Tampa Bay traded Carlton Davis plus 2024 and 2025 sixth-round…
Tampa Bay traded Carlton Davis plus 2024 and 2025 sixth-round picks to Detroit for No. 92, which became Jalen McMillan. Davis gave the Lions a strong one-year starting corner during their 15-win 2024 season before leaving in free agency. McMillan scored eight touchdowns as a rookie, then lost much of 2025 to injury. Both teams received exactly the kind of value they sought, making an even grade more appropriate now.
Detroit Lions Received
- player Carlton Davis
- pick 2024 6th round pick (201st overall subsequently traded, Micah Abraham )
- pick 2025 6th round pick (196th overall, Ahmed Hassanein)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Received
- pick 2024 3rd round pick (92nd overall, Jalen McMillan)
Trade Analysis
Detroit approached the 2024 offseason with a roster ready to contend but a clear need at outside cornerback. Tampa Bay had depth in its secondary and was willing to move Carlton Davis before the final year of his contract. The Buccaneers sent Davis plus sixth-round picks in 2024 and 2025 to Detroit for the 92nd overall selection. Tampa Bay used that third-round pick on Washington receiver Jalen McMillan.
Davis delivered the veteran stability Detroit wanted. He became a starting corner on a Lions team that went 15-2 and earned the NFC’s top seed. His physical coverage style fit a defense that needed immediate improvement on the perimeter. The relationship was intentionally short-term: Davis left after the season in free agency, so Detroit received one competitive window rather than a long-term asset. For a team chasing a championship, however, that was the point of the move.
Tampa Bay’s return has a different timeline. McMillan caught 37 passes for 461 yards and eight touchdowns as a rookie, with a late-season scoring surge that established him as a real complementary weapon. His 2025 season was derailed by injury, limiting him to four games and 12 catches for 178 yards. Even with that setback, Tampa Bay still controls a young receiver who has already demonstrated red-zone production.
The secondary sixth-round assets did not create enough value to overwhelm the comparison. Detroit’s gain was concentrated in Davis’ one season as a starter; Tampa Bay’s upside remains tied to McMillan’s development and health.
The original C+/B grading favored Detroit, which was reasonable immediately after its 15-win season. With McMillan’s eight-touchdown rookie year now part of the record, the gap has closed. A B for both teams and an Even Trade verdict better reflects a classic timeline swap: Detroit bought a needed veteran for a title push, while Tampa Bay converted him into a young offensive contributor.