Report: Lions trade Jeremy Kerley to 49ers for Brandon Thomas
The Detroit Lions have agreed to a trade that will send wide receiver Jeremy Kerley to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for offensive lineman Brandon Thomas, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports.
Kerley appeared poised for a role among the Lions' top receivers upon landing in Detroit this offseason, but a move to bring in Anquan Boldin seemingly made him expendable.
The 27-year-old, who spent the first five seasons of his career with the New York Jets, gives Chip Kelly and the 49ers' offense a second receiver to utilize out of the slot alongside breakout candidate Bruce Ellington.
Thomas, meanwhile, gets a fresh start after a disappointing start to his NFL career. The former Clemson standout was thought by many to be an early-round candidate heading into the 2014 draft, but a torn ACL suffered in a team workout saw him remain on the board until late in the third round.
He missed his entire rookie season as a result of the injury, and didn't start a game upon making his return in 2015. However, his talent should still give him every opportunity to earn a depth role on the interior.
The deal, which appears to be a rare one-for-one swap, is reportedly pending physicals for both players.