Detroit Lions GM Brad Holmes joined the crew on 97.1 The Ticket this morning
Following a commendable run to the NFC Championship Game, the Detroit Lions have now fully pivoted towards optimizing their roster for the 2024 season. Detroit Lions GM Brad Holmes, in a candid conversation with Jon Jansen and Jim Costa on 97.1 The Ticket, shared his philosophy on building a team capable of sustained success, emphasizing a methodical approach to free agency and the draft.
Holmes expressed his preference for addressing team needs through free agency, citing the limited pool of “true cornerstone players” in the draft and the risks of bypassing such talents in pursuit of filling specific roles. This strategy has informed the Lions’ cautious yet strategic moves in past offseasons, avoiding the allure of the “one player away” narrative that Holmes firmly rejects.
Strategic Depth Over Splashy Moves
Brad Holmes articulated a vision that transcends winning headlines in March, focusing instead on building a team that thrives in the critical months of the NFL season. Holmes highlighted the importance of a balanced approach, ensuring the team does not regress but continues on its upward trajectory. This philosophy extends to the draft, where Holmes likened picking in the top 10 to choosing between two paradise destinations, underscoring his comfort and excitement with drafting later at 29 due to the deeper analysis it necessitates.
“That’s very relative in terms of — what is a bigger fish? We’ve kind of kept it pretty strategic and selective in terms of the resources that we’ve had,” Holmes explained. “But it’s very subjective of what you deem a bigger fish. I think I have an idea because it’s the ‘name’ but again, it’s gonna be the same approach that we’ve always had because, I think I said in that press conference, it’s easy to win the headlines. It’s easy to win in March. That’s easy to win, but man, we’re trying to win December and those are two different perspectives and that’s how you’ve gotta plan and that’s how you’ve got to approach it.”
A Calculated Approach to Free Agency
With an increase in salary cap space, the Detroit Lions find themselves in a position to potentially make bigger moves than previously anticipated. However, Brad Holmes remains committed to a strategy that values long-term growth and cultural fit over short-term gains. This disciplined approach aims to maintain the team’s core while exploring opportunities to enhance the roster with players who align with the Lions’ ethos and competitive aspirations.
“The reason why I’m more — no, I don’t feel a pressure or urgency. What I said last offseason, I said, we don’t want to take any steps backwards,” Holmes said. “We want to keep improving, and we’re gonna take the same approach. We’re not gonna take any steps backward and we’re gonna keep improving and what we’ve done so far, that’s what’s been working. We’ll adjust to different circumstances when needed but overall approach, that’s not changing.”
Depth as a Cornerstone
Acknowledging the unpredictable nature of the NFL season, Brad Holmes stressed the importance of depth to counter injuries and setbacks. The Detroit Lions’ focus remains on bolstering their squad across the board, ensuring resilience and adaptability in the face of challenges. Holmes’s skepticism of the “one player away” concept underscores his belief in a comprehensive team-building strategy, one that accounts for the myriad factors contributing to a successful NFL campaign.
“I think when you look externally, which I think that’s when you’ve got to be the most careful, when you go externally,” the GM explained. “You might want to open up and do you want to externally say, we can get another depth player here with external add or do you want to just say, we have this handful of players that we’re looking to add from an external standpoint. Now that we have this much more available, maybe we can get a bigger fish, so it’s a lot of different ways you can slice it. You’ve just got to be mindful of it, keep it in perspective, but I don’t think you need to scrap your plans.”
“Look, I’m not a big believer in — when you really look deeply into the one player away, when you look into that narrative, that’s really not realistic because what you’re saying is, you might sign that one player in March,” Holmes stated. “That one player looks good in black and white in the depth chart in March and April and all through the summer.”
TL;DR (too long didn’t read)
- Brad Holmes Prefers Free Agency for Team Needs: The Detroit Lions GM emphasizes leveraging free agency to fill gaps, reserving the draft for selecting cornerstone players, thereby avoiding the trap of drafting based on need alone.
- Holmes Rejects the “One Player Away” Narrative: Demonstrating a strategic depth-focused approach, Holmes plans for long-term success over making splashy, headline-grabbing moves in the offseason.
- Strategic Depth and Cultural Fit Over Big Moves: Despite increased salary cap space, the Lions aim to prioritize signings that align with the team’s culture and long-term objectives, focusing on building a resilient and versatile roster.
Looking Ahead
As the Lions navigate the offseason, Holmes’s insights offer a glimpse into the strategic mindset guiding the franchise’s decision-making. With a clear commitment to incremental improvement and a steadfast refusal to deviate from a proven approach, the Lions are poised to refine their roster in alignment with Holmes’s vision of sustainable success.
Detroit fans can take solace in their GM’s thoughtful approach to the offseason, fostering optimism for a team that not only aims to return to the NFC Championship Game but to advance further, with the ultimate goal of bringing a Super Bowl victory to the Motor City.
