The Detroit Lions have gone on a meteoric rise since Brad Holmes took over as the team’s general manager in 2021. They’ve gone from a 3-13-1 squad in ‘21, to a team that went 12-5 and finished as division champions and one win shy of a Super Bowl appearance in 2023.
And, a significant portion of the Lions’ drastic turnaround can be attributed to Holmes’ drafting prowess.
In three total drafts as the team’s lead front office decision-maker, Holmes has selected five Pro Bowlers, including a pair of All-Pros (offensive tackle Penei Sewell and receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown). Additionally, he’s done so while consistently taking the best player available on his and Detroit’s draft board, instead of drafting based on need.
Just because the Lions’ Super Bowl “window” has opened, it doesn’t mean that Holmes is going to change his philosophy going into next week’s draft, either.
“Yeah, I don’t really base it off of windows really. Again, it’s just how much of an impactful player do you want to get,” Holmes said of his drafting strategy. “I’m just trying to think – look, if there was a – I think I told you guys last year we had what, six and 18 originally? We were looking to trade up from 18 if it stayed how it stayed. That didn’t really depend on the window that we were in or anything. It’s just that those were some players that we really, really wanted to have. And, that’s just kind of what we had in mind that that was going to be the plan. It kind of worked out a little bit differently, (so) you have to be prepared for everything.”
Based on the latest rumor mill, there’s at least a chance the Lions, which possess the No. 29 overall pick in the 2024 draft, will trade up on Day 1.
A year ago, Holmes & Co. did the opposite and traded down with the Arizona Cardinals, swapping the No. 6 pick with the Cardinals’ No. 12 pick. With the 12th overall selection, Detroit nabbed running back Jahmyr Gibbs, who became a Pro Bowler in his debut NFL season.
If the Lions do move up in the first round this year, it will be for a player who ultimately would be a “fit” in Detroit, according to Holmes.
“First of all, it’s got to be the right guy,” Holmes said to the idea of trading up from No. 29. “You guys see this, how we’ve operated in the past. If it’s the player that we want, we’re just going to go and get them. There are a lot of boxes that need to be checked.
“I think we kind of said it a little bit at the end of the season, everybody can’t play here. It’s got to be identified. That player has to be identified as, ‘Okay, he’s checked all those boxes. He’s the right pick and he’s the right fit.’ Also, it’s just how high you’re talking. Is it way high? Is it just a few spots? Either one, obviously when you trade up for a player, you identified him. But, me and (Lions head coach) Dan (Campbell) have been saying from day one, it just has to be the right fit.”
At the end of the day, Holmes, regardless of Super Bowl expectations, is focused on continuing to improve Detroit’s roster through the draft.
“I understand the question because you’re like, ‘Okay, the roster’s at a certain point. Okay, you guys should be contenders headed into the season, so okay, how do you operate this way?’ But, again, I just think if we keep improving every single year through doing it in our process, that’s what we’ve been doing and that’s what we’ll continue to do,” Holmes expressed. “I think when you start getting into that, ‘We’ve got this window, we’ve got this, so we’ve got to pivot,’ that’s when I think you kind of get into a little bit of trouble.”
Day 1 of the 2024 NFL Draft kicks off Thursday at 8 p.m. in downtown Detroit.
