Tag: Brad Holmes

Instant reaction to the Lions trading up to select Giovanni Manu and Sione Vaki

Instant reaction to the Lions trading up to select Giovanni Manu and Sione Vaki in the fourth round

For a team that wasn’t scheduled to have any picks in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL draft, it sure turned into an eventful round for the Detroit Lions.

Detroit and GM Brad Holmes made two separate trades to jump into the fourth round. The first saw the Lions send a 2025 third-round pick to the New York Jets for giant Giovanni Manu, an offensive tackle prospect who played college at British Columbia in Canada. The second trade dealt three picks (164, 201 and a 2025 fourth-rounder) to the Philadelphia Eagles for No. 132 and No. 210. With that pick, the Lions drafted Utah running back/safety Sione Vaki.

Manu is about as unknown of a prospect as there can be this early in the draft. A 6-foot-7, 352-pound native of Tonga, he went to Canada as a basketball player before outgrowing the sport. He’s played left tackle for the University of British Columbia. Dripping with athletic promise, Manu’s game is still raw.

Vaki did a little bit of everything at Utah. In 2023 alone, the 5-11, 210-pound athlete played at least 50 snaps at free safety, box safety, slot corner and off-ball LB on defense, as well as at running back. He even took 13 reps as a wildcat quarterback. In his introductory press conference, Vaki indicated the Lions will have him play running back as his primary position.

These are very interesting trades, particularly for Manu. Sending a 2025 third-round pick for a player who is unlikely to play before that season is a gamble on the player developmental prowess of offensive line coach Hank Fraley. On the surface, Manu provides an athletic but terribly inexperienced backup tackle to a team in desperate need of depth across the offensive line.

Befitting that he’s effectively a 2025 pick and cost the Lions no 2024 draft capital, judging the trade up and selection of Manu needs to wait until at least 2025. It’s an investment in the future with a player Holmes and the Lions clearly felt quite strongly about his potential.

Vaki figures to be a core special teams player in Detroit as well as a reserve running back. He’s an explosive but all-or-nothing type of runner, with a physical style and decent hands out of the backfield but not a lot of elusiveness or lateral quickness. The trade up indicates the Lions see him as a potential return specialist as well as a coverage teams demon.

Trading up into the fourth round to land players who almost certainly won’t contribute beyond special teams as rookies carries some risk for Holmes and Detroit. Should Manu prove a quick study and can be the No. 3 offensive tackle in 2024, that will help the perception, but that’s not a given.

This is an exercise in trusting Holmes to trust his board and his coaching staff for the long-term instead of drafting more for immediate need or rookie contribution. The pick traded away for Vaki were unlikely to do much on the field for 2024 either, so that should soften the blow if the new Lions don’t ultimately pan out.

‘Tone-setter’ Ennis Rakestraw ready to work with the Lions, Terrion Arnold

‘Tone-setter’ Ennis Rakestraw ready to work with the Lions and fellow draftee Terrion Arnold

Ennis Rakestraw is the newest Detroit Lions cornerback, joining the team one round after the Lions selected fellow SEC CB Terrion Arnold from Alabama in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft.

The two didn’t know each other until the draft process began. In fact, the Lions had the duo come in for their pre-draft visits together. While they primarily play the same outside CB with aggressive physicality, they do it in divergent mindsets.

General manager Brad Holmes noted the different personalities in his first two picks. They’re both confident and physical, but they approach the game from different backgrounds and personality types.

“Yeah, so first of all, going to Terrion I know we talked about just the personality and just big energy, big personality, very, very confident,” Holmes said before Rakestraw’s interview with the local media. “Ennis is actually different. You feel the confidence. Me and (Lions Head Coach) Dan (Campbell) sitting there and talking to him, I just kind of felt ‘dog’ exuding out of him, just a lot more quiet, just kind of to the point and to the business, not as loud and vocal and vivid personality like Terrion was.

Holmes continued,

“And again, that’s how all these kids are. There’s – it’s actually a really fun process where all of them are asked a lot of the same questions and you get these different answers. They’re all different personalities. But Terrion and Ennis, both of them you really felt like, ‘OK, these guys fit who we’re about. These guys fit our culture.’

