Brad Holmes became the Lions general manager in 2021 and he wasted no time making monumental moves. It started with the trading of franchise keystone Matthew Stafford and acquiring new starter Jared Goff. It was followed with free-agent moves that have the team now coming off their best season in franchise history.
Speaking with the media at the Owner’s Meetings in Orlando on Tuesday, the Lions front office leader praised his group’s efforts. Holmes stated, “I truly believe this was our best free agency of all that we’ve had since we’ve been here, the reason why I say that is through our planning and process this year, we have these No. 1 targets, and we were able to get every single one of our No. 1 targets that we were out to get.”
After giving his free agent class such high praise, both he and Dan Campbell then broke down each of the key signings for the team including one that remains a focus.
Holmes wants to bring back Josh Reynolds
“Josh Reynolds, he’s one that was part of the original plans. Still having dialogue, we’ll just kind of see where that goes. But that’s really the only one that’s still out there who was in the original plans.” The Lions receiver was a critical playmaker at times for the offense. He impressed by making crucial catches at important moments of games while also showing that Jared Goff had a high level of trust and confidence in him. Holmes remains confident a deal can be done but it seems patience may be critical in this situation.
Dan Campbell likes what Graham Glasgow and Kevin Zeitler can be
“(Zeitler) was somebody we were actually surprised he lasted as long as he did in free agency, we thought he was going to be gone early. We liked him from the get-go. It didn’t work out with Jonah, but Zeitler was the guy…” The signing of Kevin Zeitler should come as one of the best moves of the off-season. The veteran has been a cap causality at two spots in his NFL career but the All-Pro potential he plays with has never been in question.
DJ Reader alongside Alim McNeil excites Brad Holmes
“To add a Reader with the mix of all those other guys, I think it’s gonna make things so much better, I think what people get kinda lost in is that his run defense, which I think is elite and I think it’s at a whole other level among a lot of these other guys, but the pass rush is what really sold me.” The run defense of the Lions was a staple for their success early in the year. No team ran for over 100 yards until mid-November and that dominance continued into the playoffs. Adding someone with the size and athleticism of Reader to an already effective front led by McNeil should get positive results.
Carlton Davis III was a priority for the Lions
“He can take a little bit of his side of the field away, that goes a long way for the rest of the defense and what AG (Aaron Glenn) is going to be able to call. That’s really something we feel like we haven’t had here since we’ve been here.” Davis’s in-man coverage is going to be a breath of fresh air to the entire secondary of the Lions. They had so much pressure on them to contain receivers but struggled to do so. With Davis coming in and his strong-man coverage ability they should give up fewer big plays.
Dan Campbell wanted the Amik Robertson signing “done”
“His tape was outstanding, people say, ‘Well, he’s 5-8.’ But he doesn’t play like he’s 5-8. This guy plays like a big corner. He’s aggressive, he’s competitive, he’s got good man-cover skills, and he’s smart. He’s a ball guy, you know?” Has a player ever sounded more like a Dan Campbell player than Robertson? He is going to fit right into their approach and the style of defense they want to play with.