The Lions Draft Move That Never Happened
The first round of the 2026 NFL Draft came and went, and we walked away with Clemson tackle Blake Miller. Solid pick. Good player. But apparently, that wasn’t the only move Brad Holmes and company were considering.
Word is the Lions were kicking around the idea of trading up to snag one of the top edge rushers in this class. Makes sense, right? We’ve been hunting for pass rush help like it’s the last slice of pizza at a house party, and this draft had some serious talent at the position.
But here we are. Miller it is.
Look, I get it. The offensive line is important, and Miller has the kind of talent that could anchor our protection for years to come. Holmes has shown he knows what he’s doing when it comes to building through the trenches. We’ve seen that movie before, and it usually ends well in Allen Park.
Still, you can’t help but wonder what might have been. This team has been searching for that game-changing edge rusher, the kind of guy who can get home when it matters most. We had a shot to potentially move up and grab one of the premier talents at the position.
Instead, we stayed put and took care of business on the offensive side of the ball. It’s the kind of move that probably makes the most sense in the long run, even if it doesn’t give you that immediate rush of excitement.
The draft intel suggests Holmes at least explored his options. That’s what good general managers do. They leave no stone unturned, especially when you’re this close to something special.
Miller should help keep our franchise quarterback upright, which is never a bad investment. Sometimes the smart play isn’t the sexy play, and after decades of watching this organization make the wrong call at crucial moments, maybe boring and sensible is exactly what we need.
Did Holmes make the right call staying put, or should he have rolled the dice on that pass rusher? Let me know what you think below.
I’m actually good with this move. We’ve been getting torched up front for years and it finally feels like we’re building this team the right way. Miller is gonna be a monster and keeping our QB safe has to be the priority. The pass rush will come, but you can’t win games if your quarterback is running for his life every play.
Here we go again with the what-ifs. I want to believe Holmes knows what he’s doing, I really do, but man it stings watching other teams go all in at skill positions while we’re playing it safe. Maybe I’m just tired of seeing this team take the conservative route and regret it later.
You know, I’ve watched this franchise make some absolutely wild decisions over the decades, and I gotta say taking the offensive line help feels refreshingly normal. Building from the inside out isn’t flashy but it actually works. Give me that over the crazy trades any day.
Blake Miller is gonna be special and honestly I think people are sleeping on how much a dependable tackle changes everything for an offense. Yeah the pass rush is important but what good is a pass rusher if we can’t protect long enough for plays to develop?