Detroit moved up four spots in the 2005 second round to…
Detroit moved up four spots in the 2005 second round to select defensive tackle Shaun Cody, sending Tennessee picks 41 and 113. Cody became a useful NFL player but never an impact Lion. The Titans turned their two selections into tackles Michael Roos and David Stewart, a long-running starting pair that anchored the offensive line for years, making this one of the clearest value gaps in the wave.
Detroit Lions Received
- pick 2005 2nd round pick (37th overall, Shaun Cody)
Tennessee Titans Received
- pick 2005 2nd round pick (41st overall, Michael Roos)
- pick 2005 4th round pick (113th overall, David Stewart)
Trade Analysis
Why the Trade Happened
Detroit wanted Shaun Cody badly enough to move from pick 41 to pick 37 in the 2005 draft. Tennessee was willing to slide four spots because it could still address the offensive line while adding a fourth-round selection. The transaction therefore became a classic draft-day trade-up: one club concentrated its value in a single prospect, while the other accepted more shots at building its roster.
What the Returns Produced
Cody spent four seasons with Detroit and contributed as a rotational defensive lineman, but he never became the difference-making interior defender the trade-up implied. Tennessee selected Michael Roos with pick 41 and David Stewart with pick 113. Roos became a long-term left tackle and earned major honors; Stewart developed into a durable right tackle. Together they formed the foundation of the Titans' line for years.
How the Value Developed
The Titans won both on quantity and on quality. One of their selections produced a high-level blind-side starter, and the other produced another long-tenured starter at a premium position. Detroit's player had an NFL career and later started for Houston, but his Lions value was nowhere close to the combined snaps, stability and peak performance Tennessee received.
Why This Trade Still Matters
Draft trade-downs do not automatically work, but this one shows the ideal outcome. Tennessee stayed close to its original slot, still landed a premium starter and then hit again with the additional pick. Detroit paid a meaningful opportunity cost for a player who did not become a core piece, creating an unusually wide hindsight margin.
Final Verdict
Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans Win is the best fit. Detroit Lions earns a D, while Tennessee Titans earns a A+. Those grades reflect the cost paid, the direct production received, the length and quality of each contribution, and any important downstream value created from draft capital.