ALLEN PARK, Mich. — While there is no finish line with roster building for Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes, most of this offseason's heavy lifting is complete. Through free agency and the draft, the team was able to retain and add pieces, addressing many of the franchise's immediate needs as it enters the second season of a rebuild.
With the draft in the rearview and the offseason program set to ramp up in the coming weeks, we thought it was a good time to look back at the team's perceived offseason goals and how well Holmes did addressing each.
Goal: Recharging the pass rush
A deficiency the previous few seasons, the Lions continued to rank near the bottom of the NFL in both sacks (30) and quarterback pressure rate in 2021. And even though it was the logical conclusion after two injury-plagued seasons and a bloated cap number, the release of Trey Flowers further amplified the team’s need to find edge-rushing help this offseason.
Holmes kickstarted the process by retaining Charles Harris on a reasonable two-year, $13 million contract. Seeing a spike in snaps with both Flowers and Romeo Okwara missing significant time, Harris, the former first-rounder, delivered the best production of his career last season, leading the Lions in quarterback pressures by a wide margin.
Still, it was critical Holmes find more help in the draft. Fortunately, the general manager was able to address the need early, when the Lions were gifted Aidan Hutchinson, the consensus top prospect in the class, at No. 2 overall. An athletic, high-effort rusher for the Wolverines, Hutchinson set Michigan’s single-season sack record as a senior.
But Holmes wasn’t done, adding Kentucky’s Josh Paschal in the second round and Jackson State’s James Houston in the sixth. The 268-pound Paschal is a versatile lineman who is expected to see rush opportunities from interior alignments on clear passing downs. A pocket pusher who plays with excellent leverage and possesses an explosive first step, he should help Detroit generate more pressure up the middle, a nearly non-existent trait with Detroit’s recent defenses.
As for Houston — nicknamed "Da Problem" because of the pass-rushing prowess he displayed while racking up 16.5 sacks last season — he’s projected to be more of a special-teams contributor to begin his professional career. Listed as an outside linebacker by the Lions, the position he played at Florida before transferring to Jackson State, he’s clearly got a knack for getting to the QB, using his long limbs and violent hands to cause havoc on the edge.
— Result: Achieved
Goal: Finding an heir apparent at QB
Detroit's quarterback room has a familiar look after re-signing backup Tim Boyle and third-stringer David Blough. Following those deals, the team opted not to address the position in the draft, providing no viable challenger to starter Jared Goff.
To be fair, given where quarterbacks were selected in the draft, with none coming off the board before the Pittsburgh Steelers grabbed Kenny Pickett at No. 20, the league clearly thought even less of this year's prospect group than reported. Malik Willis, who many believed was in the mix for the Lions at No. 2, lingered all the way until the back half of the third round, where he was scooped up by the Tennessee Titans.
Beyond the talent not being there, the Lions are taking solace in the way Goff finished last season, posting a passer rating well north of 100 his final five starts. And with a significantly upgraded arsenal (more on that in a moment), the team is in much better position to get a true evaluation on his potential as the franchise's future beyond 2022.
— Result: On hold
Goal: Finding speed and size at receiver
Holmes clearly had a vision for the receiver position the previous offseason, signing a pair of elite speedsters in Tyrell Williams and Breshad Perriman in free agency. Unfortunately, that plan never came together with Perriman failing to make the roster and Williams suffering a season-ending concussion in the opener.
The silver lining is the situation created a pathway for playing time for rookie Amon-Ra St. Brown, who thrived with the expanded opportunity, setting franchise records for receptions and receiving yards by a rookie. It also gave the Lions room to add Josh Reynolds when the veteran hit waivers in the middle of the season. A solid piece who brought preestablished chemistry with Goff from their shared time in Los Angeles, Reynolds chipped in 306 yards and two scores in seven games, helping the team stretch the field during the second half of the season.
Re-signing Reynolds in free agency was an easy decision, but the Lions made it clear they were still in the market for an X receiver, preferably a big-bodied option, to round out the corps. Holmes found that in DJ Chark, a former Pro Bowler who posted a 1,000-yard season with eight touchdowns in 2019, but has battled injuries the past couple of years. When healthy, Chark checks all the boxes with elite size (6-foot-4), speed (4.34-second 40-yard dash) and leaping ability (40-inch vertical).
The downside is the addition didn't solve the long-term need. The two sides came together on a one-year, prove-it deal, which if Chark does recapture his 2019 form, there’s a good chance he could see offers around $20 million per season next offseason, based on the rapidly escalating price tags for receivers.
To mitigate that concern, and truly solidify the team’s group, Holmes made an aggressive trade to move up 20 spots in the first round and snag Alabama’s Jameson Williams. Coming off an ACL injury, he didn’t participate in the pre-draft process, but GPS tracking shows Williams was the fastest receiver in this draft class and will immediately be one of the fastest players in the NFL. That speed made him one of college’s best big-play threats, averaging 19.9 yards per catch and scoring 15 touchdowns for the Tide in 2021.
