The Holmes Magic Show Continues
After the gut punch that was 2025, we all knew something had to change. Not a total teardown, mind you. This isn’t the Matt Millen era where you blow everything up and pray someone competent walks through the door. But Brad Holmes needed to work some magic with limited salary cap space and draft capital, and frankly, watching him navigate tight spots has become one of my favorite pastimes.
The 2026 NFL Draft is done. Free agency has mostly settled. Training camp battles are coming, but the roster is basically set at 90 players. This is your 2026 Detroit Lions.
The question hanging over Allen Park is simple: did Holmes do enough to get us back to the playoffs and maybe, just maybe, make a real Super Bowl run?
The Moves That Made You Sweat
Let’s be honest about the uncomfortable moments. Releasing Taylor Decker felt wrong in your gut, even if your brain understood the salary cap math. Trading David Montgomery to the Houston Texans stung because the man was everything you want in a Lion. Watching Amik Robertson walk to the Washington Commanders for money we couldn’t match was the kind of small loss that adds up.
But here’s the thing about Holmes. He sees around corners.
The Larry Borom signing looked like a reach until Blake Miller fell to us in the draft. Suddenly Borom slides into his natural swing tackle role, Miller takes over for Decker with talent and grit at a fraction of the veteran price, and we’ve upgraded over Dan Skipper in the process. Miller isn’t just a replacement. He might be better than what we had.
The Montgomery Trade Actually Worked
Jahmyr Gibbs was always going to be the guy. Montgomery’s departure was inevitable once you accepted that reality. But getting Juice Scruggs as backup center plus the 2026 fourth-round pick that Holmes flipped into Derrick Moore? That’s not just asset management. That’s alchemy.
Isiah Pacheco on a prove-it deal gives us a legitimate complement to Gibbs. The former Chief has something to prove and everything to gain. Sometimes those are the most dangerous players.
The Secondary Gets Sneaky Good
Losing Robertson hurt, but Holmes answered with two moves that could look brilliant by December. Roger McCreary for $1.4 million is highway robbery if he stays healthy. Keith Abney in the fifth round gives us another high-upside defensive back for basically nothing.
Both players offer the kind of ceiling that makes you remember why Holmes is the best general manager this franchise has ever had. Not hyperbole. Just facts earned over years of hitting on picks nobody else saw coming.
The Subtle Upgrades Add Up
This wasn’t a splashy offseason, but the math works in our favor. Cade Mays over Graham Glasgow at center. Moore and DJ Wonnum adding edge depth. Christian Izien and Chuck Clark providing safety insurance. Teddy Bridgewater as a legitimate backup quarterback instead of hoping Kyle Allen doesn’t have to play.
The only real losses that sting are Alex Anzalone and Roy Lopez. Even there, Malcolm Rodriguez, Damone Clark, and Jimmy Rolder give us options at linebacker. Levi Onwuzurike, Skyler Gill-Howard, and Jay Tufele create competition at defensive tackle.
Training camp battles are coming, and that’s exactly what you want. Depth through competition. Options instead of prayers.
Trust The Process
Did the Lions improve this offseason or just shuffle deck chairs? I’m not entertaining that debate because the answer is obvious. We got better at center, better at edge, better at safety depth, and better at backup quarterback. We replaced expensive veterans with younger, hungrier players without sacrificing talent.
Holmes walked into this offseason with limited resources and big questions. He’s walking out with answers and a roster that can make noise. Again.
Is this roster good enough to make a Super Bowl run? We’re about to find out, but the foundation feels right. The depth looks real. The coaching staff knows what they’re building.
After decades of watching this franchise step on its own feet, trusting the process still feels weird. But Holmes has earned it. Campbell has earned it. This version of the Lions has earned it.
Are you buying what Holmes is selling this time around, or do you think we needed bigger moves to get back to the playoffs? Sound off below.
This is what good GMing looks like. Holmes didn’t panic and start throwing money around like we used to do. He found value in guys other teams didn’t want and made it work within the cap. That’s the kind of smart football that actually builds something real, not just temporary fixes.
I hear what you’re saying and Holmes has definitely earned some trust, but Roger McCreary for 1.4 million seems too good to be true. I’m hoping he pans out, but I’ve seen cheap signings not work out before. Let’s see how these depth moves actually perform when it matters.
The thing that gets me is how different this feels compared to the old days of just hoping something works. Holmes actually has a plan, and Campbell backs it up. We used to watch this team spin its wheels, but now there’s actual strategy in how they build this roster. That’s huge for us fans who’ve been through the rough years.
Blake Miller sliding into that Decker role perfectly is such a perfect example of why Holmes is special. Most GMs panic and overpay, but he had Borom waiting and Miller falling. That’s not luck, that’s real talent evaluation and patience. I’m excited to see what this roster can do.