Tag: Brad Holmes

Brad Holmes not deterred by rookie tackle Penei Sewell’s ‘hiccups’ in preseason

Holmes said Sewell is, “going through the normal process that a rookie would go through, regardless of where he’s drafted”

Penei Sewell might have been the most universally beloved Detroit Lions first-round draft pick since at least Calvin Johnson back in 2007. It was hard to find many Lions fans who didn’t think Sewell, the No. 7 overall pick, was a great choice.

That bullish confidence in Sewell has been shaken by a lackluster performance in the preseason. Sewell struggled in pass protection against both Buffalo and Indianapolis. He had his issues in training camp with the quickness and diversity of NFL pass rushers like Julian Okwara and Jashon Cornell, too.

The man who drafted Sewell out of Oregon, Lions GM Brad Holmes, is not worried at all. He brushed aside any notion that he’s got buyer’s remorse on Sewell or that the big right tackle won’t be a great NFL player.

“I believe that he will be ready for Week 1 and I think he’s ready now,” Holmes said of Sewell during his press conference on Thursday. “Yeah, I mean, he’s going through the normal process that a rookie would go through, regardless of where he’s drafted. That’s a tough position to play out there on that island and he’s sat out for a year. So what he’s done, and I know it’s magnified by what may be a hiccup here or there, but there’s so much of the good stuff that maybe kind of hidden when you really kind of deep dive the film, little subtle nuances that is going to make a big difference.”

Sewell opted out of the 2020 college season and played just 20 games for the Ducks in three seasons, though he was dominant enough as a sophomore to win the Outland Trophy as the nation’s top lineman. The 20-year-old is also switching from left tackle to right tackle.

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The rust in his game has been evident, something Holmes alluded to in his press conference. But Sewell has also posted some impressive reps against significantly higher-level competition than he ever saw in college, and Holmes sees those, too.

Will Harris’ development has impressed Lions coaches and front office

GM Brad Holmes and HC Dan Campbell are impressed with the acceleration of Will Harris’ development hoping for big strides in his third season

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The safety group has been annotated as a potential weak spot heading into the offseason and needing serious upgrades. The only addition the Lions made was the signing of Dean Marlowe to help out, but he is not the type of player that would instantly upgrade the position. It left many unsatisfied and begging the Lions to do more, but it seemed they were quite content with players they already had in the house.

With little additions coming into Detroit, the tandem of Tracy Walker and Will Harris will be looked on to cover the deep area of the field once again. It was a lot to be desired for most, especially since these two were part of a defense that got torched for 419 yards per game last season, good for dead last in the league.

The jettison of the old regime and the injection of a player’s mentality coaching styles has done absolute wonders for the players. T.J. Hockenson recently said it is a complete 180 from years past. Even newcomer Jerry Jacobs mentioned that players who were part of the last regime said it was a completely different atmosphere.

Will Harris has had a rough go in the NFL so far after being drafted in the third round in 2019, looking out of place in the Patricia system. The physical tools are there —at 6-foot-1 and 207 pounds has the build for safety — but he hasn’t been able to put it all together for some reason.

Fortunately for Harris, he has embraced the new regime. Like his fellow teammates, he has seen his comfort level rise, giving him newfound confidence. Everyone involved has seen a massive step forward from the third-year safety.

General manager Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell took on a joint press conference, and each of them spoke on the massive improvements Will Harris has made so far.

Brad Holmes:

“Will Harris, I’ll say the acceleration of his development, how quickly it’s gotten to in terms of knowing him when he came out of B.C. (Boston College) and then seeing him early on. You’ve got to be really, really excited about that.”

Dan Campbell:

“Will and Amani may have had two of the best camps of anybody on our roster, as a matter of fact.”

It is great to see the front office and coaching staff sing the praises of Harris specifically, but actions speak louder than words. With Harris’s history, most will keep their expectations in check and wait to see how he performs when the balls start flying.

On the flip side, we could overlook how much Harris might have improved with the new coaching staff giving a boost of confidence and putting him in better positions to succeed. Harris will be a player to keep your eye on through the season and see if he is a whole new player than what we have seen.

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Brad Holmes, Dan Campbell: ‘Don’t view disagreement as a negative’ but as a way to learn and grow

Holmes highlighted the collaborative spirit but also the value of listening to other viewpoints in his press conference alongside Dan Campbell

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Sitting next to each other at the podium in front of reporters in the Lions makeshift media tent, Detroit GM Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell presented a unified front. Their press conference breaking down the decisions and players that make up the Lions’ youthful 53-man roster showed two leaders with the same vision for their team.

