Lions Getting Busy While We’re All Arguing About Mock Drafts
The 2026 Lions offseason figures to be a busy one. Hell, it already is. The team is going through a serious transition on the offensive line, they’ve already agreed to trade away a key skill position player, and with a bunch of pending free agents on the defensive side of the ball, this roster could look significantly different than last year’s.
Which means it’s time to track every move Brad Holmes makes. Every signing, every trade, every release. Because if you’ve watched this franchise for more than five minutes, you know things happen fast in Allen Park these days.
The New Faces
Holmes has been characteristically aggressive in free agency, bringing in veteran help across the board. QB Teddy Bridgewater returns on a one-year, $1.8 million deal. RB Isiah Pacheco joins from Kansas City for one year and $1.81 million. WR/returner Greg Dortch comes over from Arizona on a one-year, $1.4 million contract.
The biggest splash might be C Cade Mays, who signed a three-year, $25 million deal to anchor the middle of the line. That’s real money for a center, which tells you everything about how Holmes views the position and this player.
On defense, EDGE DJ Wonnum signed for one year and $3 million. Former first-round pick Payton Turner gets a prove-it deal at $1.145 million. Safety Chuck Clark brings starting experience for $1.5 million over one year.
The Trades and Departures
David Montgomery is gone, traded to Houston for offensive lineman Juice Scruggs. It’s the kind of move that stings emotionally but makes sense practically. Montgomery was expensive and the Lions have Jahmyr Gibbs.
The cap casualties hit hard. Taylor Decker was released, saving $11.6 million. Graham Glasgow got cut, freeing up over $5.5 million. Josh Paschal, the 2022 second-round pick, was released to save $1.66 million.
Keeping Their Own
Holmes managed to retain several key pieces. Malcolm Rodriguez re-signed for one year and $2.75 million. CB Rock Ya-Sin came back on a one-year, $3.2 million deal. LB Trevor Nowaske and WR Tom Kennedy both returned on one-year contracts.
But they lost some important depth. QB Kyle Allen signed with Buffalo. WR Kalif Raymond headed to Chicago. DT Roy Lopez took a two-year, $10.5 million deal in Arizona. LB Alex Anzalone signed with Tampa Bay for two years and $17 million.
The Big Picture
This is Holmes doing what Holmes does. Aggressive but calculated. Willing to let good players walk if the price doesn’t fit. Unafraid to make moves that seem harsh but serve the bigger picture.
The offensive line overhaul was necessary. Decker’s release was painful but predictable. The Montgomery trade hurts until you remember they still have one of the best young running backs in football.
And yes, losing Anzalone stings. But Holmes clearly has a plan for linebacker. He always does.
Are we watching Holmes build another playoff team or is this just expensive roster churn that’ll leave us wondering what happened come December? Drop your take below.
I love what Holmes is doing here. Yeah it stings losing some guys but he’s not afraid to get the right pieces in place and move on from what doesn’t fit. Cade Mays at center is a smart move and the fact he’s investing real money there shows he knows what matters. This roster is gonna be better.
Look, I trust Holmes more than I’ve trusted anybody running this team in a long time, but I gotta ask… is Juice Scruggs really the answer at O-line? And letting Anzalone walk for a guy who just has “a plan” at linebacker feels like we’re winging it a little. Hope I’m wrong.
This is what actual management looks like compared to the chaos we used to deal with. Holmes is being decisive instead of making knee-jerk reactions, and that’s huge. We’ve seen so many failed experiments over the years, but this guy has a vision and he’s executing it. That matters.
The Montgomery trade hurt to read but makes total sense when you think about it. We got a young stud at RB already so why overpay for another guy eating cap space? This is exactly the kind of smart move that builds a real contender.