Lions GM Brad Holmes. Kirthmon F. Dozier / USA TODAY NETWORK

GM Brad Holmes earns rave reviews for Lions' turnaround

By Michael Gallagher | Last updated Dec 30, 2022 12:14 AM ET

While it’s no surprise that Philadelphia’s Howie Roseman and San Francisco’s John Lynch are presumed front-runners for NFL General Manager of the Year, the job Brad Holmes has done with the Detroit Lions shouldn’t be overlooked.

In a recent column for The Athletic, national NFL writer Mike Jones named Holmes as one of six GMs whose stock is on the rise.

“He flipped Matthew Stafford in 2021 for Jared Goff, two first-round picks and a third, and now Goff (top 10 in passing) looks like he could be more than just a short-term bridge,” Jones said. “Meanwhile, smart draft selections are paying off. Rookies Aidan Hutchinson, Malcolm Rodriguez, James Houston and Kerby Joseph are making key contributions, as are picks from last year’s draft. Holmes acquired more draft capital by trading tight end T.J. Hockenson to Minnesota. As the young talent has rounded into form, the Lions have scratched and clawed their way back from 1-6 to force their way into the wild card race at 7-8."

Bob Quinn drafted 21 defensive players in Detroit, two of whom were starters in his final season.

Brad Holmes has drafted 10 defensive players in Detroit, half of whom have been starters this season for a team getting better by the week. https://t.co/GSgtIw88nx
— Will Burchfield (@burchie_kid) December 20, 2022

With two solid draft classes and some crafty free-agent signings, Holmes’ roster construction is already bearing fruit.

Detroit jumped from the No. 22 total offense in 2021 to the No. 4 offense this season while seeing a scoring bump of seven points per game and transforming the Lions from a three-win team to a seven-win team.

The Lions are primed for a strong offseason in 2023 with four selections in the first two rounds of the NFL Draft, including two first-round picks — one of which could potentially be in the top 10 — and approximately $28.6 million in cap space, according to Spotrac.

Michael Gallagher

Michael Gallagher is a longtime sports journalist based out of Nashville with a decade of experience covering college football, mixed martial arts and prep sports plus the NFL and NHL — specifically the Tennessee Titans and Nashville Predators. He’s covered several notable sporting events including an AFC Championship game, a Stanley Cup Final, an NHL All-Star Game and an NHL Stadium Series. Some of his past bylines can be found at the Nashville Scene, SB Nation, The Hockey News and Fox Sports Knoxville

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