The two work closely together, and each has admitted on multiple occasions that they feel “cut from the same cloth”, something Holmes again said on Thursday. But they’re not a monolithic entity, nor are they inflexible in their thoughts.

Holmes even brought up that they do disagree. In many NFL cities, that’s an understood fact of being part of a large team. But the last three years in Detroit, any dissent was intolerable and often ended in exile to Seattle or Philadelphia, or Coombs-ing the street looking for work. The days of the Quinntricia bloc creating more of a Stasi than a successful football team are long gone.

“We might have had some longer discussions on two guys, maybe two to three guys,” Holmes said calmly when asked about their discussions and decisions in the roster-forming process. “But, again, I don’t view disagreement as a negative. I always viewed it as a learning experience to get better because you hear different views, different opinions, different viewpoints. We’ve always said we’re taking the ego out of it. As we go through this process with the ego removed and our intuition along the way, it’s been an easy process. I may hear a different viewpoint from Dan, and I’ll say, ‘OK, I didn’t see it that way, but hey, I’m glad you brought it up,’ and vice versa.”

The collaborative approach is a much healthier way. Campbell and Holmes’ cloths are cut with enough humility to understand they might not always be right, that other opinions should be considered. It’s common sense.

Their consensus choices focused on players who might not present the best chance to win in 2021. While Holmes emphatically stated, “ultimately we want to win”, there was an underlying tone that they realize some of the roster decisions might have made that less likely. Both Holmes and Campbell seem okay with that but determined to prove that the hungry, young group will capably compete and rack up some victories along the way.

Roster cutdown calendar: What’s coming for the Lions

Roster cutdown calendar: What’s next for GM Brad Holmes and the Detroit Lions

Tuesday, August 31st is a big day on the NFL calendar. All NFL teams must reduce their rosters to just 53 players by 4 p.m. ET. For the Detroit Lions, it’s the middle of a maelstrom of activity for new GM Brad Holmes and his staff.

The roster cutdown began on Monday when the Lions waived several players, including injured offensive linemen Tyrell Crosby and Dan Skipper. Many more cuts are needed to get to the 53-man limit.

That deadline is just the first of several important times to know this week, however.

Wednesday, Sept. 1, 4 p.m. – waiver claim period ends

All players who were cut via waivers are eligible to be claimed by another team. The waived player claim period ends 24 hours to the second after the initial 53-man deadline.

Expect the Lions to be quite active in claiming players off waivers. Head coach Dan Campbell declared they will be, after all.

In general, players who have less than four full years of NFL experience are subject to waivers. All of the Lions who were cut on Monday are subject to waiver claims except WR Breshad Perriman, who is able to sign anywhere else right away.

The waiver claim order is the same as the selection order (prior to trades) from the 2021 NFL draft. Detroit sits seventh in line. If none of the teams slotted above the Lions claim a player and the Lions did place a claim, he’s theirs.

Of course, claiming a player means the Lions would have to create a place on the 53-man roster by either cutting another player (waivers or release) or placing a player on injured reserve.

Remember, players placed on I.R. prior to the Tuesday 4 p.m. deadline are out for the season. Players placed on the I.R. after the initial 53-man roster deadline can be brought back to the active roster after missing a minimum of just three weeks. For the Lions, DE Da’Shawn Hand and QB Tim Boyle are obvious candidates to get moved to I.R. after making the initial 53.

Practice squad can be formed – Wed. 4 p.m. ET

While any waiver claims are being processed and added to the roster, the Lions are also able to build the 16-player practice squad. All players unclaimed on waivers are eligible, including those from other teams. Just because a player was with the Lions in the preseason, it does not commit them to being on Detroit’s practice squad.

Of the 16 spots, up to six can be used on players with more than two accrued NFL seasons. The others must have less than two full years of NFL experience.

Thursday, Sept. 2nd, 4 p.m. ET – Waiver claim period No. 2 ends

The players who get waived by Wednesday’s deadline are also eligible to be claimed by another team. Teams have until Thursday at 4 p.m. to claim those players.

The Lions have some positive history in making claims here. Romeo Okwara came to Detroit after being claimed off waivers from the New York Giants following the initial claim period.

Brad Holmes, Dan Campbell closely watching the waiver wire

Coach Campbell indicated GM Brad Holmes pores over the roster cuts from around the league all the time

The Detroit Lions have been active in shuffling the bottom of the roster and adding players throughout training camp. That’s not by accident, as head coach Dan Campbell declared on Thursday.

