INDIANAPOLIS -- With 30 losses in the previous two seasons, the Detroit Lions are willing to consider any option available to get things turned around. Those options include trading the No. 2 pick in the draft and making a run at LaDainian Tomlinson.
"We're open to just about everything," Detroit coach Jim Schwartz said Thursday at the NFL scouting combine. "Whether you keep the second pick or whether you trade down, it doesn't change what you have to do -- that's make good decisions in the draft. There are blue-chip players available a lot of different spots in the draft."
The Lions, who were just 2-14 last year after going 0-16 in 2008, need to upgrade their running game. Detroit ranked 24th in the league with 101 yards per game. So Schwartz didn't rule out picking up Tomlinson, the longtime San Diego Chargers back who was released Monday after a nine-year run in which he became one of the greatest running backs in NFL history.
"We'll look at every way we can to improve the team," Schwartz said. "I don't think we make any decisions and just blanket say, 'No, we're not interested.' Every player has something they can bring and if they can help us win, we'll look at just about everything. I have a tremendous amount of respect for him."
