Burning Questions: Will Brad Holmes Trade Up in NFL Draft?

Could Lions make a big Draft night move?

For the first time in Brad Holmes' tenure as Detroit Lions general manager, the organization will begin the Draft picking outside the top-10. 

In each of the last two drafts, Holmes has made moves in the first round and wound up with impact players. The 2022 season saw him move up from No. 32 overall to select Jameson Williams, and he moved out of the top-10 to accumulate capital while selecting Jahmyr Gibbs at No. 12. 

With the Lions picking near the end of the first round, the 2024 Draft could present an opportunity for Holmes to once again make a move on the first night of the event. 

Adding to the intrigue is the fact that the Lions will be hosting the Draft, which could cause for an exciting moment should Holmes elect to make a trade to move up. 

Whether or not the Lions' third-year GM will do so depends on his feelings toward the board. He has shown a willingness to move up to acquire players at the top of his rankings regardless of positional need. 

Two consensus areas of need for the Lions are the cornerback and interior offensive line positions. While the Lions could wait to get a top line prospect, the cornerback crop will likely have several of its top prospects taken early. 

As a result, it would not be a surprise to see Holmes move up to get a player at that position. Among the top prospects at the position are Alabama's duo of Terrion Arnold and Kool-Aid McKinstry, Iowa's Cooper DeJean and Toledo's Quinyon Mitchell. 

If one thing is for certain, though, it's that Holmes is capable of making these moves for players regardless of position. As a result, keeping an eye on top players at skill positions outside of quarterback and running back is a worthwhile exercise. 

The Lions don't have the same Draft capital at their disposal as they have in years past, so there will be difficulty in moving up. However, Holmes is an aggressive GM who isn't afraid to make sacrifices to obtain a player that he likes. 

Late-Round Cornerbacks Lions Could Target in 2024 Draft

Who is biggest NFC North threat?

The Lions will be in unfamiliar territory in 2024 as the reigning NFC North champions. As a result, their rivals will be tasked with reloading in an effort to dethrone Campbell's team. 

Each of the Lions' division rivals has elements that will make them competitive for the division crown in 2024. Green Bay has an arsenal of young talent at its skill positions, Minnesota's defense was among the league's best and Chicago is armed with Draft capital. 

In the immediate, the Packers will pose the biggest threat to the Lions. Jordan Love looked the part of one of the league's best young passers in his first year as a starter, and they had the 49ers on the ropes in the Divisional Round before losing late. 

Love has plenty of talented playmakers, including wideouts Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs and Jayden Reed. Additionally, Aaron Jones was playing at a high level at the end of the season. 

The Lions and Packers split their regular season meetings, with Green Bay matching Detroit's physicality in their Thanksgiving meeting. 

Minnesota's questions at quarterback remain to be solved, while Chicago will once again be a young team. Though the division features four teams that could compete for the postseason, the Lions' current top challenger resides in Green Bay.

Will Lions re-sign Josh Reynolds or Donovan Peoples-Jones?

As the Lions look to take the next step, they face a pair of tough decisions at the wide receiver position. Both Reynolds and Peoples-Jones are set to be free agents. 

Reynolds was a valuable part of the Lions' offense as a secondary receiving option in 2023, amassing 608 receiving yards and five touchdowns in the regular season. He demonstrated great chemistry with Jared Goff, as the two have built a strong connection dating back to their time together with the Rams. 

However, his price tag may be too high for the Lions this offseason, especially with Jameson Williams coming into his own at the end of the season. 

As for Peoples-Jones, he was not a big part of the offense after being acquired at the trade deadline. He had just five catches in the regular season on limited snaps. 

With Amon-Ra St. Brown due for an extension, the front office will have to navigate the contract situations at the position. St. Brown will command a hefty price with his status as a top wideout. 

Both Reynolds and Peoples-Jones have their strong suits, with Reynolds providing a steady presence and Peoples-Jones having upside. However, the edge here may go to Reynolds for his ability to do all the little things within Detroit's offense.