Campbell was asked if he and the Lions pay close attention to the waiver wire and players who get dumped by other teams as the preseason progresses.

“Absolutely, every day,” Campbell immediately responded. “Brad (Holmes) and them have been on it every day for every team. I have told the team this and these guys know we’re always looking for the – just because you may be the number one guy here or the number two guy here doesn’t mean that it’s going to stay that way or that even you make it here. We’re looking for the best that are out there to help upgrade us roster-wise. That’s what Brad does. That’s what his crew does and we’re always looking there.”

Campbell did not get into specific positions of emphasis, but the Lions have been busy adding tight ends, defensive linemen and running backs in recent days. Expect the team to look at interior offensive line depth and wide receivers in the coming days.

Why the Lions 2021 plan at WR could be their biggest downfall

Why the Lions 2021 plan at WR could be their biggest downfall in both this season and beyond

The Athletic recently polled its individual team writers to list their worst offseason move for the team they cover. Detroit Lions rep Chris Burke chose the lack of emphasis on upgrading the safety position, which is certainly a valid choice. The secondary as a whole remains suspect and the projected top safety trio of Tracy Walker, Dean Marlowe and Will Harris might be the NFL’s worst based on how each played last year.

But I would offer a different answer than Burke, even though he’s spot-on with his negative assessment of the safety position. My choice would be the meager work done to address the hole at wide receiver after seeing the top four wideouts from 2020 all leave.

There are only so many holes that can get capably filled in one offseason, and the Bob Quinn regime and its terrifying misapplication of positional values left the roster with a lot of deep holes. But not doing more to try and rebuild the receiving corps hurts on multiple levels.

First, it places too many players higher on the depth chart than they’ve ever proven they belong or could be reasonably expected to succeed. Tyrell Williams was a good No. 3 for the Chargers, yet he’s the obvious top receiver in Detroit. Quintez Cephus is the likely No. 2, but as a rookie in 2020 he was often the No. 5. He could conceivably rise to the occasion, but it’s asking a lot more than should be for a young player of his limited experience and athletic profile.

The other side of the coin is how it impacts Jared Goff at quarterback. It’s clear the new regime helmed by GM Brad Holmes believes that Goff can establish himself as the team’s long-term solution. But the mismatched receiving corps isn’t apt to help Goff elevate his game back to his Pro Bowl day of 2017-2018. They’re also not a good stylistic fit for what Goff does best, other than fourth-round rookie (and projected starting slot WR) Amon-Ra St. Brown.

Williams is primarily a vertical deep threat on the outside. That’s all that reclamation project Breshad Perriman has ever been in his disappointing NFL career. Speedy Kalif Raymond is faster-than-quick in the slot. Geronimo Allison has been a one-note outside receiver in his career and hasn’t played in almost two years. They’re not playing to Goff’s apparent strengths — timing routes, underneath options, reading layers of the defense — with this receiving corps, and that holds longer-term implications for the Lions than the remaining chasm of relative talent at the safety spot.

How can Goff be properly evaluated with an expansion team-like receiving corps? Does the regime, which is clearly invested in the former No. 1 overall pick, give him more time with the justification that his receivers weren’t up to the task? Or do they rush to dump Goff for the exact same reason?

The ripple effects of the dilapidated receiving corps could negatively impact the team for several seasons.

Don’t discount the potential for at least one of the modest moves to hit. Tyrell Williams has proven to be a very effective player when healthy, and he knows coordinator Anthony Lynn’s offense from their time with the Chargers together. St. Brown is a high-floor talent with impeccable work ethic who fits a role Goff did work well with in Los Angeles. The two UDFAs, Javon McKinley and Sage Surratt, carry very real promise. This on-the-fly plan does have a legit chance to work, at least to some degree. It could get salvaged with a legit No. 1 and No. 2 wideout in the next offseason too, and the Lions will have both the draft capital and cap room to make that happen.

But if it doesn’t, the relative inaction at shoring up the devastated wide receiving corps could haunt the Lions beyond 2021.

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Lions’ lack of top-end talent evident in PFF’s preseason top 50 players list

There is a lack of top-end talent on the Lions and it’s reflected on lists like this

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The period between the end of minicamp and the onset of training camp is often the season of lists in the NFL. One such list, Pro Football Focus and its top 50 players in the league right now, struck my Lions eyes with a shot of reality.

There isn’t a single Detroit Lion on the list.

