Brad Holmes Needs to Pump the Brakes on Jack Campbell’s Fifth-Year Option
Here we go again, folks. Brad Holmes stepped up to the podium Monday for his annual pre-draft presser, and naturally someone had to ask about the fifth-year options for Jahmyr Gibbs and Jack Campbell. Because apparently we’re already talking about throwing more guaranteed money at a linebacker who has spent more time looking lost than a tourist in downtown Detroit during a blackout.
Look, I get it. Campbell was a first-round pick. The 18th overall selection in 2023. When you draft a guy that high, especially at linebacker, you want him to work out. You need him to work out.
But wanting something and actually getting it are two very different things in this franchise’s history, aren’t they?
The Case Against Campbell’s Big Payday
Let’s be honest about what we’ve seen from Campbell in his rookie season. This wasn’t exactly the dominant, game-changing performance that screams “lock this guy up for another year at premium money.” The Iowa product looked overwhelmed at times, struggled in coverage, and frankly appeared to be playing catch-up for most of the season.
And yes, I know what you’re thinking. “But he’s just a rookie! Give him time!” Sure, rookies deserve patience. But fifth-year options aren’t about patience anymore.
They’re about guaranteed money. Big guaranteed money. The kind of financial commitment that can handcuff a franchise if the player doesn’t develop into what you hoped.
We’ve been down this road before, haven’t we? How many times have the Lions gotten burned by committing too early to players who showed flashes but never put it all together? The scars run deep in Allen Park, and they should inform every decision moving forward.
The Gibbs Comparison Makes It Even Worse
Now, if Holmes wants to talk about Jahmyr Gibbs’ fifth-year option, that’s a different conversation entirely. Gibbs came in and immediately looked like he belonged. The kid has game-breaking speed and showed he could handle the NFL workload right out of the gate.
Putting Campbell in the same sentence as Gibbs when discussing fifth-year options feels premature at best, insulting at worst. One guy looks like a cornerstone piece. The other looks like he’s still figuring out where he fits.
The Lions have a window here. This team is good enough to compete now, which means every roster decision matters more than it would during a rebuild. You can’t afford to tie up significant cap space on hope and potential when you’re trying to win football games that actually matter.
What Smart Teams Actually Do
Smart organizations wait. They let players prove themselves over multiple seasons before committing big money. They don’t get seduced by draft position or potential when real production is still missing.
Campbell needs to show dramatic improvement in year two. He needs to prove he can handle NFL offenses consistently, not just in flashes. He needs to demonstrate he can be the linebacker the Lions thought they were getting when they used a first-round pick on him.
If he does that, great. Pick up the option next spring when you have more data. But making that decision now, based on what we’ve seen so far, feels like the kind of move that bites you in the ass two years down the road.
The Bigger Picture in Honolulu Blue
This isn’t about giving up on Campbell. It’s about being smart with resources when you finally have a team worth investing in properly. The Lions are in a different place now than they were during the Matt Millen years, when every decision seemed to compound previous mistakes.
Holmes has generally made good decisions since taking over. But this feels like one where caution should win over optimism. Let Campbell earn his money the hard way, by actually producing at an elite level.
The fifth-year option will still be there next spring. Campbell’s development will be clearer. The team’s needs will be better defined. Making this call now, with limited sample size and inconsistent performance, feels rushed.
And rushed decisions haven’t exactly worked out well for this franchise historically, have they?
The Bottom Line
Jack Campbell might turn into a solid NFL linebacker. He might even become great. But “might” doesn’t deserve fifth-year option money, especially not from a franchise that should know better by now.
Save the guaranteed cash for players who have already proven they belong. Let Campbell prove he deserves it over the next 17 games. If he does, pay him. If he doesn’t, you’ll be glad you waited.
The Lions are finally building something real in Allen Park. Don’t screw it up by getting ahead of yourselves on a linebacker who hasn’t earned the investment yet.
Are we really about to give Campbell guaranteed money after one mediocre season, or has this organization actually learned from its mistakes? Let me know what you think in the comments below.
