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Brad Holmes Reveals Lions' Plans to Add Veteran Talent This Offseason

By Cem Yolbulan

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell and exec. vice president and general manager Brad Holmes walk off the field together during day two of the Detroit Lions training camp at the Detroit Lions Headquarters in Dearborn, Mich. on Thursday, July 25, 2024.
Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell and exec. vice president and general manager Brad Holmes walk off the field together during day two of the Detroit Lions training camp at the Detroit Lions Headquarters in Dearborn, Mich. on Thursday, July 25, 2024. / Kimberly P. Mitchell / USA TODAY NETWORK
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The Detroit Lions are officially in the offseason mode after their deflating loss against the Washington Commanders in the divisional round of the playoffs. It is a much earlier exit than Lions fans were hoping for but the team can't waste any time before starting their plans for the 2025 season and beyond.

After the departures of Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn, the Lions will look very different next season. The most pressing issue is to find a replacement for the coveted coordinators. Then, it's time to focus on the draft and free agency. Lions GM Brad Holmes outlined his offseason plan to help improve the roster. Even though he said he would build through the draft, he added that he will look to make trades for and sign veteran players, per Lions insider Brad Galli.

Lions GM Reveals Offseason Plans

The postseason loss made a couple of things obvious for the Lions. Even though the injuries obviously had a massive toll on the team, the defense left plenty to be desired down the stretch. More talent and depth on that side of the ball are desperately needed.

The Lions need to add to their EDGE rotation and bring in more talent to their cornerback room. Finding another elite pass rusher to complement Aidan Hutchinson has been a big need for the past couple of years. The secondary has been the Achilles heel of the team and first-round pick Terrion Arnold wasn't able to fix it. With Carlton Davis hitting free agency, the Lions have to address their weakness in the defensive backfield.

In addition to Davis, right guard Kevin Zeitler is another starter hitting free agency. The veteran offensive lineman was a revelation for the Lions this season but he may be out of Detroit's price range this offseason.

The Lions have generally chosen to build slowly and rely on the draft to improve the roster. They have opted to pay and retain their key contributors instead of relying on trades and free agency. However, they brought in Za'Darius Smith at the trade deadline, highlighting the fact that Holmes isn't completely closed off to the idea of giving up draft capital for veteran help.

For which positions Holmes will rely on free agency versus the draft remains to be seen but it's clear that the Lions have a lot of work to do this offseason.

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