The Detroit Lions have a way of doing things that truly seems like it's just for them. Brad Holmes will not bow down to draft experts, and he's just not going to draft or sign players the way fans or media think he should. With that comes questions like this. 

Are you nervous that Brad is feeling himself and that he should reign back his controversial swings in the draft (and trading valuable draft capital to do it)

— dan feral (king jit/HIM) ? ? (@uzinasdaqbaba) May 5, 2025

I get it to an extent. Holmes has his way of doing things, and they've worked out really well so far. But with that comes the possibility that they will stop working out so well at some point. 

In the past, I've had issues with Holmes's approach. It was really all about one position, and I think you know which one I'm talking about. It's edge rusher obviously. 

My job is to write about the news surrounding the Lions, but it's also my job to react to what's happening right in front of me when it's happening and share that reaction. 

Last year, I watched this team forgo drafting or signing an edge rusher, and then I watched Marcus Davenport get hurt immediately, and that seemed to be the only plan the Lions had. So I wrote about how the overconfidence in the pass rush was hurting Detroit. Then I watched myself eat those words as the Lions had one of the best defenses in the NFL until the injuries became too much.

It wasn't just those first six weeks when the team had everyone. The Lions' defense was one of the best defenses in the league weeks after the Aidan Hutchinson injury. They were ranked second in defensive DVOA going into Week 12. 

At the end of the day, it's incredibly easy to get caught up in the circumstances. The Lions' season didn't end the way you wanted it to. 

It didn't have anything to do with the way the Lions draft players, It didn't have anything to do with them not having a great edge rusher opposite Hutchinson and, this might seem out of left field but it feels like this is where the want for an edge really went to a another level, it didn't have anything to do with the Eagles sacking Patrick Mahomes a lot in the Super Bowl and how Howie Roseman seems to keep nailing the draft because he drafts guys whose name you know. 

It was the injuries. That was it. This team went into the playoffs missing their number one edge, their number one defensive tackle, their number one cornerback, their starting SAM linebacker, and a slew of other players who really help their depth on defense. Then Amik Robertson, who was their CB1 after Davis went down, broke his arm early in the playoff game. 

People can do the whole "injuries are part of the game" thing all they want, but that's a cop out. The Lions lost everyone, and eventually it became nearly impossible to get over. 

Holmes is right when he says that the Lions don't need to overreact to that, and doing so could be bad for the team.

"I don’t understand the whole need thing because when each season ends, it’s going to be something else. Another player’s contract is going to end, another player unfortunately might be coming off an injury. It’s going to be something different every single offseason. So if you’re trying to chase the what happened last season of this guy’s contract is up, you’re trying to chase that, this guy’s got an injury. You’re kind of just getting into a cycle that I think’s a little bit dangerous to get into." 

He's right. Every year, we watch nearly the same group of NFL teams react to the previous season and go out and chase needs over talent. Maybe that's why we keep seeing the same teams picking in the top 10 of the draft over and over again. 

The Lions just want good players, and they don't particularly care, or care too much, about what position that player plays. They want guys who play well, but also have the mindset of wanting to work hard and get better and maybe be a little obsessed with making that happen, too. 

That's why what they do in the draft just doesn't feel like swings anymore. There always turns out to be a reason as to why they went after a player where they did. The Lions are smart, but there are other smart teams, too. 

Tyleik Williams might have felt like a reach in the moment, but now we know the Bills were probably taking him two picks later. Isaac TeSlaa might have felt like a reach, but he was all over multiple teams' boards, and the Broncos were very likely to take him four picks later. 

In terms of trading away assets. I'm all about it and always have been. If you love a player, go get him. In the moment, it might feel like giving away future draft picks is a killer, but the Lions did the same thing in the 2024 draft, and it didn't have any effect on how they drafted this year. They still got their guys. 

To answer the question, no, I don't think he's feeling himself too much. I think teams should be adopting his approach. Go get the players you love and feel the best about, and not the positions you "need." That need is also going to keep changing, and you'll never be able to get ahead of it. 

Now that Aidan Hutchinson is cleared, here’s when you might expect him to sign his big market-changing extension

The Detroit Lions got some big news on Thursday when Aidan Hutchinson stood at the podium and announced to local media that he his fully cleared to resume football activities. Absolutely huge news.  Now the question is wondering when will Hutchinson get that huge extension that everyone expects him to get? An extension that could […]