, he was excited to be here. Just last year, despite the 0-16 season, he still showed fans that he was dedicated to help in the team’s turnaround. If you look at Calvin Johnson’s body language lately, he looks like he doesn’t want to be here anymore. At start of the season at certain events he stayed around and signed autographs. Now he leaves right after the show or appearance is over. Just two weeks ago, as Matthew Stafford attempted to talk to Calvin on the sidelines; Calvin literally ignored him and wanted nothing to do with him. Just last week Calvin didn’t seem to go all out on every play like we’re used to seeing him do. He dropped passes and didn’t run his crisp routes. I admit, maybe he’s still injured but you have to wonder, what is going on?

Pros and cons to trading Calvin?

Pro #1-The Lions are looking at another top five pick. Next year is the final year of Calvin’s contract. This means, if the Lions sign him to an extension, they would have three players accounting for more than 50 percent of our salary cap. Those players would include QB Matthew Stafford, next year’s first-round pick, and WR Calvin Johnson. The roster must have 53 guys on it not just three. I can hear many of your voices rumbling. Your saying, “well, let’s trade down to maybe pick ten”. Trading out of that pick will not be easy because there are a lot of quarterbacks coming out this year. The Lions already have a quarterback. No one will trade up with us when they know they can just wait for their QB to fall to them. If we trade Calvin it would save us money.

Pro #2-This team is trying to build something. Calvin is one of the only players that we have, but having just one player does not help us now. If we were one player away, then I would not suggest trading him. Last year the Falcons turned their season around. They did that however with young players that are growing and learning together. Quarterback Matt Ryan, OT Sam Baker, WR Roddy White, and RB Michael Turner are all good young players and they are learning together. Trading Calvin would gain us multiple first day picks in the next two drafts. It would probably be a first round pick this year, second round pick in 2011, and maybe a third round pick this year. Those players could be the core of a winning team. All those players would be young and learning together. GM Martin Mayhew, President Tom Lewand, and Coach Jim Schwartz have already shown that they can draft pretty well. They drafted QB Matthew Stafford (1st rd), TE Brandon Pettigrew (1st rd), S Louis Delmas (2nd rd), LB DeAndre Levy (3rd rd), DT Sammie Lee-Hill (4th rd), and LB Zack Follet (7th rd). These six players have all shown some signs of ability and future for the Lions. If they can trade Calvin and get extra picks for next year, just imagine what six to eight more players could do for this roster. Think about it!


Con #1-Calvin is one of the best wide receivers in the league. The way he catches the football is great. The Lions just drafted, what we hope to be, our franchise QB in Matthew Stafford. It would be a disservice to Stafford to then turnaround the next season and trade the best and most proven commodity away. Having a full off-season with Calvin knowing who will be throwing him the ball next season would be significant. It would allow the franchise QB (Matthew Stafford) and the franchise playmaker (Calvin Johnson) to be on the same page going into the next season.

Con #2-I have been racking my brain with this next con for a few weeks now. Is Calvin a leader? Fans loved Barry Sanders. He was the only player in the ‘90s that gave fans something to look forward to every Sunday. But I have heard fans also say that Barry was not a leader. He did not express himself to owner William Clay Ford Sr. about what the team needed to win. Players were let go, traded, free agents not signed, but yet Barry said nothing. He just did is thing, gave the ball to the ref, sat down, and didn’t say anything. Could Calvin be the same way? I haven’t heard of any meetings with the GM or coach regarding what he thinks the team needs to do. And I’m not referring to a T.O. like rant. I mean something positive. I haven’t heard any reports of Calvin sitting down with Stafford and explaining things to him. I haven’t seen any reports of Calvin running extra routes after practice with Stafford or any other QB for that matter. He just does his thing, gives the ball to the ref, sits down, and says nothing. Hmmm…sound familiar?


Please leave comments under the comment section. Or you can email me at davidhulljr@gmail.com