Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes is back under the microscope, and this week’s fan check-in comes with plenty of mixed emotions.
The frustration is obvious. Much of it traces back to Detroit’s 2024 NFL Draft class, which has not delivered the kind of return the Lions hoped for. The first three picks in particular have become lightning rods: Terrion Arnold was cut, Ennis Rakestraw has 0 starts in 11 games, and Giovanni Manu has appeared in four games with one start.
Holmes has also taken heat for his preseason stance on the cornerback room. Fans have been stuck on his claim that he liked the group, only to watch cornerback become the team’s biggest problem through the first month of the season.
But the full picture isn’t as bleak as the loudest complaints would suggest. Holmes has also made some real additions that are paying off right now. Detroit’s offensive line has taken a major step forward after investments in Blake Miller, Tate Ratledge, Juice Scruggs, and Christian Mahogany, and the team still hasn’t really seen what it has in Cade Mays.
The defensive front has been even more impressive. With draft picks Aidan Hutchinson, Alim McNeill, and Tyleik Williams leading the way, plus free agent and waiver pickups DJ Wonnum and Tyler Lacy, the Lions have built a pass rush that can get after quarterbacks and a run defense that holds up in the middle. Sixth-round rookie Skyler Gill-Howard has also turned into an unexpected contributor, and Detroit still hasn’t tapped the full potential of second-round pick Derrick Moore.
There’s also the simple reality that several players the Lions moved on from this offseason have not matched the value of the contracts they landed elsewhere.
So when it comes time to judge Holmes, the vote is about the whole body of work, not just the rough spots. Fans have already weighed in on Dan Campbell’s popularity, and now it’s Holmes’ turn.
Do you approve of the job Brad Holmes is doing as Detroit Lions general manager?
In Other News...
Lions Suddenly Have One More Packers Problem To Worry About
The Packers may be getting a timely boost just as the NFC North race starts to tighten up. Josh Jacobs is expected to be taken off the NFL commissioners exempt list and become eligible to play starting in Week 7, which puts his season debut in play against Detroit. For Green Bay, that would mean another layer of help for a run game that could use it in a divisional matchup with real early-season weight.
Jacobs has been sidelined since being placed on the exempt list after a May arrest, and the NFLs investigation is still ongoing because of unresolved evidence issues. Even so, the expectation is that he will be cleared to return to football activity right away, which gives the Packers a potential offensive reinforcement just as the Lions are preparing for one more problem to solve in the division. [Read more 🡒]
Two Lions Head Into The Bye With Their Roles Suddenly In Doubt
The Lions head into the bye with a pair of role questions hanging over the roster after the Week 5 win over the Cardinals. TeSlaa, who had been coming on with two strong outings, finished without a catch for the first time since Week 1, a reminder that even young players who seem to be gaining traction can hit a pause just as the picture starts to sharpen.
Iziens situation looks even murkier after a rough Week 4 and then no action at all against Arizona. For a team trying to sort out the back end of the roster and keep momentum going into the break, those two cases stand out because they are not just about one game, but about whether either player can reclaim a steadier place in Detroits plans once the Lions return. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Defense Just Earned The Kind Of Praise Fans Needed
Kelvin Sheppards defensive planning is starting to draw real notice around the league, and the praise this week came from an unlikely source. Arizona offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett said the Lions had a unique and effective game plan in their Week 5 matchup, one that forced the Cardinals to adjust on the fly and look elsewhere for answers when they wanted to lean on their top targets.
For Detroit, that kind of feedback matters because it speaks to more than just one good afternoon. The Lions didnt just chase splash plays, they made Arizona work for every clean look and disrupted the rhythm that usually keeps an offense moving. The result was a stretch of empty possessions and a defense that looked prepared for the exact spots the Cardinals wanted to attack, even if the full details of how Sheppard pulled it off are still part of the story. [Read more 🡒]