One of the great features of the annual scouting combine in Indianapolis is the scheduled press conference time with head coaches and general managers. Detroit Lions GM Brad Holmes will have his podium time with the media on Wednesday.
This will be the first time we’ve had a chance to interact with Holmes since his immediate post-season press conference right after the Week 18 win over the Packers. A few things have happened since then, from coaching staff changes to the shift to draft season and free agency.
Lions mock offseason v3.0: Pre-combine edition
Here are a few questions I want to ask Holmes at the combine in our limited press conference time.
What was the thought behind giving Aaron Glenn a contract extension?
The Lions gave defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn a fresh contract extension last week. We don’t know the exact details of the contract, but it’s believed to keep Glenn in Detroit for at least two more seasons at a higher pay rate.
Glenn interviewed twice apiece with the Colts and Cardinals for their head coaching vacancies this offseason and is considered one of the top candidates to become a head coach next offseason — as is offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, who also got a pay bump this offseason.
It would be nice to hear Holmes explain the thought process behind the Glenn extension. How binding does he expect it to be? Just how much credit does the organization give Glenn for transforming the defense from a league-worst disaster over the first half of the season into a upper-echelon unit for the second half?
Has your view of drafting players with pre-existing injuries changed?
Holmes has been aggressive in selecting payers coming off of collegiate injuries. Last year he used two of the first three picks on players (WR Jameson Williams, DL Josh Paschal) who were injured, as well as fifth-round TE James Mitchell. It took time well into the season before all three showed flashes of being key pieces in 2023 and beyond.
One year earlier, Holmes tabbed DL Levi Onwuzurike in the second round despite an ongoing back injury, as well as oft-injured DB Ifeatu Melifonwu in the third round. Those outcomes haven’t gone so well for Detroit.
There is a risk/reward balance with selecting players with preexisting injuries, and I wonder if Holmes’ calculus has changed based on his experiences with drafting them in Detroit.
What do you view as the biggest key to the late-season success?
The Lions started the season 1-6 and appeared headed for another top-3 overall pick before a fantastic surge. Detroit finished the season winning eight of its final 10 games and nearly qualified for the postseason in the process.
My question here is based on the internal view of the validity of the late rise. I know the team expected to get better results, but the root cause of those wins is subject to interpretation.
This is a question I also plan for head coach Dan Campbell when he speaks, but I’m curious as to the front office look at the great finish as well.
How much value do you place in the backup QB spot now that expectations for the team are raised?
The Lions have gone the bargain route at backup quarterback in both of Holmes’ seasons at the helm. Paying an uninspiring combination of Tim Boyle, David Blough and Nate Sudfeld relatively low wages worked — as long as Jared Goff played every snap.
Now Goff is the only QB on the roster. This is a team that is expected to compete for a division title in 2023. Do the raised expectations increase the need for a more capable backup for Goff, should he get injured? Would a developmental rookie–at any range of the draft–be considered enough internally, or is prioritizing a better veteran backup something the Lions value?
