Patience is a virtue, and Brad Holmes and the Lions seem to be well aware of it.
The NFL’s legal tampering period for teams to negotiate with external free agents has officially kicked off. And thus far, Holmes & Co. have taken primarily a wait-and-see approach.
Sure, they brokered a three-year, $48 million deal with D.J. Reed, arguably the top cornerback of this year’s free-agent class. He was brought in to replace Carlton Davis – Detroit’s No. 1 corner last season – and from all accounts has the necessary skill set to lead the Lions’ cornerbacks room.
However, outside of the Reed signing, Detroit’s moves to start free agency have been very vanilla. Holmes has stayed true to his strategy of retaining his own free agents, inking contracts already with EDGE Marcus Davenport, linebacker Derrick Barnes and reserve offensive lineman Dan Skipper.
None of those re-signings are going to be lauded as awe-inspiring. You can make the argument that they are all depth signings that will help Detroit remain competitive but won’t take the organization to the next level and help it dethrone the Eagles.
Yet, I don’t believe that Holmes cares one bit that he hasn’t made a so-called “splash” signing” yet this free-agency period. It hasn’t been part of his M.O. since his first days as Lions GM in 2021. Instead, he’s chosen to build through the draft and supplement Detroit’s roster with free agents on short-term deals (e.g. Alex Anzalone, Kalif Raymond and Kevin Zeitler).
And it’s hard to knock Holmes because this approach has mostly paid off. Through his drafts, he’s landed multiple impact players (and on both sides of the ball). This has included All-Pro selections Penei Sewell and Amon-Ra St. Brown from his very first draft class in ‘21 and safety Kerby Joseph from his 2022 draft class. Along with the aforementioned trio of players, Holmes has added Pro Bowlers Aidan Hutchinson (2022), Brian Branch (2023), Sam LaPorta (2023) and Jahmyr Gibbs (2023) all through the draft. And it has played an instrumental role in the team’s meteoric rise from cellar-dwellers in the NFC North to back-to-back division champs.
Holmes has also prioritized locking up these core players to long-term deals, with lucrative extensions already handed out to Sewell and St. Brown. And the belief is that he will try to do the same with the others mentioned above before they also hit free agency.
Hutchinson, the team’s best pass-rusher and arguably its top defensive player, is likely next in line to receive a pay day. It could happen sooner than later, too, since the Pro Bowl EDGE is due to have the fifth-year option on his rookie contract picked up by the Lions by May 2.
And if Holmes & Co. were to extend the Michigan product this offseason, it’ll cost a pretty penny. This has only been furthered by the fact that fellow EDGE Maxx Crosby just inked a three-year, $106.5 million extension with the Las Vegas Raiders. It includes $91.5 million in guaranteed money and an average of $35.5M per season. It marks the highest average annual value salary for a non-quarterback in NFL history.
Now, Crosby has played a longer period of time and is on a different level, with four Pro Bowls to his name, than Hutchinson. So, I’m not saying that Hutchinson is going to receive the same exact contract from Detroit. However, the Crosby extension has certainly boosted the 2022 draft pick’s market value.
This is something that Holmes is certainly cognizant of, and it will continue to impact his free-agent decision-making. Additionally, it likely means that Detroit won’t be making a splash signing anytime soon.
Don’t worry, though, Lions fans. As long as Holmes continues to produce strong draft classes (as he notably did from 2021-23) and supplement the roster with solid veteran pieces via free agency, the organization will find itself in a Super Bowl sooner than later.
