Unlike Lowly Detroit Tigers, Detroit Lions' Rebuild Is Actually Over
The Detroit Lions are actually a football team in win-now mode.
After tearing down the roster and moving on from players who did not fit the culture or did not demonstrate enough value to remain on the team, Detroit general manager Brad Holmes has established a solid core group of players who can make a legitimate run in the postseason over the course of the next few seasons.
Detroit Tigers owner Chris Ilitch famously said the Tigers' rebuild was over ahead of the 2022 season.
"One hundred percent, yes," Ilitch told The Detroit News. "We’re at the stage now where we need to keep building and building. Are we gonna be in the playoffs? I hope so. I don’t know. And, if we are, outstanding. And, if we’re not, then we’re gonna get right back after it and be aggressive."
After firing general manager Al Avila last season, the team fields a roster full of what is affectionately known as "4A" players -- good enough to play well in Triple-A, but not good enough to succeed at the Major League level.
Fast forward 365 days, and the Tigers are as close to winning the World Series as Elon Musk is to recouping his investment in Twitter.
Ahead of the 2023 season, Detroit is the favorite to win the NFC North division, and has the potential of hosting its first home playoff game since Ford Field opened its doors back in 2002.
“There’s a tendency to knock the Lions for Brad Holmes, their GM, getting a little aggressive and perhaps over-drafting Gibbs and Campbell a little in the first round. But, Detroit is in 'win big' now mode, and those players will have massive immediate impact, much like Aidan Hutchinson," writes Vinnie Iyer of The Sporting News. "LaPorta and Branch also were great values to fill two more voids. Getting Hooker to stash behind Jared Goff was gravy. Detroit is a lot more than strong NFC North favorite in 2023.”
Among the many reasons confidence has soared in the Lions has been the efforts of Holmes and the front office in finding players that fit exactly what the coaching staff is looking for in players it wants to develop.
Holmes' track record with the Rams speaks for itself, and his first three drafts in Motown have likely set the team up for success far beyond the 2023 season.
“Very seriously. We put the work in and if you put the work in you feel good about the guy that you pick. Brad’s a good leader," Lions assistant general manager Ray Agnew explained, via ESPN. "We all follow him, and we trust him, and he trusts us, so it all works together. You put the work in, and you’re excited about the guy you get, and you feel good about him.”