Rakestraw might not be as outwardly confident or loquacious as his new teammate, but he’s quick to point out his leadership and intensity.

“I call myself the ‘Tone-setter.’ My defense used to call me the firecracker of the team, because yeah, I’m a corner, but I’ll come up and set that edge,” Rakestraw said. “I’ll hit you like a linebacker and I just let my presence be felt every play that I’m out there.”

Lions have a long term plan at cornerback after the 2024 NFL Draft

Lions have a long term plan at cornerback after using their first two picks of the 2024 NFL Draft on Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw

Catching Lions fans by surprise, the Detroit Lions selected Missouri cornerback Ennis Rakestraw with the 61st overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. This caught fans off guard because on the opening night of the draft, the Lions moved up and selected Alabama cornerback Terrion Arnold with the 24th overall pick.

Now some may look at Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell and say they’re trying to be the “smartest guys in the room” by doubling down at the cornerback position. Before you think that, just look at what the Philadelphia Eagles did with their first two picks of the year. They did the exact same thing so let’s just hit the brakes.

Fortunately, there’s a general consensus to trust Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell when it comes to the way they attack the draft process They operate with conviction and they trust their process. For the 2024 NFL Draft, not only did the Lions draft good football players but they showed that they’re preparing for the future.

It’s not a move that we’ve seen very often as Lions fans but a long term plan at the cornerback position is a smart move by Detroit. For starters, they only have Carlton Davis and Emmanuel Moseley under contract for this upcoming season. Additionally, they only signed Amik Robertson to a two-year contract.

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Despite having those veteran defensive backs, there’s longevity concerns with Davis and Moseley. Both players have dealt with multiple injuries over the last two seasons. Most importantly, it was clear that the Lions had issues in the secondary last season.

The Lions allowed the 6th most passing yards per game (247.4 passing yards) and the 6th most passing touchdowns (28 passing touchdowns) in the NFL last season. Getting a plan in place to improve their secondary was a priority this off-season and it’s clear the Lions front office felt the same way.

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Adding Rakestraw and Arnold gives the Lions their future number one and number two cornerbacks. They are the exact type of players that the Lions value. Tough and hard nosed football players that get after it every chance they get. For both players, I described them both as willing run defenders that embrace contact on the perimeter.

According to PFF run defense scores, the top-2 scores belong to Arnold (90.6) and Rakestraw (89.0). Those are the exact players that will be valued in Detroit under this regime. Here’s my overall projections on both players from my 2024 NFL Draft Guide:

Terrion Arnold — “Arnold enters the NFL with the projection of being a number one cornerback. Defenses searching for a corner that excels in man coverage will love the talent possessed by Arnold. He plays physical and loves contact and competition from the opposition. His aggressiveness will get him trouble as it appears to cause his technique to get wild or it’ll take him out of position. But his fluidity, effort and ability to press and lockdown receivers is encouraging for his development in the NFL.”

Ennis Rakestraw — “Rakestraw is a highly competitive cornerback that is tough and physical. His length helps him jam and redirect defenders while battling at the catch point. Productive in both man and zone coverage, he appears best suited as a press-man corner in the NFL. His aggressiveness in the run game is a plus on the perimeter but his physicality can become troublesome downfield in coverage. If Rakestraw can stay healthy, he can be a number two cornerback in a defense looking for another man defender.”

With Terrion Arnold, he needs to clean up some of his lower body technique as he tends to leave his feet too early and his lower half doesn’t always follow or flow evenly with the rest of his body.

As for Rakestraw, he will get flagged due to his physical nature but the biggest key for him is staying healthy. The ACL injury in 2021 and groin injury in 2023 will be worth monitoring. Oddly enough, I compared Rakestraw to current Lions cornerback Emmanuel Moseley.

No matter the pro comparisons and some of the slight knocks to both players games, I’m very excited for their development in Detroit. To me, the Lions got great value with Rakestraw and in all honesty, the same could be said about Arnold. After all, the Crimson Tide defender was my top ranked corner and my 14th ranked player in the draft.

