'There's Always Risk': Brad Holmes Reacts to Growing Injury Narrative

Brad Holmes comfortable with players organization targets to add to roster.

Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes is aware of the growing narrative that the team targets a vast number of players with injury history.

In free agency, the team decided to re-sign cornerback Emmanuel Moseley, despite the veteran defensive back missing a significant amount of time away from the field due to back-to-back ACL injuries.

Veteran defensive lineman DJ Reader is rehabbing from a torn quad muscle suffered last season. Despite the ex-Bengal's expectations that he will be available at the start of the season, there are still question marks regarding how he will perform when he returns.

Holmes, speaking at the annual league meeting, was asked about the risk taken by the front office and coaching staff targeting players coming off of significant injuries.

“Yeah, I mean look. If you’re playing football, there’s always risk. There’s so much luck involved with injuries. As long as you’re playing football, there’s always risk. Again, look at Emmanuel Moseley. He had bad luck. What’s hard for us is to say, ‘You know what, man? We’re not that excited about this player, but he hasn’t missed any time.’ He hadn’t missed any time, so let’s add this player. He’s okay, but he hasn’t missed any time. Where, you know, when you’re playing 17 games of football, that’s inevitably gonna happen" said Holmes. "You guys have heard me talk about it all the time. You can add that one player in March, you feel really good about it when no football’s happening. March, April, you feel good.

"Look at this black and white name on a depth chart with no football being played. But when we acquire these players, what’s it gonna look like October, November, December? It’s gonna look different. I don’t really look at it as, if a player’s missed time, there’s a risk," Holmes continued. "Now look, we do the best we can. If there’s major time missed, over and over, then yes, we’re gonna be rational. We’re gonna be smart. It’s evident that this guy has missed season after season, bulks of a season but if a guy misses some games here and there, it’s football, man. That’s why you construct the roster how you construct it.” 

Holmes reiterated the organization has made a concerted effort to overhaul the medical personnel department, giving the front office and head coach Dan Campbell added comfort regarding who was targeted in free agency and the draft.

“It’s like, look man, we don’t acquire players and say, ‘Man, I can’t wait. I’m so glad we got this player,’ and he’s not gonna be available," said Holmes. "No, that’s not what we do. The intent is that he is gonna be available. We have a great medical staff. There’s a big overhaul that we did recently. But those guys do a really good job.” 

Obviously, availability is paramount for any player, but the Lions are not shying away from adding talented football players just based on missing games periodically due to injury.

Holmes indicated that missing large numbers of game over a period of time certainly factors into the equation when deciding whether to reach out and make a free agent an offer to join the roster.

“Availability is important. It is, it’s important. It’s hard to -- we are rational, we are smart about the availability piece. But again, when you’re playing football, there’s risk either way. Whether he missed three games the previous year or a player missed zero games," said Holmes. "Just because a player missed zero games the previous year doesn’t mean he’s not gonna miss any games the following season. So if you’re gonna pick between the two, why would you pick the player you’re less excited about because, oh well, he didn’t miss three games last year. You don’t really like the player? But you’re not excited? Oh, but he didn’t miss any time. That doesn’t guarantee that that’s not gonna happen. That’s how I look at it."