Brad Holmes believed in the Lions a little too much and now they’re paying for it
The Lions GM had too much confidence in his defensive line and it’s hurting him
Look, I get it. I 100% understand what Detroit Lions GM Brad Holmes was trying to do this offseason. There was one thing that Lions fans wanted more than anything in the offseason, and that was an edge rusher. It was all anyone talked about nonstop.
Brad Holmes’ offseason misses caught up with him this time
The Lions have a lot of contracts to take care of. Aidan Hutchinson was not cheap. Jameson Williams wasn’t either. You can bet your bottom dollar that Jahmyr Gibbs, Sam LaPorta, Brian Branch, Jack Campbell, and Terrion Arnold are going to be pricey, too. So I was totally behind Holmes when he didn’t make the mega trade for Myles Garrett or Trey Hendrickson, and it made a lot of sense that they didn’t go out and sign any of the top-dollar guys in free agency. It even made sense that they got Marcus Davenport back on a super low-dollar deal.
What made no sense is that the Lions went into the draft and didn’t pick an edge rusher till the sixth round. That was with the knowledge that Josh Paschal needed back surgery, and Levi Onwuzurike was going to need knee surgery.
They had the 28th pick, and Donovan Ezeiruaku was right there, Nic Scourton was right there, Oluwafemi Oladejo was right there, and others were right there. The Lions instead drafted Tyleik Williams. You can see where he’s going to be great for this team in the future, but what about right now?
Then you go to the third round, and the Lions trade up for a receiver who I still believe is going to be good for them, but they did not need to move up for him over an edge who could start or contribute for this team right away.
Ok, that’s fine. Let’s move to the season. The Lions didn’t get Za’Darius Smith back. That made all the sense in the world and still does. At the trade deadline, I don’t know how the Lions just sat there and didn’t make that move for Jaelan Phillips. It was the easiest move in the world, and while I hate to give Eagles GM Howie Roseman credit because I think people don’t pay attention to how a lot of his moves don’t work out, he nailed it. That was a move the Lions needed to make, and they sat on their hands and had too much confidence in what they had.
Now they have one of the best edge rushers in the league, who teams just double, triple and chip all day long, and they have nobody who can take advantage of that. Davenport can’t win his one-on-ones, Al-Quadin Muhammad and Alim McNeill can’t seem to do it either.
Going into this offseason, the Lions are going to have to get their extensions going, and they can do all of it, but they have to make a move that comes from outside the team that says they want to win this thing. They can’t play it safe anymore. It’s time to “F those picks.” It’s time to take the next step before it’s too late.
Detroit Lions News
The Lions are being killed by their own culture
The Lions are beating themselves out there with the simplest things
