Denver traded wide receiver Trinity Benson and a 2023…
Denver traded wide receiver Trinity Benson and a 2023 sixth-round pick to Detroit for a 2022 fifth-rounder and a conditional 2022 seventh. The seventh did not convey, but the fifth-round asset still gave Denver meaningful draft value. Benson produced only 10 receptions for 103 yards across nine Lions games, so Detroit paid a future pick for limited on-field return and lost the exchange decisively.
Denver Broncos Received
- pick 2022 5th round pick (145th overall subsequently traded, Darian Kinnard )
- pick Conditional 2022 7th round pick (not conveyed)
Detroit Lions Received
- player Trinity Benson
- pick 2023 6th round pick (183rd overall subsequently traded, JL Skinner )
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
On the 2021 roster-cut deadline, Denver sent wide receiver Trinity Benson and a 2023 sixth-round pick to Detroit. The Broncos received Detroit's 2022 fifth-round selection and a conditional 2022 seventh-rounder. The condition on the seventh was not met, so the actual draft return to Denver was the fifth-round choice.
Denver Broncos Return
Denver sold high on a preseason riser who faced a crowded receiving room. The fifth-round selection arrived a year earlier than the sixth-round pick Denver gave up, and it was also a round higher. That is meaningful draft-value improvement even before considering Benson's later production. Denver eventually moved the acquired fifth in another transaction, preserving its usefulness as roster-building currency rather than relying on one specific selection outcome.
Detroit Lions Return
Detroit gave Benson an opportunity immediately, but the receiving results were modest. He appeared in eight games in 2021 and one in 2022, totaling 10 receptions for 103 yards and no touchdowns. The Lions also received Denver's 2023 sixth-round choice, which softened the cost, but the player portion never became a durable answer. The conditional seventh Detroit offered did not convey, limiting the damage but not changing the basic comparison.
Value in Hindsight
The Broncos converted a player near the edge of their roster into a better and earlier draft asset while giving up a later future choice. Detroit received little production from the player it targeted. This is exactly the kind of small transaction in which timing and asset conversion create the advantage.
Final Verdict
Denver earns a B+ and Detroit a D. The Broncos maximized leverage and received real draft value. Detroit's sixth-round return prevents an F, but Benson's limited production leaves the Lions well behind in hindsight.