Lions general manager Brad Holmes knew he took on a tough rebuild, and he’s not going to rush the process for it to pay off.
More aggressiveness to upgrade/reshuffle a couple spots in free agency this offseason might have been nice. But through two offseasons there’s not much flaw to find with the work done by Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes, and he has drawn some praise as a roster builder.
From a salary cap perspective, the Lions are trending the right way as they leave behind Matthew Stafford’s dead money from 2021 and move forward into the future. That will allow for more spending, should Holmes want to do it, ideally with a roster built up enough to only need those kind of “final” additions.
Holmes spoke with 97.1 The Ticket on Tuesday. Last year’s 3-3 finish is a momentum builder heading into this season, with six or seven wins an easy expectation.
Brad Holmes won’t rush the Detroit Lions’ rebuild
Plenty of his predecessors tried to build/rebuild the Lions into a contender, only to make too many draft mistakes or simply (and/or relatedly) get impatient. When talking about a timetable for the Lions to be a contender in the NFC North and more, via the interview with 97.1 with credit to SI.com, Holmes isn’t going to fall into that trap.
"You know, look, we’re not putting a timestamp on it,” Holmes expressed. “We kind of attack every single day. But, you know, look, we’re going to stay aggressive. That’s what Dan and I, that’s what we believe in. We’re not scared, and so, it’s not a long, methodical, like, let’s just take it slow (process). Look, man, let’s just add the best guys. We have a phenomenal coaching staff that can accelerate development, and we’re very fortunate that way.”"
Holmes did not force taking a quarterback in what was considered a weak class at the position this year. The 2023 quarterback class looks better, but the Lions may win too many games to be in the mix for one of the top guys. Having two first-round picks again may help that pursuit of a future franchise quarterback though.
The 2022 season is lined up to be a nice positive step for the Lions, with more talent on the roster and an easier schedule all the way around than last year. The major move toward contention may come in 2023.
Even if Holmes won’t put a “timestamp” on the rebuild process, he knows it can’t take too long before it bears fruit.