Category: nfl draft

Detroit Lions draft: Brad Holmes clear-eyed on taking best player available

Entering his 6th draft, GM won’t reach for player of need

Brad Holmes said that while his draft process has evolved in recent years, one thing that has not changed is what he sees on film.

Another – and this is huge – is that the Lions GM drafts the best player available. This is not breaking news, it’s been his process entering his sixth draft in Detroit.

While certainly there appear to be roster needs, that does not sway him or how staff.

“I always think because like I’ve always said the reason we take the best player available approach is because there is only one draft and the roster is going to change every single year. Every single year — new needs, contracts are going to expire , things are going to happen,’’ Holmes said in a pre-draft presser on Monday. “So what may not seem as immediate — I need this right now —  that may not be the case for the next year.

“That’s been our approach on that. There have been times when it lines up maybe the best player is a perceived need and it lines up that way. It’s lined up that way in the past but that’s not always the case,’’ Holmes added.

The Lions have the 17th overall pick along with eight other picks in the NFL draft which runs April 23-25.

While a year ago, drafting an EDGE rusher seemed like a no-brainer but Holmes did not make it happen. He never apologized. A year later, still there’s a perceived need there but that doesn’t mean Holmes will draft one this year either.

He will not reach for a player of a certain position.

“You can’t take a player that you’re not fired up about because he plays a certain position. And the reason you weren’t fired up about him shows that on the field and that’s why you had reservations for him,’’ Holmes said. “So now you have the double-whammy.’’

He will only draft players he is excited about and he won’t tip his hand. It’s the Holmes Way.

After disappointing season, GM Brad Holmes says ‘Lions aren’t that far off’

Despite a disappointing 9-8 season, Lions GM Brad Holmes still believes the Lions are close to  being an NFL contender.

“I don’t think that we’re that far off. I personally don’t,’’ Holmes said at a season-ending press conference on Thursday. “We have a lot of good players, we have a lot of good young ascending players, we have a really good quarterback, we have the right coach. I do think we’re very close.’’

Holmes has already started an introspection top to bottom of why the Lions came up short and failed to make the playoffs.

“We’ll be looking at everything, but I do not think that this is a deep surgery overhaul,’’ Holmes said. “I don’t think that but obviously there needs to be some adjustments.’’

Holmes answered questions for about 40 minutes. He was short on specifics which is his tendency but seems determined to right the ship which finished 2024 with a 15-2 record.

“Bottom line, for our standards, this was a disappointment,’’ Holmes said. “When we set out for this journey for this season it wasn’t to match last year’s record or exceed last year’s record — it doesn’t really matter what the record is — bottom line is if we’re not in the dance and we’re not competing for a championship then it’s a failure.’’

Plain and simple.

Offensive coordinator John Morton has been fired, but no other coaching changes have been announced at this point. The offense came up short of its goals but this disappointing season obviously wasn’t all on Morton. Injuries, again, played a big role in getting them to play consistently good football.

“It’s a lot of things. We’re going to have to take a long, hard look,’’ Holmes said. “Before I look at anything I’ll look at myself.’’

Five main reasons the Lions lost at the Vikings, killing playoff chances

The Lions’ playoff dreams are just a memory after a 23-10 ugly loss at the Vikings on Christmas.

Detroit  needed to win their two remaining games and have the Packers lose their final two. So much for that. The Lions were a turnover machine and yet even with 6 turnovers starting the fourth quarter they were just behind 13-7.

“Offensively I thought we played hard, but you turn the ball over that many times, that’s what got us,’’ coach Dan Campbell said.

Detroit, which has lost 4 of their last 5, dropped to 8-8 and sent the Packers to the playoffs.

It was so ugly for the Lions that the Vikings won by 13 points even though they had just 3 passing yards.

“We hate losing, they hate losing, we do. Look, some of these things that come up, the effort is there but we are not, we’re just a little off and it’s costing us significantly,’’ Campbell said. “There again, too many turnovers, just couldn’t overcome it.’’

Five of the reasons the Lions lost:

ONE: Turnovers. Four fumbles lost and two interceptions. The Vikings scored 13 points on the first  four miscues. Detroit had zero turnovers in the last 4 games and just 8 on the season entering the game. Goff had gone 5 games without an interception. Also, he was sacked five times.

TWO: Again, Detroit could not establish the run. Not surprising, when you consider LT Taylor Decker was out with an illness and Kingsley Eguakun was in at center instead of veteran Graham Glasgow who was on the sideline in a reserve role. This has been a huge issue, it’s a point of emphasis, but whatever the gameplan was it didn’t work. Campbell stuck with it but it didn’t matter. The Lions finished with 68 rushing yards (2.3 yards per carry) while the Vikes had 138.

THREE: Detroit’s defense was playing lights out with seven sacks of Max Brosmer who passed for just 3 net yards. They also pressure the inexperienced quarterback but Minnesota’s run game kept their offense moving.

FOUR: Injuries. Campbell would never use injuries as an excuse but here we are. It matters and on Christmas the inexperienced offensive line just couldn’t keep up.

FIVE: Play calling at times baffling.

UP NEXT: Lions (8-8) at Chicago Bears (11-4), 1 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 4.