Getting better on defense was clearly a big part of the Lions agenda this off-season. Fortunately, they developed a plan and stuck to it. On paper, it makes sense and appears to be a great plan. We’ll see how it transitions to success on the field but right now, the future looks bright in the Lions secondary.

Grading the Lions selection of Terrion Arnold in the first round

The Detroit Lions landed one of the top defensive players in the draft, Terrion Arnold after a trade up and couldn’t find a more perfect fit

GM Brad Holmes has once again demonstrated his willingness to make bold moves in the draft to secure top talent for the Detroit Lions. Trading up from the 29th to the 24th pick, Holmes orchestrated a move to acquire Alabama cornerback Terrion Arnold, one of the premier defensive prospects in this year’s draft class.

The draft’s early focus on offensive players unexpectedly pushed down defensive talent, creating an opportunity for the Lions to snag Arnold. While many anticipated Arnold would be off the board before the Lions’ pick, Holmes recognized the exceptional value and didn’t hesitate to make the trade.

Arnold’s arrival addresses a significant need for the Lions, further fortifying a revamped cornerback room that includes additions such as Carlton Davis, Amik Robertson, and Emmanuel Moseley. Despite the cost of trading up, which left the Lions with limited draft capital and without a third-round selection, securing Arnold was deemed essential to bolstering the team’s defense.

Looking ahead, Holmes may explore further draft maneuvers to replenish lost draft capital. As evidenced by his past actions, Holmes is unafraid to make the necessary moves to strengthen the team.

On a personal note, sitting in the crowd in front of the draft stage and when Arnold was announced as the pick it was a massive celebration with many high fives and losing voice screams. Then getting to see him walk across the stage and the crowd screaming “Arnold” the atmosphere was absolutely electric making Arnold feel right at home.

The excitement surrounding Arnold’s selection was palpable, with fans erupting in celebration as his name was announced. His addition to the team is seen as a significant coup, embodying the gritty ethos of the Lions and fitting seamlessly into their rising trajectory. Despite the potential cost, Arnold’s acquisition is viewed as a steal for the Lions, enhancing their roster with a high-quality player perfectly suited to their needs.

Grade: A+

Lions GM Brad Holmes ‘couldn’t be more thrilled’ to land Terrion Arnold

Lions GM Brad Holmes ‘couldn’t be more thrilled’ to land Terrion Arnold and started calling to trade up in the ‘late teens’

Brad Holmes got his man. It took a trade up in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft, but that’s nothing new. When the Lions GM loves a player, he’ll find a way to make it happen.

On Thursday night, Holmes saw Alabama cornerback Terrion Arnold falling unexpectedly in the first round. Almost universally projected to go somewhere between No. 11 and No. 18, Arnold was still there when the Vikings traded up to No. 17. That was enough to get Holmes calling in an effort to engineer a trade of his own to land Arnold.

“Yeah, I mean, I was calling late teens,” Holmes told reporters after the pick. “I was calling just trying to see. I didn’t think he was going to be there. Really, didn’t think he was going to be there calling late teens, but really trying and thinking we were going to have to settle for a different player at a different position but still trade up.”

The unusual progression of the first round, with 14 straight offensive players to start the draft and only one minor trade in the first 15 picks, definitely changed the dynamics for Holmes and the Lions.

“It wasn’t a whole lot of trade backs that early just because it kind of fell, I think well for a lot of people. So, I’m still a little kind of – never thought he would be there, but we couldn’t be more thrilled.”

Holmes made it clear that Arnold was very high on the very short priority list entering the first round.

“We had a pretty, let’s call it ‘significant’ line underneath him to the next guy in our opinion. It wasn’t – we didn’t really have a lot of guys that were up there even in that first round bucket at that position, but he was one of the small few that was even up there in consideration for us.”

Detroit Lions Podcast: Countdown to the draft and uniform reveal episode

The Detroit Lions Podcast breaks down the new uniforms and the path to the 2024 NFL draft entering the final week

It’s a very busy time in the offseason for the Detroit Lions. With the 2024 NFL draft coming up in Detroit in less than a week and a new uniform revelation, the team is keeping fans with a lot to talk about in mid-April.

