Brad Holmes: Most of Changes Lions Will Make Won't Make Headlines

Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes certainly had plenty to answer for, following the team taking a significant step backwards in 2025.

In past talks with local reporters, the former Los Angeles Rams Director of College Scouting cashed in receipts on those that questioned draft picks.

Since the team was within one half of appearing in the Super Bowl, the end results have gone in the wrong direction.

Once a Super Bowl contender, the Lions were eliminated in their first playoff game in 2024 and failed to earn a spot in the postseason the following season.

What frustrated supporters the most was a series of decisions that did not lend to the idea the front office and coaching staff was operating with a strong sense of urgency.

Draft picks were used on players that were not close to seeing the field for multiple seasons and the team did not drastically improve in free agency or at the trade deadline.

The highly-anticipated media session served to answer a significant amount of questions regarding the team's recent failures and the plans to correct them.

Detroit's fifth-year general manager echoed the sentiment of Dan Campbell that he earned a failing grade for the team not meeting their goals.

With failure will come a certain level of self-reflection, but that has yet to take place.

Will Lions be more aggressive in free agency, trade deadline?

Lions OnSI asked Holmes if one of the changes would be to be more aggressive in free agency and the NFL trade deadline.

"That's hard to say without being faced with the dynamics of who the players are. It's a lot that goes into to those decisions," said Holmes. "I guess what I can say about that is we work very hard in terms of -- I guess I'll back up. I understand if you don't see a certain amount of let's call it "transactional activity," that's why you don't see it, you don't see the result. You don't see another player added, you don't see the the trade, you don't see the big splash signing.

"But our work ethic has always been high," Holmes explained further. " A lot of times, we're really having to put so much work into making sure that you don't make a mistake. Really, the easiest thing to do is to see name of interest that you've heard of, you think he's been a good football player, and then you just make a call, make the move. And then you just didn't really put in all the time and efforts to find out, 'Well, why is this player even available, or why is this player not being signed back.'"

Detroit's front office is not going to risk their process to make splash signings, but that does not mean they will not occur.

Holmes expressed most of the changes that will take place won't make headlines.

"I's a lot of work that goes into it. So, that's not going to change," said Holmes. "But, I don't want to sit here and say, 'Just more activity is going to be the answer.' Honestly, a lot of the things that we'll look at, and a lot of things, a lot of the changes and tweaks and adjustment we will make, probably won't come with the headline.

"But that's not to say that we won't do something that's in that splash category. I don't think it's not, it's not indicative of a lack of effort, work ethic. .... There's a lot of work. So, the work is not going to change. But, we'll soon be looking at everything."

Will Lions be more aggressive in free agency, trade deadline?

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