It’s not a surprise, not after the team dealt away Matthew Stafford and saw Marvin Jones and Kenny Golladay leave in free agency. None of them made the list either, and that’s part of the larger point. There just isn’t top-end talent in Detroit, either now or in the last handful of seasons.

The best players on the current roster are, in some semblance of order, center Frank Ragnow, left tackle Taylor Decker, punter Jack Fox, defensive lineman Trey Flowers, tight end T.J. Hockenson and linebacker Jamie Collins. They’re all darn good players but only Ragnow challenges for the best at his position.

As talented as Stafford was, he was never in that top echelon. Nor was Golladay, or Glover Quin or Darius Slay or Matt Prater. Again, all are very talented, high-end players at their positions. But they weren’t premium, perennial All-Pros. The last Lions who truly belonged in those conversations are Ndamukong Suh and Calvin Johnson.

Suh left after the 2014 season and Johnson followed a year later. Try as they might, the Lions regimes have never been able to find the transcendent All-Pros. It’s reflected in lists like this that don’t feature any Detroit players and there isn’t really anyone considered an obvious snub.

That’s the challenge for new Lions GM Brad Holmes. He can’t just find a bunch of good players in the draft and free agency. Holmes must find a dominant star. Maybe Penei Sewell can be that at right tackle. Maybe Hockenson’s growth curve hits that peak. Maybe Jeff Okudah shakes off an injury-plagued rookie year and lives up to being the No. 3 overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft.

All those could happen. Maybe. But right now the Lions don’t deserve any players on any top-50 overall player lists. Some fans won’t want to hear it, but there is a talent ceiling on this particular team and it’s not a high one either. Until there is some deserving Detroit representation on lists like this, it’s going to be tough for the Lions to leap up into being postseason winners.

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Rams were ‘getting a lot of calls’ about Jared Goff before trade with Lions

Les Snead told Lions GM Brad Holmes that the Rams were getting a lot of calls about Jared Goff this offseason.

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Few people expected the Los Angeles Rams to move on from Jared Goff this offseason, less than two years after he signed a four-year deal worth $134 million. But when the opportunity to land Matthew Stafford arose, Sean McVay and Les Snead couldn’t help themselves.

The Rams, of course, packaged Goff and three draft picks – including two first-rounders – in order to land Stafford. It came together rather quickly, considering Stafford requested a trade from the Lions on Jan. 23 and the trade was agreed to on Jan. 30.

Although it was reported that the Rams had exploratory talks with teams about Goff, it wasn’t clear whether they were shopping him and how serious those discussions were. Well, according to former Rams college scouting director and current Lions GM Brad Holmes, Snead got a lot of calls about Goff.

In an interview with the Lions’ official site, Holmes said Snead called him and asked if he wanted Goff as part of their initial negotiation, adding that the Rams GM was getting “a lot of calls” for Goff.

“Before the trade, I remember (Rams GM) Les (Snead) asked me if I wanted Jared and I said, ‘Yes, I do want Jared.’ He said, ‘Ok, I’m just asking because I’m getting a lot of calls.’ Within that QB circle of teams that needed one, Jared was sought after, just as Carson Wentz was sought after, just as Sam Darnold was sought after. That Stafford (was sought after).”

That’s an interesting little nugget shared by Holmes five-plus months after the trade went down. It was never publicly reported which teams were interested in Goff, or whether the Rams received actual offers for their quarterback.

Perhaps Snead was just talking up Goff’s value as a negotiating tactic, making it seem as though there were a lot of competing offers. Regardless, the Lions got a great haul for Stafford.

They received a quarterback Holmes and coach Dan Campbell like in Goff, as well as two first-round picks and a third-rounder. Being with the Rams for Goff’s entire tenure in L.A., Holmes got to know him as a player and evaluated him in the pre-draft process.

Seeing where Goff is now, Holmes believes he has a chip on his shoulder after getting too much criticism in Los Angeles.

“He got a bad rap (in LA). He did,” Holmes said of Goff. “I didn’t think it was always fair, but everyone has their own opinion about that.

“But, end of the day, he’s in a great place right now. He’s got the chip on his shoulder, but it’s very subtle, because he’s so calm and collective and even keel, which I always thought elevated his game.”

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Owner Sheila Ford Hamp spoke up for a wide receiver in the draft

Hamp asked GM Brad Holmes the question fans were asking themselves while watching the draft unfold

The Detroit Lions lost their top four wide receivers from a year ago this offseason, and the talent drain at WR was significant. Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones were one of the NFL’s best combinations, and Danny Amendola in the slot was a very good fit. Veteran Mohamed Sanu provided a nice spark after joining the team, too.

