Brad Holmes Plans to ‘Stick to Process’ at Trade Deadline

Could the Lions make a major move?

The Detroit Lions have started the 2023 season at a high level, reeling off four wins in five games. 

As a result, the team is viewed as potential championship contenders. Though the team is deep in many areas, there are still potential holes on the roster. Injuries have threatened that depth, as key players have missed games early in the year. 

The NFL trade deadline is set for 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 31. With just under three weeks to go until then, speculation has risen about whether Brad Holmes will make a move to add a star to the roster ahead of a potential championship chase. 

The GM has been known to be aggressive with trades, evidenced by his flurry of moves in recent drafts. Speaking Wednesday on NFL Network, he held his cards close to his vest, while admitting the team will do its due diligence ahead of the deadline. 

From The Insiders on #NFLPlus: #Lions GM Brad Holmes joined the show, weighing in on his team's high hopes, how he feels about QB Jared Goff, the news that WR Jameson Williams is back and a lot more. The complete interview 👇👇👇 pic.twitter.com/kcSDZQnJaw

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 11, 2023

"We just kind of stick to our process regardless of what our situation is. We just try to be real thorough, very prepared with the trade deadline," Holmes said. "Our pro personnel department does a great job identifying guys around the league. We just have our normal process and meetings, and just make sure we're prepared to do what we need to do when it comes to that time. 

“Now, obviously, you look forward and there's different situations. Your roster is different at different points of the year. Unfortunately, there's attrition that comes in this league that you have to prepare for. Maybe it's depth down the road, maybe you might need a guy to come in and be a major contributor. So, you just need to be prepared for all of that. There’s still time to go, we'll be prepared for all scenarios." 

One area that is advantageous for the Lions is the consistency between Holmes and Detroit head coach Dan Campbell. Both see acquisitions similarly, and are often in lock-step about which players to acquire. 

Both had similar players atop their boards ahead of last April's NFL Draft. They work in sync, as they acquire pieces to build their team. 

As a result, any move the Lions make will be met with approval from both the GM and coach. 

"I'll say this. That's the great thing about me and Dan, is that, we're very aligned with who we're looking for, what players we're trying to acquire," Holmes explained. "We see players the same. It's very natural, it's very organic. ... We're cut from the same cloth in that way." 

Excitement of Williams' return

Jameson Williams' early return from suspension was a spark within the Lions organization throughout the last week. Upon learning from team president Rod Wood that the wideout was eligible to return early, Holmes made the phone call to inform the Alabama product of the news. 

When Williams picked up the phone, Holmes asked what the best news he could receive was. Outside of being able to return, the pass-catcher struggled to find an answer. 

"That's it, dude," Holmes told him. "You're back, dude." 

After spending last week getting reacclimatized to the offense, Williams is expected to play a bigger role in Week 6 against Tampa Bay.

"He was ecstatic. He was fired up," Holmes said. "I thought he did a great job sticking to the schedule that he had in place, that he had to adhere to. He did a phenomenal job. He hit the ground running, he had a great week of practice that last week, he was in shape. He had a unique situation, not only the suspension, but he was dealing with an injury he was rehabbing from. He did a great job, in terms of taking care of both phases, not only rehabbing but being in football shape and being ready. You know, he got his first taste of action this past week, and (is) looking forward for more."