Brad Holmes delivered another creative, smart and well-planned draft.
The Lions are better. But are they good enough to reach the Super Bowl?
Theoretically, they should be.
The Lions came within a disastrous half of advancing to the Super Bowl for the first time.
Running the ball, passing it and rushing defense were considerable strengths, but pass defense an abysmal weakness.
Adding cornerbacks Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw in the first two rounds of the draft, along with the free agent signings of Carlton Davis III and Amik Robertson, should immensely enhance the Lions’ secondary.
Arnold should start right away. Brian Branch is a superior slot corner, while safeties Kerby Joseph and Ifeatu Melifonwu are third round draft picks who have yet to hit their developmental apex.
Unfortunately, it isn’t that simple.
Green Bay ended last season on a roll with quarterback Jordan Love arriving at the top end, and followed it with a solid draft that included a much-needed offensive tackle in Arizona’s Jordan Morgan and significant secondary additions led by arguably the best safety in the draft, Georgia’s Javon Bullard. The Eagles' pass defense imploded at the end of last season, but they managed to get two exceptionally athletic corners with size in this draft, Quinyon Mitchell (Toledo) and Cooper DeJean (Iowa). The 49ers and Cowboys will be formidable, and the Lions’ schedule more difficult.
It’s impossible to make an NFL roster ironclad for a given season. The best organizations provide sustainability.
The Patriots during the Tom Brady years, and Kansas City now are classic examples. The Steelers, Ravens, Packers, Eagles, as well. Often it’s QB driven, sometimes not so much.
Holmes is transforming the Lions into one of the NFL’s perennial contenders.
While it’s understood the bar has been set so anything short of a Super Bowl appearance would be a disappointment, it’s not do or die for the Lions.
The Lions first three drafts under Holmes poured a solid foundation. The Lions don’t just have a star or two, but several. That can already be said for Penei Sewell and Amon-Ra St. Brown, whose contracts were extended recently, along with other Holmes’ premier draft selections Aidan Hutchinson, Sam LaPorta, Jahmyr Gibbs, Branch and Alim McNeill.
The draft is like Christmas, Thanksgiving and St. Patrick’s Day rolled into one for Holmes. it's definitely his realm.
He is not afraid to uncover stones, who are potential gems, like Giovanni Manu and Sione Vaki Saturday, and just go get them.
It doesn’t mean the Lions are a perfect team. Far from it. The NFL is a salary cap league often dictated by injuries. The Lions have good depth, but nobody is immune.
Filling every hole completely is impossible. The Lions could use that edge defender opposite Hutchinson fans persistently yearn for, and it’d sure be nice if the Lions had dependable field goal kicking.
But the Lions are in unbelievably good shape considering just how bad it looked as recently as the middle of the 2022 season.
They have come remarkably far in a short period. And this draft will only make them better, likely for now, and certainly for the future.
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