Nobody Understands Value City Plan of Detroit Lions GM Brad Holmes

After the first four days of free agency, many more supporters and pundits have been left scratching their heads, wondering what the heck the Detroit Lions are actually doing.

Lions general manager Brad Holmes did, in his own way, evolve the 2026 roster. But not in the manner in which onlookers envisioned.

With a roster that does have a core group of players that will certainly win plenty of regular season games, the hope was free agency could be used to build on the core to make a strong declaration and push towards being a strong Super Bowl contender this season.

I understand the value city plan.

I just don't like it.

With a roster that had aging veterans, the decision was made to get younger and hungrier. Case in point, the situation with running back David Montgomery.

While the veteran was concerned about his touches moving forward, the team went out and added a hungrier player to replace him.

Not a much more talented player. A player with something to prove, on a "prove-it" deal.

Isiah Pacheco told reporters, in a passionate opening media session, “Football is my heart. I love it. I bleed it. S**t, I’d die for this shit. It sounds crazy, but I love it that much. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else besides right here on this day and with this new family. We’ve got something to prove, and we’re going to write this story.”

The rhetoric from Lions' coaches and players is noble.

But noble warriors don't always win the final battle.

With a core group that features top offensive talent, the supporting cast on defense is going to have to be put together quickly and gel over the course of the 2026 regular season.

The team will add competition at several positions, but the infusion of football talent is not going to come from free agency. It is going to come from the draft.

The place where Holmes and the coaching will have the most answers to questions about a players desire, talent and motivation to practice hard.

Free agency for Detroit is not about overpaying for talent, it is about finding the right player at the right price.

Supporters are not wrong for questioning what Holmes is doing.

Even the most staunch supporters cannot defend that the team regressed since 2023. In order to get back to their winning ways, the team is not going to buy their way to success.

So back to the drawing board really means back to finding younger, hungrier players and moving on from veterans who have their own agenda, which is not exactly aligned with the team-first mentality.

I don't understand the avoidance of overpaying good football players who can quickly help a team.

But Dan Campbell and the coaching staff believe competition will raise the floor of the talent level and will help each player meet their full potential.

There is no question there are better players that Detroit did not sign, but the hope is the collective team effort will eventually win out one of these years.

I understand it.

I just want to skip the whole process already.

NFL life is short and windows shut fast. Detroit is holding on tight to their process, even if they lose the support of fans along the way.

From a Lions perspective, this is hard to understand.

What's the plan, man? #OnePride https://t.co/fZCu6qN13S
— Marc Ryan (@MarcRyanOnAir) March 12, 2026

Theme so far I am reading a lot online https://t.co/1fMJD09cX6
— DetroitSportsPodcast (@DetroitPodcast) March 13, 2026