Replacing all those catches seemed like a massive imperative for the new Lions regime. In a receiver-heavy draft, it seemed like a foregone conclusion the team would select at least one wideout in the first couple of rounds.

Except that wasn’t the plan for new GM Brad Holmes and his braintrust. When the Lions were about to be on the clock in the third round and had drafted OT Penei Sewell and DE Levi Onwuzurike, the concerns at receiver reached the top of the organization.

Lions owner Sheila Ford Hamp, who sat in the draft room, brought up the receiver need to Holmes in the third round. The moment was captured on the team’s “Inside the Den” video.

“What would we do if we don’t get a receiver out of the draft?”, Hamp questioned.

Holmes justified his rationale and plan, noting the depth at wide receiver versus the scarcity at other positions of need.

“Well, we’ll still look at all of those receivers. You know we still got the USC kid and all of those kids, so we’ll still be in the position to get one because of the depth at the position. Because here, really McNeill is the only real nose tackle,” Holmes explained.

McNeill is Alim McNeill, who was the Lions selection at No. 72 overall. The USC kid turned out to be the team’s next pick, Amon-Ra St. Brown, 40 slots later in the fourth round.

Hamp being involved without being intrusive is a good showing of responsibility for the organization. Holmes being secure enough in his process, his job title and his supporting staff is an even better sign. The young GM didn’t kowtow to his boss and didn’t take offense. He calmly, confidently, rationally explained the plan to Hamp. Instead of creating a rift or a sense of distrust, the situation fostered unity.

Ladies and gentlemen, that’s how good NFL teams are run. This wasn’t a case of a meddlesome owner taking the advice of a homeless man on a first-round pick, or overriding the scouting department to take a lesser-talented player from his alma mater instead.

Hamp had every right to question the thought process and the overwhelming need for WR help. But she didn’t demand it of Holmes. She asked a smart question, one that most Lions fans were muttering while watching the draft unfold. Holmes gave a smart, honest answer–and it was the right one for the team’s plan, too.

Lions draft video shows just how active the phones were for trades

GM Brad Holmes made a lot of calls and took a lot of calls too

One of the big conversations that always dominates Detroit talk radio and Lions message boards following the NFL draft is the topic of trades.

Could the Lions have traded up? Did they get offers to trade back? What teams were looking to create some action?

While we’ll never know the full extent of the offers, the latest behind-the-scenes video production from the Lions helps answer a lot of the base questions there. GM Brad Holmes was busy on the phones, both incoming and outgoing calls.

We already knew about the calls while the Lions were on the clock at No. 7 overall, and this video reinforced the overjoyed reaction to the team realizing they would land Oregon OT Penei Sewell following Miami’s selection at No. 6. This latest edition “Inside the Den” highlights a couple of later incidents where the Lions had chances to move but ultimately stayed put.

The first is with second-round pick Levi Onwuzurike. Holmes coveted the Washington defensive lineman enough that he inquired with other teams in the first round about possibly moving up to land Onwuzurike. Senior personnel assistant John Dorsey — former GM of the Chiefs and Browns — advised Holmes to be patient and not too aggressive in chasing after him, and Dorsey proved correct.

Coach Dan Campbell commented,

“People that have experience, John Dorsey being one of them, who was like ‘listen, sit tight, trust the process, let the board come to you’, and to Brad’s credit he held on.”

The details of the calls Holmes made are not known, but we did get to see the collaborative approach to the front office that Holmes stresses. We also see Holmes indicating that he called two other teams and told them the Lions were not interested in their trade advances for the pick.

The more revelatory trade situation came with the Lions on the clock in the third round at No. 101 overall. Another team, which contextually gets revealed as the Jacksonville Jaguars, calls and offers Holmes compensation to move up and take the pick. The details are not specifically revealed, but they involve the No. 130 overall pick and additional assets.

“Go down to 130? Yeah, no, I think we’re just going to stay pat,” Holmes says politely.

The Jaguars later traded up from No. 130 to No. 121 in a deal that sent a package of picks each way between Jacksonville and the Los Angeles Rams.

The Rams traded picks 121 (4th round) and 209 (6th) overall to Jacksonville in exchange for fourth-, fifth, and seventh-round selections 130 (4th), 170 (5th) and 249 (7th) overall. That wouldn’t be the same package for the Lions pick at No. 101, of course, but that’s the kind of trade offer Holmes got. The Lions rejected the offers and happily selected Syracuse DB Ifeatu Melifonwu, who they were quite pleasantly surprised was still on the board.

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