More than a month after the NFL took away a seventh-round draft pick from the Lions because of a tampering violation, the league has given the pick back to Detroit.
ESPN.com’s Mike Sando first reported the NFL has reinstated Detroit’s seventh-round pick upon appeal. The Lions will instead lose a 2012 pick.
PFT has confirmed the report, and Florio has tracked down further details.
We’ve learned that the Lions will lose a sixth-round pick in next year’s draft if they make the playoffs. They’ll lose a seventh-round pick if they miss the playoffs, for a 12th straight year. The league reasoned that this year’s pick was worth more because of the labor situation.
The Lions were represented in their appeal by sports attorney David Cornwell.
UPDATE: The Lions and Chiefs will still swap fifth-round picks this year, as originally announced.