Here we go again. The Lions wrapped up their 2026 draft class, but Brad Holmes isn’t done working. With the roster sitting at 76 players and the NFL allowing 90, there are spots to fill and diamonds to find in the undrafted pile.
This is where Holmes has quietly made a living. Remember, this is the GM who turned street free agents into contributors while other franchises were still figuring out how to spell “culture.” Now he has 14 potential spots to work with, and you know he’s going to use them wisely.
The UDFA Haul So Far
The early returns are promising, though keep in mind these signings aren’t set in stone. Players change their minds. Reports get mixed up. Sometimes what looks like a signing is really just a minicamp invite that got lost in translation.
Here’s what we’re tracking:
QB Luke Altmyer from Illinois headlines the group. A quarterback addition makes sense when you’re building depth behind your franchise player. TE Miles Kitselman from Tennessee gives them another body at a position where they can never have too many weapons.
The trenches got attention too. Guard Melvin Priestly from Illinois and defensive tackle Aidan Keanaaina from Cal both signed deals, with Keanaaina getting $300,000 guaranteed. That kind of money suggests the Lions see something they like.
The pass rush depth continues with EDGE rushers Eric O’Neill from Rutgers and Anthony Lucas from USC. Both are lottery tickets with the kind of athletic profiles that could develop.
Linebacker Erick Hunter from Morgan State got $175,000 guaranteed, which tells you Holmes and Campbell believe he can contribute. The secondary additions include CB De’Shawn Rucker from USF and DB Aamaris Brown from UNLV.
The Process That Works
The Lions aren’t holding a rookie minicamp this year, which makes these signings more important. If you don’t get a contract, you might not get a chance to show what you can do in Allen Park.
Holmes has turned this part of roster building into an art form. He finds players who fit the culture and the scheme, then gives them real opportunities to make the team. It’s not about big names or combine warriors. It’s about finding football players who can help win games.
The list will keep growing throughout the weekend. Names will trickle in. Some will stick, some won’t. But knowing this front office, they’ll find a few contributors in this group.
Think Holmes is about to uncover another gem in the UDFA pile, or are we setting ourselves up for disappointment? Drop your predictions below.
This is exactly what I’ve been saying all year. Holmes finds guys nobody else sees and turns them into contributors. The $300K guaranteed for Keanaaina screams that they believe in him for real, not just a camp body. That’s the kind of confidence in the eye test that actually wins games.
I want to believe this works out like it has before, but man I’ve been burned by UDFA hype before. That said, Holmes has proven he knows what he’s doing better than most, so I’m not gonna sit here and doom. Just need to see who actually sticks around by training camp.
The difference between what we’re watching now and what I watched for decades is night and day. Holmes and Campbell actually have a real plan and they execute it. No more throwing spaghetti at the wall hoping something sticks. This is organized chaos that actually makes sense.