Lions GM Explains Team Growth After Draft Errors

What did Lions learn from Hendon Hooker, Brodric Martin not working out?

Kansas City Chiefs running back Emani Bailey (39) runs the ball as Detroit Lions defensive tackle Brodric Martin (99) defends | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

The Detroit Lions made two significant draft mistakes back in 2023. For an ascending team, the front office took a chance on two players who were not considered immediate impact players.

In 2022, Detroit nearly missed the playoffs, and entered the 2023 season with a surge of positive momentum.

Not only did Hendon Hooker and Brodric Martin not pan out, the team used draft capital to move to select Martin with pick No. 96 overall.

General manager Brad Holmes gave up a fourth-rounder (No. 122 overall) and two fifth-rounders (No. 139 & No. 168) to get back up into the third round to select the defensive lineman.

Speaking with reporters, Holmes addressed what the team learned from not being successful drafting and developing Hooker and Martin.

"All you can do is put all the work in and feel good when you take the player. Look, I think there’s risk involved with every single pick that you do," said Holmes. "There was a great definition of risk. Man, I’m drawing a blank on the book. It was one of Morgan Housel’s books. I’m not sure if it was Morgan Housel's quote, but he said, ‘Risk is what’s left after you think you’ve thought of everything.’ And I think it’s a very clear, vivid illustration of I don’t know how much more preparation that we could have done when we select these players, but it’s just a respect of the unknown."

Holmes continued, "Unfortunately, they did not meet expectations in the timely manner that we would have liked for them to do, but you’ve just got to just look at it. I’m a big self-assessment individual, after I actually review, look at it, analyze it. I think we’ve already identified some areas already. But yeah, you’ve just got to learn, you’ve just got to grow and get better.”

Assistant general manager Ray Agnew discussed the human element, and also noted that a change of scenery has the potential to benefit players at times.

Martin was signed to the practice squad of the Chiefs, while Hooker landed on the practice squad of the Panthers.

“It’s kind of easy to pick those two players out. You talk about those two players, we did a lot of work on both of those guys. We believed they had the talent to play in this league. The first thing that comes to my mind is the kid, I think about the kid," Agnew said. "The kid, for the first time in his life he’s being told, ‘You’re not good enough,’ and how’s he doing mentally, how’s he doing.

"Cause every time you get a change of scenery, things could go better for a kid and some kids just need a change of scenery. And maybe that’s what’s going to happen for both of those kids. It’s easy to pick those two kids out, but those two kids are talented kids and we did a lot of work on those kids and wish the best for them first and foremost in their new endeavor.”