While the Detroit Lions' last few drafts have felt like general successes - especially their 2023 draft -, they've also been quite loose with draft pick capital. Pick trades have become a signature of Brad Holmes' tenure with the team as their general manager. And so far, those moves haven't really bitten the Lions.
But, ESPN's Bill Barnwell paints a different picture regarding those trades.
"At some point...the Lions have to be more conservative and trust that players are going to fall to them. They have to consider trading down to amass more selections, something Holmes hasn't done since trading down from No. 6 to No. 12 in the 2023 draft as part of the deal that landed him Gibbs and LaPorta. Trading up here and there is reasonable enough, and the Lions eventually decided against what would have been their biggest trade up in Round 1, but they've repeatedly pushed the move-up button over the past three drafts."
ESPN analyst bites back at Holmes' draft pick philosophy
Barnwell argues in his diatribe that Holmes' incessant pick moving has already become an issue: the Lions keep having to dip into the bargain bin to try and replace key roles because of how well they've drafted in the recent past, to be sure, but they're also not looking to replicate their magic from previous drafts in mid-rounds because they keep trading those picks away.
Amon-Ra St. Brown was a 5th round pick. Kerby Joseph was taken in the 3rd round. These are two starters that impact winning beyond the stat sheet - they're leaders for their respective units. And, Holmes isn't finding anyone similar to those gems if he keeps moving those late round picks.
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Beyond missing out on talent, the team is also not helping themselves financially by avoiding those picks. If you can bank legitimate young depth through the draft, you don't need to survey the free agency landscape for outside-the-margin talent as the Lions did this offseason. Instead, they have to hope gambles like Larry Borom and Ben Bartch actually pan out if anyone gets hurt up front, for example.
Is this a roster-breaking mold for Holmes to live by? Absolutely not. The team is clearly dedicated to retaining their talent, as we just saw with their (correct) decision to extend Jack Campbell and their impending extension of Jahmyr Gibbs. The core is set. But, injuries have done this roster in multiple times over the last few years.
If you're not willing to spend for quality depth, then the draft is the way to go for a team like Detroit. Holmes clearly doesn't agree.
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