The latest episode of the Detroit Lions Podcast breaks down the path to the draft for the Lions, including some ideas on how GM Brad Holmes might attack the draft. Holmes also spoke to the media this week, and we covered a lot of the key points from Holmes’ “lone wolf” presser.

The new uniforms are out after much fanfare. It’s a well-received change for the Lions, from the incorporation of the new black uniform to the improved vibrancy of the blue color and the more readable font.

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The audio-only version of the podcast is available via your favorite podcast provider.

Brad Holmes praises the value of the ‘lone wolf’ in the draft evaluation process

Lions GM Brad Holmes praises the value of the ‘lone wolf’ in Detroit’s draft evaluation process

One of the big selling points in the Lions hiring process for GM Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell back in 2021 was their strong commitment to consensus building. The team-building process is a collaborative effort between the coaches, scouts and front office.

So far, that willingness to listen to different voices in the draft process has served the Lions very well. Yet sometimes, the consensus isn’t always an easy arrival. Holmes called it being a lone wolf, and discussed why he likes not having universal agreement on every prospect or choice.

In his pre-draft press conference, Holmes talked about one situation in the 2023 draft where he and Campbell were out on their own against the rest of the draft room consensus.

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“Sometimes I am the lone wolf. I might be the lone wolf. I’ll tell you, me and Dan (Campbell) were the lone wolves on a player that we took last year and it worked out. We loved the player. The rest of the group was like, ‘No, no, no, get this guy,’ at the same position.”

Holmes refused a later request to identify which player he and Campbell were the lone wolves on. He did elaborate more on the value of having dissenting voices and opinions in the draft process.

“So, if I am the lone wolf and everybody else is completely different than me, no one really knows what I think and I am listening to everybody, I am like, ‘Man, I need to go back and look. I missed something,’ and I have the confidence and the humility to do that because I have so much respect for the process. It’s an art form.”

Holmes continued,

“The best thing about scouting is you get 20 people, 10 people, however many, looking at the same film in a dark room and you have 10 different opinions. That’s what’s awesome about it.”

The GM has the humility and balance to understand the checks and balances in place to prevent a lone wolf from being a rogue wolf.

“So, when I am the lone wolf, and everybody is the opposite, I am like, ‘Man, I need to look back and see if I missed something.’ If hear the lone wolf that matched up with what I thought, I am like, ‘Well, at least that person saw it, but everybody else still was the same.’ It just depends – but if I saw something that the rest of the group said, and the lone wolf said something different, oh, damn right I am going to go back and look and see because that person is in the room for a reason and I have got a lot of respect for that person’s evaluations,” Holmes concluded.

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Brad Holmes hopes fans will forgive him if the Lions trade out of the first round

Detroit GM Brad Holmes hopes fans will forgive him if the Lions trade out of the first round of the 2024 NFL draft in Detroit

The 2024 NFL draft is a week away, and the excitement in Detroit is really starting to hit a fever pitch. Lions fans are pumped at the prospect of Detroit hosting the mega event and being there in person to find out who the hometown team is selecting in the first round.

However, in his pre-draft press conference on Thursday, Lions GM Brad Holmes hinted that the team might not make a pick in the first round next Thursday night. Holmes is prepared to trade out of the No. 29 pick and the first round entirely if that’s what he feels is the best course of action, the local fan reaction notwithstanding.

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“Look, we have to do the right thing for the organization,” Holmes stated. “If it makes sense and it lines up and it’s the right thing to do, then we have to do the right thing. Say that happens where the fans have been waiting there all night for this pick and we get an offer that we can’t really turn down and makes sense, we’ve got to do the right thing.”

Holmes has shown he will be aggressive in trading. The Lions have made trades within the first round of the last two NFL drafts, moving up for WR Jameson Williams in 2022 and sliding back from the No. 6 spot in 2023 to acquire more selections.

“Hopefully our fans will forgive us,” Holmes added.

