Brad Holmes Almost Made His Worst Trade Ever
Thank god for the New York Giants and their decision to stick at pick 37. Brad Holmes nearly pulled off what could have been the most expensive six-spot climb in Lions draft history, and we should all be relieved it fell through.
The details came out Monday when the Giants released their draft room footage. Holmes tried to move from pick 50 to pick 37 in the second round, presumably to grab Derrick Moore before Baltimore could snatch him up. The asking price? Their 50th pick, plus their 118th, 128th, and 157th selections.
That’s three picks on top of swapping seconds. For six spots.
The Giants Said No, Thank God
Instead, the Giants stayed put and took Colton Hood at 37. Holmes waited, made a much more reasonable deal, and still got Moore at 44. The actual cost? Just their second and fourth-round picks. Much more palatable.
You can see the logic Holmes was working with here. Moore was the target, and Kansas City and Cincinnati were both hunting edge rushers in that range. But holy hell, the price difference is staggering.
If that original trade goes through, the Lions lose Jimmy Rolder and Keith Abney. No fourth-round linebacker from Michigan. No fifth-round corner who could develop into something. The draft capital gets wiped clean for a move that ultimately wasn’t necessary.
Sometimes the Best Trades Are the Ones You Don’t Make
Holmes has earned our trust through years of smart moves and calculated risks. But this one would have been rough. Three extra picks to jump six spots when patience got him the same player for half the price?
The Giants saved Holmes from himself here, and we should be grateful. Moore still ended up in Honolulu Blue, but the Lions kept their ammunition for the rest of the draft. Sometimes the phone call that doesn’t get returned is the biggest win of the weekend.
Did Holmes dodge a bullet here or am I overreacting to war room drama? Let me know what you think in the comments below.
This is exactly why I trust Brad Holmes. Yeah he wanted Moore bad, but when the Giants said no he just pivoted and still got his guy. That’s the opposite of desperation moves we used to see from this org. The fact he was willing to walk away tells you everything about how this regime operates.
I mean sure it worked out, but I’m still not totally sold on getting that aggressive in the first place. Like yeah we got Moore anyway, but what if Baltimore or KC had actually jumped him before pick 44? That’s the move that would’ve kept me up at night, not the one that didn’t happen.
Man this is night and day from how things used to go around here. Back in the day we would’ve made that stupid trade and then spent the whole season wondering why we didn’t have any depth. Holmes knowing when to pull back is refreshing honestly.