By Blessing 
With the NFL Draft just around the corner, many mock drafts have the Detroit Lions locked in on selecting an edge rusher with their 28th overall pick. The reasoning makes sense on the surface: Detroit let go of Za’Darius Smith, hasn’t picked up any free agents at the position, and is now looking to move Josh Paschal inside more frequently in 2025. All signs seem to point to beefing up the pass rush.
But Lions General Manager Brad Holmes wants people to pump the brakes a little.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Holmes offered a reminder that not every draft pick is meant to be a quick fix.
“I think you can get in trouble chasing needs sometimes, and then you’re depending on a rookie,” Holmes said, via the team’s website. “You do the best you can, but nobody has a crystal ball. So, it can be a tough world to live in.”
Instead of zeroing in on immediate gaps, Holmes emphasized the long game—treating draft picks as “future investments,” not instant game-changers.
And frankly, his track record backs him up. Holmes has helped transform the Lions from perennial bottom-dwellers to legitimate NFC contenders. That success gives him the freedom—and the credibility—to steer away from the predictable path when Detroit is on the clock next week.
So, while many are convinced the Lions will target an edge rusher, Holmes might just have a different plan in mind.