Lions Have Not Come Close to Building Championship Defense

Five years into the Dan Campbell-Brad Holmes era, the Detroit Lions have failed to build a strong enough defense to hoist the Lombardi Trophy.

This isn't to discount the job Holmes has done transforming the Lions from NFL laughingstocks into perennial playoff contenders. In doing so, the Detroit general manager has certainly added a handful of high-impact players to the defensive side of the ball: EDGE Aidan Hutchinson, linebacker Jack Campbell and safeties Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph.

However, he hasn't poured enough resources into the defense to build a solid, all-around unit. And the proof is in the numbers.

In his five seasons as the organization's lead personnel decision-maker, the Lions have finished in the top 10 in points allowed just once (2024: No. 7). In the four other seasons, Detroit has failed to finish better than 22nd.

With that said, in four of the five seasons with Campbell and Holmes leading the way, the Lions’ defense has performed nowhere near the level of a championship-caliber unit.

In stark contrast, each of the past two Super Bowl champion teams – the Kansas Chiefs in 2023 and the Philadelphia Eagles in 2024 - have possessed top-five defenses.

Meanwhile, the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks – the two teams competing in Super Bowl LX – are both also equipped with top-five units. The Seahawks have allowed the fewest points per game (17.2), while the Patriots have permitted the fourth-fewest (18.8).

It's a far cry from Detroit defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard's unit, which allowed the 11th-most points per game this past season (24.3).

As long as the Lions rank in the bottom-half of the league in points allowed, they will continue to be much more of a Super Bowl pretender than contender, no matter how prolific their offense is.

That's why the onus is on Holmes to shore up Sheppard's unit this offseason. And specifically, he needs to focus on strengthening the defensive line, from both a run-defense and pass-rush standpoint, and the team's defensive backs group.

Detroit still doesn't possess a true pass-rush complement for Hutchinson or a bonafide No. 1 cornerback. No offense to the oft-injured Marcus Davenport and Terrion Arnold, but they clearly are not the answers at EDGE and cornerback, respectively.

Holmes needs to make a concerted effort to address both needs in the coming months.

If he fails to do so, the Lions will be right back in the position they are right now at this time next year: sitting at home instead of representing the NFC in the Super Bowl.

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