— Result: Achieved
Goal: Landing long-term linebacker, safety
Entering the draft, the Lions had very little stability beyond 2022 through the middle of their defense. At linebacker, the team signed several veterans to one-year deals, with 2021 fourth-round pick Derrick Barnes the only one under contract beyond next season. The team faced a similar dynamic at safety, with Tracy Walker and Brady Breeze as the only players set to be here in 2023.
That seemingly made both positions priorities in the draft, but Holmes didn't address either until the closing stages of the third round when he selected Illinois safety Kerby Joseph. Detroit waited even longer to add a linebacker, grabbing both Malcolm Rodriguez and Houston in the sixth round.
Obviously, those moves bolster the depth with players under contract for the next four seasons, but it's premature to suggest the team found future starters. Joseph, a former wide receiver, is a still-developing talent with only one year of starting experience in college. The Lions are taking on a mix of projection and production with a player who intercepted five passes in 2021.
As for Rodriguez, he put together an impressive resume at Oklahoma State as a four-year starter. A tackling machine, he earned all-conference honors three consecutive seasons and was a first-team All-American as a fifth-year senior in 2021 after racking up 130 tackles (16.5 for a loss), four forced fumbles and five pass defenses.
The knock is his frame. At 5-foot-11, 235 pounds, with shorter-than-average arms, that's something he can't control, but will need to overcome at the next level.
— Result: Wait and see
Goal: Securing more second-level playmakers
Despite Amani Oruwariye ranking third in the NFL with six interceptions last season, the Lions still lagged behind in overall turnover production, finishing in the bottom half of the league.
Outside of Oruwariye, the team also didn’t have anyone rank inside the top-80 in pass breakups. And only two players forced more than one fumble, with one, Jalen Reeves-Maybin, departing in free agency.
The Lions didn't make any additions in free agency who offer obvious improvements in this area. Linebackers Chris Board and safety DeShon Elliott, both poached from Baltimore, have combined for four forced fumbles and one interception in their four-year careers. Cornerback Mike Hughes, who figures to be in the mix for the starting slot- corner job, has been a bit more productive with three picks and seven forced fumbles, including four last season, during his four seasons with Minnesota and Kansas City.
The draft provided more potential in the aforementioned Joseph, Rodriguez and Houston. Joseph intercepted five passes for Illinois in 2021, while Rodriguez and Houston combined for 19 forced fumbles the past two seasons.
— Result: Wait and see
Goal: Bolstering offensive line depth
Detroit's starting five from last season returns and the hope is they'll be blessed with better health after a revolving door of injuries prevented them from sharing the field as a unit in 2021.
With those injury issues, depth played a critical role in the team's ability to have success up front last season. Backup center Evan Brown was the biggest standout among the reserves and the Lions were fortunate to be able to retain his services with a new, one-year contract this offseason. The team also feels good about its depth at guard with Logan Stenberg and Tommy Kraemer remaining in the fold.
If there was room to improve, it was at offensive tackle. The Lions are returning Matt Nelson, who started 11 games last season, as well as veteran Dan Skipper. That said, the team was in the market for an upgrade. And while they didn't use a draft pick on a lineman, they may have found a solution in undrafted free agent Obinna Eze.
The Lions reportedly committed $150,000 in contract guarantees to secure Eze's services. That lofty figure for a UDFA is indicative of how confident they are about his roster chances. The 6-foot-4, 320-pounder has great length, with arms measuring in longer than 36 inches, to pair with three years of starting experience between Memphis and TCU.
— Result: Achieved
Goal: Upgrading at TE2
While it might have been one of the lower-priority needs on the offseason shopping list, the Lions were on the lookout for tight end depth to complement Pro Bowler T.J. Hockenson.
Last year, the team tried with two veterans, but Josh Hill retired shortly after signing with Detroit and Darren Fells was cut midseason. That pushed undrafted rookie Brock Wright into a bigger role, which further grew down the stretch after Hockenson suffered a season-ending injury.
Playing a touch more than 300 offensive snaps, Wright finished with 12 catches for 117 yards and two scores, while struggling, like many rookies do, with his blocking.
To add competition to the room, the Lions brought in veteran Garrett Griffin via free agency. Previously coached by Dan Campbell in New Orleans, Griffin is a block-first option who played a career-high 235 offensive snaps with the Saints in 2021.
Holmes further added to the group, using a fifth-round pick on James Mitchell. A potential value selection after missing most of last season with a torn ACL, the 6-foot-4, 250 pounder is an aggressive blocker who averaged an impressive 16.1 yards per catch during his college career.
— Result: Wait and see
