NFLaccess

Two NFL team executives gave the Detroit Lions high marks for getting a first-, third- and sixth-round draft pick from the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for WR Roy Williams and a seventh-rounder.

“Even if it’s a low-(first-round pick), the fact is that they got it now, for the 2009 draft,” one team executive said. “If they had waited, it might not have been until 2010. Once you hit the offseason, even if you franchise a player, the price can go down and you’re left hanging.

“And I like Roy Williams as a player, a lot. Big, strong, fast. Dallas got a good player and give them a lot of credit, they locked him up for a long time. But if you’re Detroit, you have to like where you’re going.”

Another team executive said that Detroit benefited from Dallas being in a desperate mode.

“With all the injuries and that (Adam) ‘Pacman’ (Jones) fiasco, I don’t think there’s any question that the Cowboys were itching to do something. (Dallas owner) Jerry (Jones) can’t help himself, he’s going to do something big and splashy, especially when he’s down . Williams will play for them. The Pacman thing was just dumb .,” the executive said.

The bottom line to both executives is that the Lions are in position to rebuild the team quickly once they hire a permanent general manager to replace Matt Millen. The Lions will have five picks in the first three rounds of the ‘09 draft, and both executives think the team could move more players in the offseason. In fact, some believe that the deal could lead to Martin Mayhew, the team’s acting GM, getting the job.

“I don’t know exactly who pulled off this deal in Detroit. Not that it much matters, the Cowboys were looking to make this deal for awhile,” one of the executives said. “But this may be a shot in the arm for the guys who are there. I think Mayhew has the right ideas if he’s the guy, but you better have a well-thought plan if you’re going to make it work there. The place has no history, nothing that makes you think players want to be there.”