The Lions Tried to Move Up and We Know Why
Brad Holmes was working the phones again. Shocking, I know. The man who has turned this franchise from a punchline into something resembling competence was apparently trying to trade up to the 13th pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, and now we’re getting the juicy details about what went wrong.
According to The Athletic’s Rams beat writer, the Lions were among the teams trying to deal with Los Angeles for that 13th spot. But here’s the kicker: the trade offers were “soft.” Translation: Holmes wasn’t about to mortgage the future for a maybe.
The Cowboys ended up trading up to grab Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, but the Lions? They kept their powder dry. Smart move, considering how things played out.
Two Theories on Who They Wanted
So who was Holmes chasing? We’ve got two solid theories, and both make perfect sense if you’ve been paying attention to what this team actually needs.
First option: Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. Multiple sources were hearing the Lions working phones before the first round, trying to get into position for Bain. The expectation was he’d fall out of the top 10, which he did. The other expectation? Tampa Bay would never let him slide past them. They didn’t.
Trading up with the Rams might have been the last-ditch effort to get ahead of the Bucs. Ravens GM Eric DeCosta mentioned having an agreement with an NFC team that backed out, but nobody’s naming names there.
Second theory is more interesting: maybe Holmes was just trying to secure the guy he ended up getting anyway. After the draft, Holmes admitted the Lions strongly considered trading up for Blake Miller. But once the Rams took quarterback Ty Simpson, Holmes felt comfortable Miller would fall to them at 17.
We talked to teams up—way up—and we just talked about (it) and tried to see if we can be at peace with what the capital is that you’d have to expend,” Holmes said. “Right after LA took the quarterback, I felt pretty good that we might be able to just get Blake.”
Holmes Knows What He’s Doing
Here’s the thing: it all worked out exactly how it should have. The Lions got Miller at tackle without giving up assets, then grabbed Derrick Moore in the second round for their edge rush need. Holmes played it perfectly.
This is what competent management looks like. You explore your options. You know your backup plans. You don’t panic and overpay when Plan A doesn’t work. After decades of watching this franchise make desperate moves that blew up in their faces, it’s almost unsettling to watch Holmes operate with this kind of patience and precision.
Were you hoping Holmes would be more aggressive, or are you happy he kept his cool and got the guys he wanted anyway? Drop your take below.
This is exactly what separates Holmes from the clowns who ran this team before. He had a plan, knew when to walk away, and still got his guys. Blake Miller falling to 17 and Derrick Moore in the second round is the kind of draft capital management that actually wins football games. I’m loving this approach.
I get what Holmes did here and it’s smarter than panic trading, but I’m still waiting to see if Blake Miller actually turns into what we need at tackle. The patience thing works if the guys you end up with are legit. If they bust, suddenly those ‘soft’ offers don’t look so smart.
Man, after watching the garbage decisions this front office made for decades, watching a GM actually have options and stick to his plan feels foreign. Holmes didn’t panic. He explored everything and still got what he wanted. That’s what real management looks like compared to what we suffered through.
The way Holmes works these phones and keeps his composure is exactly why I believe in this regime. He wasn’t gonna overpay for Bain or anybody else just to look active. Getting Miller without giving up draft picks and adding Moore on day two is the chess move everybody talks about. This is the way.