The Detroit Lions hired Brad Holmes to be their general manager in January of 2021. Since then, there's been a bit a narrative about him that's sort of fan made. The idea is that Holmes and the Lions are a team that wants to build strictly through the draft so that they can have sustained success instead of quick success. 

Part of that obviously true. The Lions have spent the last three years stocking up in the draft while avoiding bringing in any high priced free agents or putting themselves into a situation where they would have to pay anyone on their team a large contract during this building period. The example there being the Lions moving on from T.J. Hockenson. 

While the Lions have built this way to this point, you have to wonder how much of that was out of necessity. The Lions were a really bad team when he took over. Possibly in worse shape than the 0-16 team. At least that team appeared to have a future on the horizon at the times. The 2020 Lions were very bad and had infamously bad culture. 

So you can see why you can't bring much talent in after that season. That and the Lions didn't have ton of money. After the 2021 season the Lions continuedto build in the draft and figure their money stuff out. Still, a bad team wasn't going to draw talent. 

This year you're seeing that players do want play for the Lions and Holmes has been more apt to pay those players now that the team is in good financial standing and are ready to start competing for things. 

So what does that mean at the trade deadline? This is really the first time we've seen this team go into the deadline as a good team that's also looking to be buyers. Are they about to buy hard? 

I'm leaning towards yes. Because while Holmes has been a build through the draft for sustained success guy so far, he comes from a place that started selling off assets for big time players as soon as they had built to a place they felt comfortable at. 

The Rams had built a good base with picks like Aaron Donald, Jared Goff, Todd Gurley and Cooper Kupp. They surrounded those guys with starting caliber players via the draft and then went off in 2018 when they acquired Brandin Cooks, Marcus Peters, Aquib Talib and Dante Fowler in trades. 

That team went to the Super Bowl. Then they doubled down on that with trading for Jalen Ramsey and Austin Corbett at the deadline in 2019 and then Matthew Stafford and Von Miller in 2021.

I don't know, I just find it hard to believe that both Brad Holmes and Ray Agnew, who was director of pro personnel for the Rams during all those acquisitions and is now Lions assistant GM, were sitting there thinking that when they get a shot, they're going to go the exact opposite route of what their mentor Les Snead was doing in Los Angeles. 

I just don't see it. I think Holmes and Agnew subscribe to a similar rationale and now that they have the assets, money and a roster that's sustainable, I think they're ready to start taking some swings. 

But we don't know for sure. That's why I went with the title that I went with. Becasue maybe Holmes is the conservative guy that we sort of think he could be. Maybe he plans to go into the deadline and grab a couple pieces on the cheap and we sit back and watch the build continue to happen. Why not right? It's working so far. This team went from a dead carcass on the side of the highway to a team that's ready to compete for things in year three. Maybe they keep building and we see what happens. 

Maybe Holmes dials up some deep swings and grabs a Pro Bowl caliber player or two at the deadline and the Lions start thinking about making a run for big things sooner than later. 

We'll see over the course of the next eight days who Holmes really is. 

5 Cornerbacks the Lions could trade for this week

Sunday was a rough day for the Detroit Lions. More than anything, it was a tough day for their secondary that allowed Lamar Jackson to pick them apart with 357 yards and three touchdowns. They were averaging 12.8 yards per play in the pass game. Even their full back ripped off a 28 yard catch.  […]