Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes continues to put together a strong front office during his first week on the job.
It was previously reported that Holmes was bringing in former GM John Dorsey as a senior personnel executive, and now NFL Network’s Tom Peliserro is reporting that the Lions are planning on hiring LA Rams’ director of player personnel Ray Agnew as assistant general manager.
Agnew, a former defensive tackle, was drafted 10th overall in the 1990 NFL draft by the New England Patriots, and over his 11-year career, he would also play for the New York Giants and St. Louis Rams.
In 2017, the Rams named him director of pro personnel, and over the past four years, he along with Holmes ran the entire scouting department for Rams’ GM Les Snead.
The Rams preach collaborative efforts in player acquisition — exactly what the Holmes is promoting in Detroit — and the two scouting departs would work together to evaluate players, both in the draft and free agency.
The collaborative efforts were a big reason the Rams drafted Aaron Donald. Holmes put in a ton of leg work evaluating Donald, as illustrated by The Athletic’s Vincent Bonsignore, and when Agnew began his assessment, he instantly pounded the table to acquire him.
“Ray (Agnew) was a huge advocate of Aaron (Donald),” said Snead, via Kimberley Martin of Yahoo Sports. “And because Ray is such a steady presence, when he gets excited about someone, you can just feel, ‘OK, there’s a good chance this guy is going to be a really good player.’ He was on board with Aaron from the first moment he saw Aaron in the process.”
The trio of Holmes, Agnew, and Dorsey gives the Lions experience in all aspects of acquiring talent, whether they’re drafting, signing, or trading for players.