Three years ago, Lions fans were all wondering where new GM Brad Holmes was taking the franchise. Holmes was a rookie GM with a greenhorn head coach in Dan Campbell, a festering wound of a cap-strapped roster and had to try and start over with a franchise by trading away the (mostly) beloved iconic quarterback as his first order of business.
As is the case with any new and unfamiliar regime, we all tried to learn from Holmes and his decision in his first draft. The new-look Lions provided some very clear clues as to the path Holmes was blazing out of the darkness, ones that are still largely true three years later.
Lessons stay learned
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Not long after the 2021 NFL draft, I wrote up a summary of what I felt we learned about Holmes and the Lions. Checking back in after three more draft classes and offseason team-building exercises, it turns out Holmes has stayed very true to the first impression we all got from Detroit’s GM.
Three of the key takeaway points from that first Holmes draft are still very true and evident now:
- Positional versatility is something the Lions covet
- Holmes’ belief in Jared Goff is no passing fancy
- The building up of the lines was predictable
Thus far, all of those decisions and directions have worked out very well for Detroit. Goff is a Pro Bowler closing in on a lucrative contract extension. The offensive line is arguably the best in football, and the defensive front has added key pieces Aidan Hutchinson, Alim McNeill and top free agent D.J. Reader. Players like Brian Branch, Sam LaPorta, Jack Campbell and Hutchinson can all play in multiple spots across the formation, making them difficult to plan against for opponents.
Holmes showed his vision very early on. Having the confidence to believe in the vision and stick to the (increasingly successful) plan is a testament to the organizational patience to deal with the short-term lumps. Holmes is building an NFC power built to last thanks to a focus on key fundamental tenets that he let everyone know way back in 2021.