Detroit Lions trade rumors: Team could deal Nick Fairley during the season

Aug 9, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Lions defensive tackle Nick Fairley (98) during the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Browns at Ford Field. Detroit won 13-12. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 9, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Lions defensive tackle Nick Fairley (98) during the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Browns at Ford Field. Detroit won 13-12. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nick Fairley isn’t doing much this preseason to dispel the notion that he has been a bust, and the Detroit Lions may soon decide to cut their losses and trade the former first-round pick.

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Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press speculates on the possibility of Fairley being dangled as trade bait midseason if the Lions don’t start getting some return on the #13 overall pick they spent on Fairley in 2011.

As Birkett points out, the Lions have demoted Fairley to second string this preseason, and Fairley has responded by not playing a whole heck of a lot better.

The Lions still hope that return comes on the field, and they have demoted Fairley to second-team defensive tackle last week in one final appeal to his pride.

Fairley responded with a dog of a game Friday against the Oakland Raiders, but with the hope of a new season on the horizon, he’s still too talented to give up on.

I can’t imagine that the Lions would get much in a trade for Nick Fairley either now or during the season. Sure he has talent, but he also has a terrible attitude, and the terrible attitude is the reason he hasn’t developed to this point.

Some team might be willing to cough up a seventh rounder on the hope that they can bring Fairley in and turn him around but I don’t see the Lions getting more than that. Fairley is a turd and they wasted a pick on him in 2011.

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