Tag: Brad Holmes

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.’’

Lions wrap up weekend by drafting a pair of Georgia Bulldogs

S Dan Jackson and WR Dominic Lovett headed to Detroit

ALLEN PARK — The Lions wrapped up the NFL draft by selecting a pair of Georgia Bulldogs in the seventh round of the NFL draft on Saturday. Safety Dan Jackson was drafted 230th overall while wide receiver Dominic Lovett was the 244th pick.

It was a Georgia kind of draft with guard Tate Ratledge selected in the second round.

Jackson, a walk-on at Georgia, finished with a strong senior season starting opposite Malaki Starks, a first-round pick to the Ravens.

The 6-2, 195-pound safety earned third team All-SEC honors  after recording 64 tackles, three pass break-ups, 1.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions and one  blocked field goal. He notched one forced fumble which was huge for the Bulldogs, as it came late in the fourth quarter against Georgia Tech and opened the door for the Bulldogs to beat the Yellow Jackets in eight overtimes.

He’s expected to be able to contribute on special teams. 

“I’m willing to play anywhere, that’s how I got started in Georgia,’’ Jackson said.

He also said that Georgia shaped him into the player he is today. 

In CBS Sports draft profile they wrote: “Dan Jackson is a smart football player and good leader. He is fearless playing downhill in run support, but sometimes runs too hot, which leads to missed tackles in space. Jackson has a high football IQ and good eyes to recognize what is happening in front of him, but lacks the ideal athleticism to recover when he makes a mistake and must do a better job breaking down in space.’’

Lovett, who played two seasons at Georgia after two years at Missouri, led the Bulldogs in receptions with 59 and receiving touchdowns with six in 2024. 

Lovett said he’s looking forward to being in the same wide receiver group with Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams.

“I feel I can learn so much how he plays the game,’’ Lovett said of St. Brown.

Lovett said he’s been a big fan of Jameson Williams since both lived and played near St. Louis in high school.

GM Brad Holmes said he’s been a fan of Lovett’s for a long time and said he’s a really good special teams player. 

NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein wrote: “His hands will both dazzle and frustrate. He’s capable and experienced as a gunner and can compete for reps on special teams until he finds his footing as a WR3.’’

Earlier on Saturday, the Lions drafted guard Miles Frazier in the fifth round and EDGE rusher Ahmed Hassanein in the sixth round.

Lions draft EDGE Ahmed Hassanein in 6th and G Miles Frazier in 5th round

The Lions finally drafted an EDGE rusher when they selected Ahmed Hassanein from Boise State in the sixth round (196th overall) on Saturday. In the fifth round Detroit moved up to draft guard Miles Frazier out of LSU (171st).

Hassanein (pictured) is the first Egyptian to be drafted and would be the first Egyptian to ever play in the NFL. He started all 14 games in each of the last two seasons when he was first-team All-Mountain West. In 2024 he was tied for the team lead with 15.5 tackles for loss and led the team with 9.5 sacks.

He’s an amazing story as a newcomer who didn’t know anything about the game of football until he arrived in Southern California almost seven years ago. He didn’t even speak English, but eventually hooked up with the perfect scenario and a coach who believed in him at Boise State.

While he impressed the Lions, it’s obvious that coach Dan Campbell hit the perfect note with him.

“Whoever believes in me, that means the world to me, especially Dan Campbell. I would die for that guy, I would run through a wall for him,’’ said Hassanein who is 6-3 and 271 pounds.

He must have done his homework on the Lions because he seemed to have a real feel for the culture and feel of the team. “Super Bowl contenders, culture, family, earning everything — I couldn’t ask for a better team. It’s the perfect fit for me,’’ Hassanein said. “I love the Detroit Lions. I can’t wait to come in and work my butt off and help the team. Whatever they need, I’ll be there.’’

He was an athlete when he moved to California — he had done CrossFit and played other sports in Egypt — but didn’t know anything about football. He learned from his brother and watched YouTube videos. Initially, he wasn’t aware the NFL existed.

“It means the world to me. I can’t describe how I feel right now, it’s a dream come trueI couldn’t pick a better team,’’ Hassanein said. “I’m so honored, and so blessed to be a Detroit Lion. I’m super grateful. It means the world to me, seriously.’’

Earlier on Saturday, the Lions moved up to 171st in the fifth round to draft guard Miles Frazier of LSU. Detroit traded their 182nd and 228th picks to the Patriots to make the pick.

The 6-6, 317-pound offensive lineman started all 13 games in each of the last three seasons at LSU after transferring from Florida International. He allowed just 4 sacks in his collegiate career.  He started mostly at right and left guard, but said he was the backup tackle on both sides. In 2023 he was a finalist for the nation’s top offensive line award.

“I just want to be a part of something greater and I’m ready to compete. At the end of the day competition breeds excellence,’’ Frazier said in a conference call.

He describes himself as “more of a mauler.” 

Frazier said he just met Tate Ratledge (the Lions’ second-round pick) during the pre-draft process and said they have a good relationship. 

NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein: “Frazier has things to clean up but carries pro measurables and a play demeanor that gives him a shot to become a starter.’’

Per Zierlein, Frazier compares to Rams guard Jonah Jackson who was drafted by the Lions in 2020.