Why the Lions Should Thank God They Didn’t Trade for Myles Garrett
The Rams just mortgaged their entire future for Myles Garrett, and honestly? Good for them. They can have that headache. Because if the Lions had pulled off that same blockbuster trade, it would have been the single dumbest thing Brad Holmes could have done as general manager.
Look, I get the appeal. Lions fans see these mega trades and lose their minds with excitement. It’s a different kind of high than watching the team re-sign their own players. But that’s exactly the point.
This Trade Goes Against Everything Holmes Has Built
There are two ways to build a championship team: draft and retain your own talent, or buy stars and pray it works. The Lions are a draft-and-retain franchise to their core. Shifting violently into the other approach would be like lighting everything on fire and hoping you don’t get burned.
The Rams gave up Pro Bowl edge rusher Jared Verse, a 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 second-round pick, and a 2029 third-round pick for Garrett. For a team like the Lions, that’s essentially trading Aidan Hutchinson plus three future starters for one guy who will soon be 31.
Yes, Garrett is one of the greatest pass rushers of all time. But Father Time is undefeated, and Holmes didn’t build this roster by chasing aging superstars.
The Rams Are About to Learn a Harsh Lesson
Here’s the kicker: the Rams aren’t even planning to extend their own young stars after making this trade. Puka Nacua, Byron Young, Kobie Turner, and Steve Avila are all slated to be free agents after the 2026 season, and Los Angeles is reportedly not prioritizing extensions.
So they just traded away their future for Garrett while simultaneously letting their current young talent walk. That’s not building a championship team, that’s rolling the dice on one season and hoping lightning strikes.
Maybe it works. Maybe the Rams win it all in 2026 and everyone forgets about the price they paid. But if they don’t? They’ll be staring at a roster full of holes with no picks to fill them and no young talent to build around.
The Lions have something better than flashy trades. They have a system that works, a front office that builds for the long haul, and a culture that doesn’t need to be propped up by desperate moves. Sometimes the best trade is the one you don’t make.
Think Holmes should have gone all-in for Garrett or are you glad we’re staying the course? Tell me why I’m wrong in the comments below.
This is exactly why I trust Holmes and Campbell so much. They’re not desperate, they’re not trying to patch holes with band aids. The way they’re building this team feels different, like we actually have a plan that goes beyond one season. The Rams can have their headaches, we’re good.
Look I get the argument but I’m still nervous we’re gonna regret not going for it when we had the chance. Sometimes you gotta swing for the fences, you know? That said, I respect that Holmes isn’t just throwing darts at the board like previous regimes did. At least this feels calculated.
After everything I’ve watched this franchise go through, seeing a GM actually stick to a plan and not panic is refreshing as hell. Holmes gets it. He’s building it right, not trying to find shortcuts. That’s how you actually win in the long run.
The thing is Garrett is old and expensive and the Rams gutted themselves for what? One maybe two years of prime production? Meanwhile we got young talent and draft picks and cap space. That’s the kind of patience that actually builds winners, not these desperate all in moves.