Detroit traded defensive tackle Akeem Spence to Miami for a…
Detroit traded defensive tackle Akeem Spence to Miami for a 2019 seventh-round pick, eventually No. 229 and P.J. Johnson. The Lions created cap and roster flexibility and recovered a draft asset, but Johnson did not provide comparable Detroit production. Spence immediately started all 16 games for Miami, making the Dolphins' inexpensive veteran acquisition the more valuable side.
Detroit Lions Received
- pick 2019 7th round pick (229th overall, P.J. Johnson)
Miami Dolphins Received
- player Akeem Spence
Trade Analysis
What Changed Hands
Miami acquired defensive tackle Akeem Spence from Detroit on May 3, 2018 and sent the Lions a 2019 seventh-round selection. The pick eventually settled at No. 229, which Detroit used on defensive tackle P.J. Johnson. Spence had been a regular contributor for the Lions in 2017, but Detroit was reshaping its defensive front under a new coaching staff. Miami saw an opportunity to add an experienced interior player without surrendering meaningful draft capital.
Why Miami Pulled Ahead
Spence immediately justified the small price. He started all 16 games for the Dolphins in 2018, finished with 42 tackles and two sacks, and gave the club dependable snaps in the middle of the defense. That is a strong one-year return for a seventh-round choice. Detroit did receive the exact kind of asset teams hope to recover for a player whose fit has changed, but the eventual selection did not develop into a comparable contributor for the Lions.
How the Trade Aged
This was never going to reshape either franchise, yet the realized value is still clear. Miami effectively bought a season-long starter at a position of need for one of the least expensive draft assets available. Detroit's logic was defensible because moving Spence opened room for a different roster construction and created a future pick. The problem for the Lions' side is that the pick did not become enough to offset the production they sent away.
Final Verdict
Miami wins with a B, while Detroit earns a C-. Spence's 16 starts and full-season defensive role comfortably beat the return from the seventh-round selection. The acquisition was inexpensive, useful and productive, which is exactly what a successful veteran trade should look like.