Six Takeaways From Brad Holmes' End of Season Press Conference

Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes recapped the 2024 season with reporters Thursday, speaking for nearly 30 minutes about the state of the organization and what's next heading into 2025.

Ahead of a pivotal offseason, Holmes and the Lions face many big decisions that will loom large in the team's pursuit of a championship. Later Thursday, he was named the Pro Football Writers Association NFL Executive of the Year for the second consecutive season.

Here are six takeaways from Holmes' season-ending press conference

No overreactions

After crushing loss to the Washington Commanders ended their season, the Lions are viewed by some as a team at a crossroads. Plenty of talent is on the docket to return in 2025, but there will also be key pieces missing from the equation such as both coordinators leaving.

With change to be expected as with any offseason, Holmes explained that the team doesn't plan to make spur of the moment decisions in an effort to account for losing in the Divisional Round. Rather, he feels optimistic about the team's state and feels they are still very close to hoisting the Lombardi Trophy.

Approach to offseason

The Lions do not sound eager to deviate from their traditional strategy of building the roster through the draft. While there is a growing sentiment that the Lions should begin to move assets in exchange for veteran players that can accelerate their path toward a Super Bowl.

However, Holmes countered that by noting the success the organization has had in the draft and how that has fueled the team into the position that it's in. He also noted the difficulty of the trade market at certain positions and how that can complicate efforts to make a deal for a talented veteran.

No drop off expected from Jared Goff

The Lions will have to find a new offensive coordinator after Ben Johnson departed to be the head coach of the Chicago Bears. Together, Johnson and quarterback Jared Goff built the Lions' offense into one of the league's best.

Though one of the architects of the scheme is gone, Goff will have to keep performing at a high level. After a season in which he set a new career-best in touchdown passes and threw for the most yards in his four-year stint with the Lions, he will still have high expectations.

Holmes does not expect a drop off from the signal-caller and believes he is currently in his prime.

What Holmes is looking for in new coordinators

With Johnson and Aaron Glenn off to head coaching jobs, the Lions will have to replace the leaders of both their offense and defense. After Campbell emphasized continuity with their philosophy, the general manager claimed that any newcomers to the staff will have to adapt to the Lions' style, and not vice versa.

"He's gonna have to be adaptable, he's gonna have to be smart, he's gonna have to be able to adjust and make sure he's putting the players in the best position to succeed," Holmes said. "Those are some of the characteristics I think is a good culture fit for a coach here. And our identity shows, so most coaches that choose to take a position here, same as a player, I think they know what they're about to walk into as far as how we play and what our standards are."

Detroit Lions GM Brad Holmes named the PFWA NFL Executive of the Year. It is the second-straight year he has won the award @DetroitPodcast
— Christian Booher (@CBooher_) January 23, 2025

Difficulty of trading for pass rushers

One of the areas viewed widely as a top need for the Lions is the pass rush. Detroit has Aidan Hutchinson manning one side, but pundits and fans alike have called for Holmes to add another dynamic piece opposite him to make Detroit's defensive line even more fearsome.

In 2024, the pass rush sputtered when Hutchinson was lost for the season with a severe leg injury. He wasn't the only defender to go down with an injury, and more specifically fellow defensive end Marcus Davenport suffered a season-ending triceps injury in Week 3.

Holmes dealt for Cleveland's Za'Darius Smith at the trade deadline to help provide a boost. He explained the difficulty of doing so, emphasizing the fact that there are a truly small number of edge rushers capable of helping the team that were available to be acquired at that time.

Development of rookies

Holmes described the development of three of Detroit's rookies over the course of the season. Terrion Arnold, Christian Mahogany and Giovanni Manu all had different courses throughout the season, but the general manager was encouraged with all three.

For Arnold, the way he adapted to the NFL game from a mental perspective was exactly what the Lions hoped. He remained confident despite some early struggles, and was able to weather the storms he dealt with early in the season.

Manu did not play in 2024, as he was a healthy scratch for all 17 games as well as the playoff game. However, Holmes said the returns of his development in practice throughout the season paid dividends.

Mahogany began the year on NFI but wound up starting the playoff game. He hit the ground running after returning from injury, and like Arnold he measured up immediately from a psychological perspective.

Overall, Holmes is encouraged with the progress of all three moving into 2025.