Getty Brad Holmes speaking during the 2022 NFL combine.
It won’t be long until the Detroit Lions have welcomed another new player into the family, and when the move happens, it will come after a long offseason of intense scrutiny and debate courtesy of the front office and coaching staff.
While Brad Holmes loves his job and has admitted it doesn’t always feel like work, it’s still an arduous process to drill down on the prospects that fit the team’s vision for the future perfectly. As the bend has been rounded on another draft process, Holmes and the Lions feel they’re once again at a comfortable point.
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Speaking with the media in a pre-draft press conference on Thursday, April 21, Holmes delved into nearly 30 minutes on the draft as well as Detroit’s approach there and with free agency as well. Perhaps the most interesting takea
Finding the best fit for the future.
“The cluster of players we are looking at are very, very evenly rated and graded. It’s just what fits your team the best. Who’s the best football player? Who may fill a need there, or who’s the best fit for the future?,” Holmes explained when speaking to the media.
Picking in the second-overall slot, it isn’t hard to understand how Holmes could be happy with where he’s at. He’s guaranteed to get a player who fits the bill in terms of being not only elite, but patching a big hole and a major need for the future.
Holmes, of course, was careful not to give too much away with the quote. Theoretically, any position could fit under that umbrella that the Lions need. Obviously, whatever player ends up being the pick is going to have to play a big role for Detroit’s future while filling a need. Considering all the problems the Lions have had, it isn’t a surprise to hear that.
Holmes Admits to Confidence With Lions’ Position
In terms of where the Lions are at, Holmes seems to believe the Lions have figured out what they want to do and narrowed down the players acceptably in a confident manner. In spite of that, Holmes admits that he is readying himself for anything that could happen, which he believes is very important for teams to do in order to stay nimble on the board.
“We feel confident where we’re at.”
“Anything can happen any day. I will say that. It’s not just narrowing it down to your top two. You better have your top five, you better have your top 10 in place because you don’t know what’s going to happen each day. But we do have it narrowed down. We feel confident with where we’re at with how we have it paired down and we’ll just let the process unfold.”
While trade rumors have been floating all around the stratosphere in recent weeks, it seems as if the Lions will be happy to stay put based on what Holmes says. The team seems to understand that they can find impact players at the second-overall pick and don’t need to panic unless a perfect deal emerges.
Lions’ Position Heading Into 2022 NFL Draft
As expected, Detroit will continue to use the draft as the biggest way to build their roster instead of going big in free agency, and thus far, that’s what the team has done. This year, the Lions will have eight picks to help in rebuilding their roster. There’s a multitude of ways they could elect to go with the second-overall pick given the unique needs of the roster. The team’s defense needs playmakers up front to rush the passer along the defensive line, and could also need depth on the back end at cornerback. Offensively, the Lions have a major need for a big time pass catching wideout to help their down field attack on offense even after the re-signings and DJ Chark. As always, quarterback is going to be a position to watch near the top of the draft, especially considering the early struggles of Jared Goff with the Lions in 2021.
Detroit has plenty of picks to work with and plenty of needs to fill. The spots Detroit will choose to upgrade? That’s anyone’s guess, but at the very least, it seems clear the type of players the team will commit to. They’re going to have to fit Holmes’ vision perfectly.
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Brad Holmes Discusses His Expectations for Lions’ Top Pick