DETROIT -- The Lions need a receiver, and Clemson's Sammy Watkins is widely considered the best this draft has to offer. But there's almost no chance he's still around when Detroit is on the clock at No. 10.

Which elicits the question: Would the Lions consider moving up to take Watkins?

The answer appears to be yes.

President Tom Lewand said the Lions would consider any potential move -- whether it's moving up or down -- that comes at the right price.

"Our position is we always have to be ready to improve our team in whatever way is possible," he said this week during an appearance on "Mondays with Bernie" at the TAP restaurant in Detroit's MGM casino. "Sometimes we search those things out, and they don't materialize. Sometimes they are presented to us, and you take advantage of them.

"We have to be ready, no matter what the opportunity is."

The Lions have been active on the draft-day trade market under general manager Martin Mayhew, but have slid up or down in the first round just once. They dealt their second- and seventh-round picks to Minnesota -- plus flipped fourth-rounders -- for the 30th overall pick in 2010.

They used that pick to select Jahvid Best, an electric tailback from Cal who was dynamic in the Lions' offense until his career was cut short due to brain injuries.

First-round deals can be tricky because of the stakes and the price. The Dolphins only had to forfeit a second-round pick to move from 12th to third last year and select Oregon defensive end Dion Jordan, but those kinds of deals are rare.

The Rams, for example, had to give Buffalo a first-, second- and seventh-round pick to move from 16th to eighth last year and select receiver Tavon Austin. The teams also swapped a third-round pick.

In 2011, Atlanta traded up from 26th to sixth to draft receiver Julio Jones. It had to give up a second and fourth-round pick, plus its first- and fourth-round picks the following year.

The Lions don't seem to have the kind of resources or flexibility to give up so much for one player. With so much money already tied up in 2014 and 2015, they need the draft's cheap labor to fill out the roster.

Plus, this draft is incredibly deep -- including at receiver -- and that might deter teams from trading away mid-round picks that could potentially net starting-caliber talent.

The Lions already have traded their fifth-round pick to the Jaguars for receiver Mike Thomas (who is no longer with the team), which is one less resource to package in a deal.

But if the right deal presented itself?

"If there's a chance to improve the team by trading up or trading back, we'll look at that," Lewand said. "And if it makes sense, we'll do it."