The Lions are one of the biggest wildcards in the 2024 NFL Draft

The Lions are one of the biggest wildcards in the 2024 NFL Draft, and that’s a positive change for Detroit

Throughout the NFL Draft process, there’s a lot of predictions on what will happen on the opening night of the 2024 NFL Draft. Much of these predictions come from the results of mock draft simulators. It’s a great exercise for fans, draft analysts or even your mechanic that doesn’t watch football.

The downside is that it provides this sense of conviction that a mock draft simulator is one-hundred percent accurate and that only the few players you target time and time again are the players that will be drafted by your favorite football team.

When in reality, we’re all guessing. Even your favorite football teams are guessing. Not every team knows what another team is thinking. In the process, everyone tries to connect the dots but the draft board doesn’t always fall in favor of what you want. It tends to go sideways and for the Detroit Lions, this year will be different approach from what we’ve seen in previous years.

Much of that is due to the fact that this is latest first round selection the Lions have had under their new regime.

In 2021, the Lions picked 7th overall and were lucky enough to land offensive tackle Penei Sewell. In 2022, they had the 2nd overall pick and were able to pick defensive end Aidan Hutchinson. Meanwhile, they had an additional pick in the first round in 2022 and 2023 for the trade that sent Matthew Stafford to the Rams.

With that, the Lions surprised everyone in 2022 and moved up to the 12th overall pick to select wide receiver Jameson Williams. To follow, they held the 6th overall pick in 2023 and traded back six spots to select running back Jahmyr Gibbs. Using that extra pick in the first round of 2023, they selected linebacker Jack Campbell at 18th overall.

Sure, we can say the Lions got lucky on some selections and then got creative with others. Regardless, they stay true to who they are as a football team. Under Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell, they have created an identity in what they look for in a person and in a football player. Not every team can say that and it’s probably why the Lions are finding success with so many of their younger players on the roster.

But when you look at previous drafts, nobody thought they’d walk away with Jack Campbell, Jahmyr Gibbs and Jameson Williams as first round picks. It’s just reassurance that the Lions are a true wildcard when it comes to the NFL Draft.

In fact, they may be the biggest wildcard. This year will be no different. Without a glaring need, you could make the case for the Lions to select some younger talent at offensive line with the 29th pick. However, there’s going to be a run on offensive lineman and there’s a chance that we see 10 of them off the board by the time the Lions are on the clock.

Certainly, the Lions could use some help on defense whether it be another pass rusher or potentially a defensive back but will the board fall in favor of the Lions to not have to reach for one of those players?

Then there’s the surprise factor. No, I don’t expect the Lions to go after a tight end, running back or quarterback in the first round but a month ago, it would have been more surprising to see them go after a wide receiver. Now, I’m not sure that’s the case. Could they move up for a pass catcher such as Adonai Mitchell from Texas or Brian Thomas Jr., from LSU?

With Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell, anything and everything is on the table. One thing is for sure, don’t get caught up on talking about “exactly” what the Lions are going to do because we don’t exactly know. And to be honest, I don’t think they do either. Their approach will be different but it will be fun and at the end of the day, we should all just want the the Lions to draft good football players.

Lions focused on extending Jared Goff and Amon-Ra St. Brown

Lions coach Dan Campbell said the team is focused on extending Jared Goff and Amon-Ra St. Brown with new contracts to keep them in Detroit

The best part of hitting on trades, free agents, and draft picks is you get to see a roster build and develop into its full potential. The downfall is everyone needs to be paid at some point to keep the roster together. For the Lions, they are coming up to offer some extensions to keep key players in place.

According to head coach Dan Campbell, the team is prioritizing extensions for Jared Goff and Amon-Ra St. Brown.

Campbell told reporters at the NFL owners’ meetings, “Yeah, those are priorities, those are certainly priorities. I’m not going to get into those, but certainly, some conversations are being had.”

The Lions have started discussions with St. Brown, who has expressed how happy he is in Detroit. Jared Goff has also said he is looking for a long-term extension to remain in Moto City. Both men have become faces of the franchise and are major keys to the team’s historic turnaround.