Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes has transformed the franchise into a powerhouse, crafting a team that’s not just competitive, but built to contend for years to come.
With the 2025 NFL Draft just days away, Holmes’ top priority is preserving that momentum. His approach? Staying disciplined and resisting the temptation to chase short-term fixes at the expense of long-term success.
“You can get in trouble chasing needs,” Holmes said Thursday, as the Lions prepare to make the first of their seven selections at No. 28 overall. “Then you’re depending on a rookie. You do the best you can, but nobody has a crystal ball. It can be a tough world to live in.”
He emphasized the importance of patience, even when the urge to fill immediate gaps feels pressing.
“There’s just a level of patience you have to have,” Holmes said. “When you start chasing need that need might make sense right now, but we make these picks for future investments. We live in a ‘right now’ society, but the draft is about building for the future.”
Detroit’s most obvious need heading into the draft is at edge rusher. The Lions finished in the bottom 10 in sacks last season, despite Aidan Hutchinson notching a team-high 7.5 sacks in just five games. Though Marcus Davenport was re-signed after an injury-shortened season, the team didn’t make a splash at the position in free agency.
Picking late in the first round limits Detroit’s ability to grab a top-tier edge rusher unless one unexpectedly falls. A trade-up is always possible, Holmes hasn’t been afraid to move up in the past, but pulling it off is another story.
“Some teams just don’t want to move that far back,” Holmes explained. “It takes two to make a deal. Even if we’re ready, there’s no guarantee the other team is.”
While edge is a concern, Holmes remains open to addressing other areas. Even with a 15-2 record last season and back-to-back NFC North titles, the Lions could use reinforcements in the trenches or depth in the secondary. Especially in a draft class rich in offensive and defensive linemen.
Patience and long-term vision have defined Holmes’ tenure since he and head coach Dan Campbell took over in 2021. That first year ended with a 3-13-1 record, but Holmes stuck to his principles and gradually molded the roster into a winner. Over the past two seasons, the Lions have gone 27-7, knocking on the door of a Super Bowl berth.
Perhaps the best example of Holmes’ “best player available” philosophy came in 2023, when he drafted running back Jahmyr Gibbs 12th overall. The move raised eyebrows at the time, especially with David Montgomery already on the roster. But the pairing paid off, Gibbs and Montgomery formed arguably the NFL’s best backfield duo, powering an offense that led the league in scoring last year and ranked fifth the season before.
Whatever Holmes decides to do with the No. 28 pick, whether staying put or maneuvering around the draft board, he’ll do it with the same careful strategy that has turned Detroit from an afterthought into the class of the NFC North.
