Brad Holmes won't bend to the idea that the Lions are one player away. But if a player they love is within their reach next Thursday night, they just might stretch to grab him. See: Arnold, Terrion.
"I don’t think that where we are with the roster now is going to lessen my desire to want to get more, better football players," Holmes said Thursday a week from the draft. "The more depth that you build and when the roster is harder to make, sometimes you do say, look, maybe just stay patient -- or maybe just go up and get the guy you really, really want and you don’t use all those other draft picks."
The Lions have pick No. 28, and Nos. 60 and 102 on Friday. They also have four in rounds four through seven. They traded a third-rounder last year to move up five spots to draft Arnold at No. 24, a perfect fit between the best available player on their board and a short- and long-term need. In a draft rich with talent on the defensive line, maybe Holmes can thread a similar needle.
"What I won’t do," said Holmes, "is what I’ve been saying I won’t do that I know you guys get frustrated with me not doing, is looking at our depth chart, like black-and-white names but no football being played, seeing a position and then saying, 'Man, you gotta get that position.' But a player has to play that position."
A pass-rusher feels like the Lions' biggest need, and maybe their missing piece. Presented with that idea, Holmes said, "Is it more so because Aidan (Hutchinson) got hurt? Is that why this is such a big thing?" His point is that the Lions are about to get an elite defensive end back on the field with Hutchinson's return from a fractured leg.
And while Holmes would love to deepen that room in the draft, "if the player playing defensive end is not who we feel is the right guy to really contribute to our football team, then what are you guys gonna write about that player? ‘Man, that’s not working,'" he said. "So, we’re not going to reach on players just to fill a position."
Holmes expressed confidence in the Lions' pass rush last month, and said Thursday his stance hasn't changed. But there's no denying they could use another playmaker to pair with Hutchinson, both now and moving forward. They can't bank on Marcus Davenport staying healthy, and there isn't much behind him in the way of proven talent for a team with Super Bowl aspirations.
The question is whether a pass-rusher the Lions like will be available at No. 28. And if not, whether they'll go out of their way to get one they love.
"And even if it was the right guy at that specific position, just because you might want him doesn’t mean that you can get up there and get him," said Holmes. "There’s some teams that just don’t want to go that far back."
The most aggressive draft trade of Holmes' tenure was dealing second- and third-round picks in 2022 to move up 20 spots to take Jameson Williams 12th overall. (The Lions also got a second-rounder back in the deal.) Holmes noted Thursday, "That hasn’t been the only year that we’ve attempted to do that." It would not be a surprise to see them take another swing.
Holmes selected six Pro Bowlers and another All-Pro over his first three drafts. His eye for talent, especially outside the first round, is as sharp as anyone's in the business. Knowing that Holmes could strike gold on day two or three, the Lions are at a spot on their competitive timeline where it might make sense to prioritize need on day one -- to eliminate a flaw for a team on the verge of winning it all.
But Holmes resists the idea of needs, "because when each season ends, it’s going to be something else."
"Another contract is going to end, another player unfortunately might be coming off injury. It’s going to be something different every single offseason, so if you’re trying to chase what happened last season … you’re just getting into a cycle that I think is a little bit dangerous," he said. "That’s why I’ve been more of a, just get the best player."
What's more, said Holmes, there's inherent risk in "depending on a rookie" to play a prominent role. Arnold started and held his own last season opposite Carlton Davis III at cornerback, but was picked on at times in coverage. On the flip side, he got better as the year went on and projects as a difference-maker at a key position moving forward.
"There’s just a level of patience that you have to play," said Holmes. "When you start chasing need, that need might make sense for right now at this time, but we make these picks for future investment."
Questions abound for the Lions a week from the draft. Even they don't have all the answers, especially picking so late in the first round. Everyone wants to know what they're going to do. Holmes' advice? "Get your popcorn ready and enjoy it," like watching a movie for the first time.
His track record makes for a pretty good trailer.