San Francisco moved up eight spots in the 2012 fourth round,…
San Francisco moved up eight spots in the 2012 fourth round, sending picks No. 125 and No. 196 to Detroit for No. 117. The 49ers selected Joe Looney, while Detroit used its picks on Ronnell Lewis and Jonte Green. Looney's substantially longer NFL career gave San Francisco the most valuable realized asset and a clear hindsight win.
San Francisco 49ers Received
- pick 2012 4th round pick (#117, Joe Looney )
Detroit Lions Received
- pick 2012 4th round pick (#125, Ronnell Lewis )
- pick 2012 6th round pick (#196, Jonte Green )
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
San Francisco traded fourth-round pick No. 125 and sixth-round pick No. 196 to Detroit on April 28, 2012 for fourth-round pick No. 117. The 49ers used No. 117 on offensive lineman Joe Looney. Detroit selected Ronnell Lewis at No. 125 and Jonte Green at No. 196. The package is a straightforward move-up: one higher fourth-rounder for a lower fourth and a sixth.
San Francisco 49ers Return
Looney became the trade's strongest realized asset. He built a substantially longer NFL career than either player Detroit selected with the return, giving San Francisco durable value from a modest move up the board. The 49ers paid an extra sixth-round pick, but the cost was justified in hindsight because the player they targeted remained useful in the league for years.
Detroit Lions Return
Detroit followed a sensible volume strategy by moving down eight spots and adding a sixth-round selection. Lewis and Green gave the Lions two opportunities instead of one, but neither developed into a player whose career matched Looney's longevity. The process was defensible, which keeps Detroit from a harsh grade, yet the realized outcomes did not reward the additional draft shot.
Value in Hindsight
Pick-volume trades can favor the team moving down when multiple selections produce contributors. Here, the opposite happened. San Francisco used the more valuable single pick on the player with the longest and most useful career, while Detroit's two selections failed to create comparable aggregate value. That is enough to swing the exchange clearly toward the 49ers.
Final Verdict
San Francisco earns a B+ and Detroit a C. The Lions received fair draft value in the moment, but Looney's career gave the 49ers the best result from the transaction by a meaningful margin. The deal is a San Francisco 49ers Win, driven by successful player selection rather than an unreasonable price paid on draft day.