ESPN’s Adam Schefter confirms that the Lions have acquired tight end Tony Scheffler and a 2010 seventh-round pick from the Broncos, as part of a three-team trade that also sent linebacker Ernie Sims to the Eagles in exchange for a 2010 fifth-round pick. (The Broncos get the fifth round pick from this deal.)

There are some concerns that 2009 first rounder Brandon Pettigrew isn’t recovering from the torn ACL he suffered last season and that’s why Detroit needed Scheffler. But to give up a solid playmaker in Sims in order to acquire a semi-productive Scheffler and a seventh round pick is questionable to say the least.

Sims is coming off his worst year as a pro after only recording 49 tackles in 11 games during an injury-plagued season. But in his three previous seasons, he produced an average of 124 tackles without missing a game due to injury. When healthy, the 25-year-old can be extremely productive and therefore was a great catch for an Eagles team that desperately needed help at the linebacker position.

Maybe Detroit GM Martin Mayhew knew that the Lions weren’t going to re-sign the former first overall pick, which is why he decided to fill his need at tight end and get something for Sims now. But in terms of value, only Matt Millen could appreciate a deal like this (which is maybe why they made the move in the first place – to wash their hands of anything Millen ever touched). The Eagles essentially traded a fifth round pick for Sims, while the Lions traded Sims for Scheffler. That’s what this trade boils down to, which is an awful deal if you’re a Detroit fan.

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